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A review by dtab62
The Death of Hitler: The Final Word by Lana Parshina, Jean-Christophe Brisard
4.0
There are several good books about the death of Adolf Hitler. The most definitive remains Hugh Trevor-Roper's "The Last Days of Hitler". The Death of Hitler: The Final Word is a worthy update to Trevor-Roper's work.
When Trevor-Roper was assigned to find out what happened to Hitler, he didn't have much to work with. On the one hand, the event was recent, but on the other, the best sources were in Russian custody so he his only eyewitnesses were those who were captured by the western Allies.
The Russians kept a tight lid on their evidence and transcripts for seven decades. In 2016, a pair of documentary film makers approached the Russian government about studying their archives, and were given limited access. This book is as much about the Russian investigation and handling of archival materials as it is about the actual death of Hitler. We learn that the Russians in charge of the investigation were as driven by what they thought Stalin wanted to hear as much as they were by the evidence and testimony.
Which is fine, it's a fascinating story. And there are some aspects of the story that they legitimately update. The most famous relic in the "A.H." file, the skull fragment discovered in the 1990s, remains somewhat a mystery because the team was not permitted to analyze it, only look at and photograph it. But the teeth purported to be Hitler's were studied more in depth (it would be easy to give away spoilers, here, but I'll refrain) and proven to be his.
This wouldn't be the place to start for someone looking to learn about the demise of Hitler. I'd recommend beginning with Trevor-Roper's book, or perhaps James P. O'Donnell's "The Bunker." But The Death Of Hitler: The Final Word has earned a place towards the top of the literature on the subject.
This might not be the first book I'd recommend to someone looking to learn about Hitler's demise, but I'd still recommend it.
When Trevor-Roper was assigned to find out what happened to Hitler, he didn't have much to work with. On the one hand, the event was recent, but on the other, the best sources were in Russian custody so he his only eyewitnesses were those who were captured by the western Allies.
The Russians kept a tight lid on their evidence and transcripts for seven decades. In 2016, a pair of documentary film makers approached the Russian government about studying their archives, and were given limited access. This book is as much about the Russian investigation and handling of archival materials as it is about the actual death of Hitler. We learn that the Russians in charge of the investigation were as driven by what they thought Stalin wanted to hear as much as they were by the evidence and testimony.
Which is fine, it's a fascinating story. And there are some aspects of the story that they legitimately update. The most famous relic in the "A.H." file, the skull fragment discovered in the 1990s, remains somewhat a mystery because the team was not permitted to analyze it, only look at and photograph it. But the teeth purported to be Hitler's were studied more in depth (it would be easy to give away spoilers, here, but I'll refrain) and proven to be his.
This wouldn't be the place to start for someone looking to learn about the demise of Hitler. I'd recommend beginning with Trevor-Roper's book, or perhaps James P. O'Donnell's "The Bunker." But The Death Of Hitler: The Final Word has earned a place towards the top of the literature on the subject.
This might not be the first book I'd recommend to someone looking to learn about Hitler's demise, but I'd still recommend it.