The Story of Paula Hitler: Unraveling the Life of Adolf Hitler's Sister
Updated: 5 days ago
Paula Hitler (otherwise known as Paula Wolff and Paula Hitler-Wolff) was born on January 21, 1896, in the quaint village of Hafeld, nestled within the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. She was the fourth child of Alois Hitler Sr. and Klara Pölzl, and the younger sister of Adolf. Raised in Braunau am Inn, Paula's childhood was modest, characterised by the stern presence of her father and the nurturing embrace of her mother. At the age of six, she experienced the loss of her father, a retired customs official, followed by the death of her mother Klara at eleven. Subsequently, the Austrian government granted Paula and Adolf a modest pension. However, Adolf, being financially independent by then, willingly relinquished his portion to support Paula.
Paula relocated to Vienna and took up a position as a housekeeper at a dormitory for Jewish university students in the early 1920s. In 1921, she had a rare visit from her brother Adolf, whom she described as appearing like he had "fallen from heaven." Despite her proximity to Adolf's struggles as a painter in Vienna and later Munich, as well as his military service and early political ventures, they had little contact until their reunion in Vienna during the early 1930s.
Using the surname Hiedler, Paula faced challenges due to her association with Adolf. After losing a job when her employers discovered her identity, she received financial support from her brother, who requested she adopt the pseudonym "Wolff," a childhood nickname of his, for safety reasons.
Adolf's attitude toward Paula's intellect was disparaging, referring to her and their half-sister Angela as "dumme Gans” (stupid goose). Despite claiming to see her brother annually during the 1930s and early 1940s, Paula mainly worked as a secretary in a military field hospital during World War II.
In April 1945, near the end of the war, Paula was escorted to Berchtesgaden, Germany, by SS men on the orders of Martin Bormann. There, she and her half-sister Angela were each given 100,000 marks upon Adolf's instruction. Although Paula shared her brother's nationalist beliefs, she remained politically inactive and never joined the Nazi Party.
Paula was apprehended by US counter-intelligence officers on May 26, 1945, and later interviewed on July 12 of the same year. During the interview, she portrayed her childhood relationship with her brother as a mix of constant quarrels and deep affection. Despite the accusations against her brother regarding the Holocaust, Paula expressed disbelief in his involvement. She also disclosed having met Eva Braun only once. Following her interrogation, Paula was released from American custody and returned to Vienna. There, she relied on her savings for a while before finding employment at an arts and crafts shop.
In a turn of events, Paula returned to Berchtesgaden on December 1, 1952, and settled there permanently, adopting the name "Paula Wolff" or "Paula Hitler-Wolff." This move was associated with her pursuit of a claim under Hitler's will, which had been rejected by a court. During her stay, she was supported by former SS members and survivors from her brother's inner circle.
In February 1959, Paula consented to an interview with Peter Morley, a British documentary producer for Associated-Rediffusion, an ITV channel. This interview, the only one captured on film, was broadcast as part of a program titled "Tyranny: The Years of Adolf Hitler." Throughout the conversation, Paula mainly discussed Hitler's upbringing and declined to engage in political discussions. Footage from this interview, along with a contemporary conversation with Morley, was featured in the 2005 television documentary "The Hitler Family" (original German title Familie Hitler. Im Schatten des Diktators)
Paula passed away on June 1, 1960, in Schönau near Berchtesgaden, at 64 years old, marking the end of Hitler's immediate family lineage. She was laid to rest in the Bergfriedhof in Berchtesgaden/Schönau, bearing the name Paula Hitler. In June 2005, the wooden grave marker and remains were reportedly relocated due to another burial in the same location, a customary practice in German cemeteries after a period of two or more decades. However, in May 2006, the grave marker was restored to Paula's grave with a hinged panel, concealing her name and displaying the names of the more recent interments.
