Found At last : The Woman He Hid From The World

'I WAS HITLER'SSECRET MISTRESS'

He brok e up her marriag e and causedher to attemp t suicide-an d she wasthe only woman he ever really loved .

By COMER CLARK E

A DOLF HITLER'S sister, Frau Paula Wolf, notlong before her recent death clasped the

hands of the still-beautiful woman who stood be-fore her.

"Maria, my dear," she said, "not marrying youwas the greatest mistake Adolf ever made. I knowthat you were the only woman he ever truly loved.It was you he wanted.

"I believe that if he had married you historymight have been different.

"Eva Braun meant nothing to him. She justflung herself at him.

"He married her in his last days in his Berlinbunker because he did not want to go down inhistory as dying with just an occasional girlfriend."

For the first time since the war, Frau Wolf wasmeeting Maria Reiter again.

Maria is the still golden-haired, blue-eyedwoman who was the greatest secret in the lif e ofthe Fuehrer of Nazi Germany.

And Frau Wolf's words at her home in Berchtes-gaden, where Hitler built his mountain eyrie,provided the final proof of the truth of MariaReiter's story.

Beautiful Maria, who captivated Hitler fromthe time she was sixteen until he died in the ruinsof Berlin in 1945, kept her secret all these yearswhile she earned a meager living as a domestichelper, scrubbing floors and cleaning kitchens.

She also kept the only passionate love letters —in his own handwriting — that Hitler is known tohave written.

I have checked Maria Reiter's story, examinedthe revealing documentary evidence and talked to

scores of witnesses. It is clear, beyond all doubt,that Maria, was the only woman Hitler ever lovedpassionately—and completely. To her he baredhis heart and his greatest secrets.

Maria Reiter began her astonishing testimonyas she sat in her bed-sitting room in Frankfurt,where she now lives, with these frank words tome:

"Adolf Hitler and I were true lovers in everysense of the word.

"A lot has been said about Hitler being incap-able of making love to any woman. I can tell youthat this is wrong.

"I was just sixteen when Hitler first crushedme in his arms and became the first man tokiss me.

"He told me: 'By my side you will see Germanybecome great again. Our soldiers will take theglory of Germany to all the nations of Europe—and, in the end, to the world/

"Then, trembling with passion he whispered:'Darling, we must never part.'

"We never did part, in heart and spirit."Then she started at the beginning."Hitler called me Mimi, but I was born Maria

Reiter at Berchtesgaden on December 23, 1909."I had two elder brothers, Karl and Richard,

and an elder sister, Anny."We were a Roman Catholic family and lif e was

strict. My mother was a kind and gentle woman.My father was the deputy mayor.

"I went to the Catholic convent of Santa Mariabut I left there at 15 and went to help Anny—who was by then married—in my family's shoeand clothes shop, (Continued on next page)

Mimi finall y marrie d SS office r Georg Kubisch , right ,when if becam e clear tha t Hitle r woul d never wed her.

HITLER'S SECRET LOVE continue d

"Fourteen days before my first fateful meeting withHitler my mother had died.

"I t was on September 28, 1926, that I first saw him.I was just 16 and supposed to be very pretty. Hitlerwas thirty-seven.

"The name didn't mean a thing to me when mybrother, Richard, pulled my arm as I stood behindthe shop counter. 'Look,' he said. 'That is Adolf Hitlerwalking by.'

"He was wearing light brown breeches, a grey wind-jacket, brown high boots, a light grey velour hat andcarried a brown riding crop. Beside him trotted hisAlsatian dog, Prinz."

Pudgy-faced Adolf Hitler was already a name inGermany. Already he was often to be seen standing,his right hand outstretched, as columns of his brown-shirted followers marched past him.

Already people talked of his hypnotic eyes, hisrasping, impassioned voice.

Already the brown-shirted roughnecks were man-handling hecklers, beating up aged Jews. The orches-tra of tyranny was tuning up.

Maria did not know that Hitler had for two daysbeen standing behind the lace curtains of the HotelDeutches Haus, above her shop, watching as shestrolled in the park opposite at lunchtime.

Maria told me:"Two days after my first glimpse of Hitler, Anny

and I went over to the park at lunchtime as usual.Hitler crossed the road towards us. He bowed slightlyand doffed his hat.

"He spoke: 'Hitler, Adolf Hitler, is my name. Doyou mind if I sit on this bench?'

"I looked at my sister. Anny said, 'No, Herr Hitler,you are most welcome.'

"Hitler sat down and I went on playing with Marko,our Alsatian, but I noticed that all the time Hitlerwas talking to Anny he was looking and smiling at me.

"I heard Hitler say to Anny: 'Who is this blondebundle of happiness?' Anny said, 'She is my sister,Mimi.'

"Hitler asked, 'Will you introduce me?'"I was thinking how awful that moustache is—if he

kissed a woman it must tickle."Then my sister called, 'Mimi, Mimi—I would like

to introduce you to Herr Hitler.'"Hitler looked at me with piercing eyes. I felt il l

at ease. He motioned me to sit down. I sat on Hitler'sleft.

"For a few minutes Hitler talked about his dog.Then, suddenly, he asked my sister, 'Frau Hehl, willyou one day allow me to go for a walk with yoursister?'

"I stared at Anny as if to say: 'For goodness' sake,no!' After all, I had never been out with a man.

"I jumped up and went to the shop."The next day a close friend of Hitler came to the

shop. 'Herr Hitler is making a speech tonight at theHotel Deutches Haus above this shop,' he said. 'Hewould be honored if you would come.'

"We felt we could only say, 'Yes.'"That evening forty members of the National

Socialist German Workers' Party—the Nazi Party—were sitting at their tables. Anny and I were shownto the top table.

"I was rather flattered that this famous man hadthought I was intelligent enough to be invited to apolitical meeting.

"Hitler came to our table and bowed. 'I cannot tellyou how happy I am that you are here,' he said to me.

Then he bowed again and went to the platform."I can see him now. I can see his lock of hair as it

fell over his brow, his fist hammering on the desk."Al l the time Hitler looked at me, I cannot tell you

how uncomfortable I felt."After the speeches most of the guests drank wine.

Hitler drank mineral water."At first the conversation was general, but gradually

the group split up—and left Hitler and me alone."He called over to my sister. 'Frau Hehl,' he said.

'I am as happy as a littl e boy. You did me a greatfavour by bringing your sister along tonight.'

"Suddenly Hitler looked at me. I remember flushingas his piercing blue eyes lifted slowly over my bodyfrom my hands to my face. No one else seemed toexist for Hitler, He moved his chair towards me andleaned forward to ask, ' Where are your parents ?'

"I said, 'I have only a father. My mother died justover a fortnight ago.'

"Hitler said, 'I know how much that must hurt.'His voice was sad.

"He looked at me again and said, 'My mother hadthe same eyes as you. She died when I was younglike you.'

"At this moment our hands brushed. I shall neverforget it, though it was only a touch.

"Then Hitler clasped my hands in his." 'You must allow me to accompany you to your

mother's grave,' he said."I t seemed such a kind thing to say, and I answered,

'Yes, of course.'."We. talked for half an hour, and I noticed that

Fraulein Metkess, a daughter of the hotel proprietor,was looking at me. She looked as if she resented theattention Hitler was paying to me.

"Suddenly she turned and said, 'Herr Hitler, whydon't you marry?'

"Hitler glanced at her briefly and turned to me." 'Marry?' he said. 'I cannot marry. All I can do is

to be with a woman I really love. A woman I lovewith all my heart.'

"As he spoke his knee pressed against my thigh, andhis right foot pressed on mine."

Three days later Mimi caught her first glimpse ofHitler the Fiend. Hitler's Alsatian dog, Prinz, sprangupon her Alsatian, Marko.

Within seconds the pavement was a whirlwind ofsnarling, bare-fanged battle.

Mimi told me: "I covered my face with my handsas the dogs' teeth slashed into each other's bodies.

"Then I saw Hitler grip his riding crop and leap atthe fighting dogs.

"His face was twisted with fury as, again and again,he lashed out at them until Prinz reeled away fromthe blows.

"But, in a frenzy, Hitler still lashed at his bleeding,dazed dog. It was senseless, but he couldn't seem tostop.

"I was horrified. I grabbed his arm and shouted,'Stop it! Stop! You'll kill him.' "

"To my amazement he did stop—as soon as I touchedhis arm.

"He turned to me and whispered, 'I couldn't help it.You should have stopped me before. I'm sorry.' "

This was the first of many times that littl e MimiReiter was to exercise a calming influence on Hitler.

"Hitler and I walked home in silence to Anny's flat,where I was living," Maria went on.

"When we were inside he saw the piano and askedme to play. Gently he placed his hands on myshoulders.

"He whispered, 'Will you let me kiss you?' I wenton playing as I said, 'No, Herr Hitler, I can't.'

"Anny came into the room with some sandwiches.I went into the kitchen to fetch the coffee. Hitlerfollowed me, put his arms around me gently andpulled me to him.

'"Why don't you want to kiss me?' he asked. 'Don'tI mean anything to you? Don't you want to do thesame as I want to do?'

"Remember I had never been out with a man before,let alone been kissed by one. I said, 'No, Herr Hitler,I can't Please!'

"I saw Hitler's face darken."He spoke sharply, 'Then we shall never see each

other again. Never!'"And he stormed out. (Continued on page 56)

Hitler' s Mistress (Continued from page 31)

"Next day, Herr Amann, a friend ofhis, came into our family shop. Hewalked straight up to me and said,'Herr Hitler is terribly upset. He willdo no work. He won't even eat.

" 'Will you do me a favor? Pleasewrite him that you will see himagain.' I did so.

"Within ten minutes Hitler wasstanding before me.

"He was beaming. 'Thank you,Mimi , for your few lines,' he said. 'Iwas so afraid I had offended you.

" 'You told me you would allow meto accompany you to your mother'sgrave. May I meet you tonight?'

"That evening we walked in silenceto the graveyard in the center of

Berchtesgaden. We had been stand-ing by my mother's grave for a fewminutes when Hitler started to pourout his heart.

" 'I was about your age, too, whenmy mother died. She was a wonder-ful woman,' he said, his hands holdingmine.

" 'We came from a very poor family.Even from the first, in Braunau, inAustria, my father did not under-stand me.

" 'Very often when my father didnot think I was doing well enoughat school, he hit me. He was a verybrutal man.'

"Hitler seemed almost to be sob-bing.

"Then he said, 'But the foundationshave been laid for the great fight tobring new glory to Germany.'

"I heard his voice soften. His handsheld my arms.

" 'My dear Mimi,' he said. 'Fate hasbrought us together. Will you pleasepromise always to be by my side?'

" 'My task is to rebuild Germany.Together we will see our Fatherlandgrow in greatness.'

"I did not know what to say. Whatan odd man he is, I thought.

"I was growing to like this strangeman, beginning to feel a littl e sorryfor him. I could tell that I was havinga strange fascination for Hitler, andwhen he asked me to go for a ridein his car the next day I said yes.

"Hitler asked Anny, too, in caseanyone felt I was too young to go outalone with an older man.

"At 11 a.m. next day a big, blackMercedes swished to a halt. Hitlerwas sitting in front with his driver,Emil Maurice. Anny and I climbed inthe back.

"But three miles out of Berchtes-gaden on a lonely mountain road Hit-ler asked my sister, 'Would you liketo sit in the front of the car? Theview is so much better.'

"Anny and Hitler changed seats."Then, after several more miles,

Hitler again ordered Emil to stop.While Anny stayed talking to Emil,Hitler took my hand and we strolledamong the trees. He stopped and heldme against a tree, his hands upon myarms.

" 'Just stay as you are,' he saidsoftly.

"Then he stepped back severalpaces and looked at me as shafts ofpale, autumn sun glinted softlythrough the branches.

"Hitler's voice came through thestillness: 'If only you could stay forthe rest of your lif e as you are now.'

"Quickly he walked towards me.His lips pressed against mine as hekissed me passionately, his armscrushing me against his body.

"I t was my first kiss."Hitler whispered, 'My darling, I

am desperately in love with you. Youare everything to me.'

"I clasped his hands and thought Iwas beginning to understand this in-credible man. I, too, was falling inlove.

"On the way back to the car Hitlertold me, 'Tomorrow I have to go ona tour of Germany. I shall be awayfor several weeks.

" 'You must write to me care of myhousekeeper, Frau Dachs, Tiersch-strasse, Munich, and I will write toyou.'

"Hitler was afraid that his friend-ship with me might be politically em-barrassing. 'I shall sign my lettersWolf,' he said. 'From now on youmust call me Wolf.'

"As we neared Berchtesgaden, Hit-ler changed places again and sat inthe front of the car.

"He produced three large boxes ofchocolates when we got home. Onehe handed to Anny, one he gave tome and one he kept himself.

(Continued on next page)

"He told me, 'You must eat themas you lie in bed tonight. I will eatmine in bed, too. As we do so we willthink of each other.'

"For a few seconds he gripped myarms and gazed Into my eyes. Thenhe turned and was gone. I knew Iwas in love."

A few weeks later, Mimi, wearing awhite blouse and a short, pleatedskating skirt, whirled on the ice at aMunich skating competition.

As she curtsied to the judges, shesaw Hitler among the spectators. Hit-ler was clapping and beaming withpleasure.

"Hitler shook my hand, as enthusi-astically as a littl e boy, when a loud-speaker announcement was made thatI had won through to the final, to beheld at a later date," she told me.

" 'My dear,' he said, 'we must cele-brate. Don't bother to change. Packyour outdoor things in a suitcase andcome and have a meal.'

"Hitler, his driver, Emil Maurice,and I went to a nearby restaurant.

"I was hungry, and I ordered veal."Hitler's face clouded, 'How can you

eat the flesh of animals?' he asked."Despite this, I ate with a good

appetite. Later, Hitler invited me tosee where he lived. The driver wasdismissed at the door. Hitler tookmy hand as we went upstairs.

" 'I expect you would like tochange,' said Hitler, for I was still inmy skating clothes. 'You may changehere if you wish. I promise you Iwon't look.'

"I hesitated. After all, I had neverbeen alone with a man in his apart-ment.

"Then I said, 'Well, if you promisenot to look until I tell you.'

"Hitler pulled 'round a chair andsat facing the wall. As he began tolook at some papers, I started to un-dress.

"I pulled off my skating clothes andstruggled into a blue evening dress,but I could not reach one button atthe back and I had to ask Hitler'shelp.

"He got up quickly from the chairand hurried across the room. Hitlerfastened the button, standing behindme, Then he put his arms around meand pulled me back on my heels to-wards him.

" 'You are the most wonderful girlI have ever met,' he whispered, hisbreath warm on my bare neck.

"Then he swung me round, and wewere in each other's arms, kissingpassionately. Hitler whispered, 'Mybeautiful Mimi. I love you so much.'

"That night he took me to theopera, and as we walked into thetheatre everyone looked 'round to seeHitler. Hundreds in the audienceraised their hands in the Nazi saluteas Hitler took his seat in the box,with me by his side.

"I watched jealously as beautifulwomen in the audience got up andcurtsied to the man who was soon tobe the Fuehrer of Germany.

"Hitler seemed to read my thoughtsand said, 'Mimi, you must take no no-tice. Many of these women wish to bewith me, but they mean nothing.

" 'I could almost pick and choose.But you are the person I love.'

"I was proud and flattered."After the opera, Hitler accompan-

ied me to the flat of Frau Ida Arnold,a woman doctor with whom it hadbeen arranged that I should stay thenight. Dr. Arnold asked me lots ofquestions about Hitler, mainly aboutthe love she had noticed we had foreach other.

"Next day I went back home. With-in days I was receiving letters andpostcards from Hitler, who was on atour of Germany addressing Nazi ral-lies.

"Hitler was an Austrian and couldhave been deported from Germanyas an alien at a moment's notice. Againand again he confided in me thatthis was his great fear.

"Eight weeks after I had met Dr.Arnold, there came a bombshell.

"An anonymous letter was sent tothe headquarters of the Party com-plaining of the Leader's associationwith a seventeen-year-old girl—me.I found out a while later that thewriter was Dr. Arnold.

"That day I was expecting Hitler tocall at my family's flat. But he didnot arrive.

"Was Hitler under arrest? Would hebe deported? If so, it was all my fault.Worse still, it was the end of ouraffair.

"My remorse became too much forme to bear and I resolved to end mylife. I knotted a length of windowcord round my neck, tied the otherend to a door knob and threw myselfon to the floor.

"I do not know how long I laythere, half strangled, but I was foundby Anny. A doctor was called andlater that night I regained con-sciousness.

"Next day I was told what hadhappened when Hitler arrived inBerehtesgaden, He had gone to seeAnny's husband, Gottfried Hehl, athis office and had told him, 1 amforced to part from Mimi.

" 'Someone has written a letterabout Mimi and me. Someone hasdone this to me and to the only girlI have ever loved.

" 'Will you please explain to her?It is more than I can bear to see heragain, knowing that I must say good-bye.'

"Anny came into my room to talkto me. She said, 'Everyone has theirfirst love. Now we must forget it all.'

"I could never forget. But I agreedwith Anny that I should go away to adomestic science school at Linz inAustria.

"Several months later I met a quiet,young man, just twenty-one. He wascalled Kurt Woldrich and he was theson of an Innsbruck hotel owner. Hecourted me, and at last I said, 'Yes.'On May 10, 1930, we were married.

"But even though three years hadpassed, my love affair with Hitler wasyet to reach its climax."

Hitler was furious when he learnedthat Mimi had married.

The next year, he sent his deputy,Rudolf Hess, to see her at the hotelwhich she and her husband ran. "Herr

Hitler wants to know if your marriageis happy," Hess told her.

Mimi told Hess, "My marriage wasa great mistake, but now there is noturning back."

She continued, "There was no mis-taking the meaning of the words Hesswas to speak:

" "Herr Hitler is still in love withyou. It was a great shock when hewas told of the anonymous letter tothe Party about his love for you.

" 'If there is anything he can do'—Hess faltered as he spoke the words—'If you still love him more than any-one else, please telephone him. Youmean so much to him.?

"He wrote down a telephone num-ber.

"Next afternoon I walked out ofthe hotel—my home—and walked amile into Seefeld. Four hours later Iwas in Munich.

"At the railway station there Iphoned Hitler's number. Hitler him-self answered the phone.

"'Wolf, ' I said, 'it is Mimi.' Hitlerdid not reply for a moment. Thenhe said, 'My darling, I hope you willsay what I am yearning to hear—that you love me still.'

"With tears in my eyes, I whis-pered, 'I can't answer that over thetelephone.'

"Hitler replied, 'Take a taxi to myflat at once.'

"At his flat in Prinz Regenten Platz,I walked into Hitler's arms. Soon hewas clasping me tightly. I felt hisheart beating, his breath warm uponmy neck.

"We walked towards his bedroom,Once we had been sweethearts. Thatnight we became true lovers in everysense of the word.

"I t has been suggested that Hitlerwas incapable of making love.

"I know that was not true, al-though I may have been the onlywoman he loved completely.

"He set me up in my own flat inMunich, and he always saw to it thatwhen we met in public it appearedthat I was just one of his manyfriends."

Events were moving fast towardsHitler's assumption of power in Ger-many. During these years, Mimi wasthe Fuehrer's lover.

Mimi continues:"After Hitler became Chancellor of

the Reich in 1933 he began to spendmost of his time in Berlin. I sawhim less and less.

"Hitler had instructed Dr. HansFrank, a lawyer later to be Governorof Poland and to be hanged atNuremberg, to help me get a divorcefrom my husband.

"When it came through I toldHitler, 'Wolf, if you still want me,I am now free to marry. Perhapswe could have children.'

"Suddenly Hitler turned on me." 'Children! Getting married!' he

shouted. 'That's all you women thinkabout

" 'Don't you understand I can'tmarry anyone? Germany must bebuilt up first. My private lif e comessecond.'

(Continued on next page)

"At last Hitler took me by thehands and said, 'Mimi, dear, time mayalter things.'

"It did not. From that moment Iwas troubled and unhappy,

"Hitler was away more and more.Nearly two years passed, and I be-came aware of a handsome youngofficer named Georg Kubisch.

"I often saw Georg in Munich. Oneday he asked me to go to the theater,I saw no harm in it, because he wasyoung and kind and I was lonely.

"But within weeks news of ourmeeting came to the ears of Hitler.One night, when I met him, he ex-ploded, 'I hear that your name is be-ing linked with one of my soldiers.What is the truth?'

"I felt the time had come to tellHitler that, if he could not marry me,our association must end.

"Hitler listened patiently. Then hewalked slowly to the window.

"I could see he was sad as he lookedat me and said, 'There is nothing Ican do. I shall always dearly loveyou and hope often to see you.'

"We talked for a while, then weparted.

"Georg and I were married in

Munich on November 9, 1936."Georg Kubisch and I were very

happy. I resolved to put Hitler outof my mind."

Two years later Hitler called.Mimi says: "I invited Hitler into

the house. At once he asked me thesame question that Hess had askedyears before, 'Mimi, are you happy ?'

"This time I was able to answer:'Yes, wonderfully happy.'

"Our love affair was over, so wechatted about everyday things forabout half an hour. Then Hitler left.

"Next year came the war, and onJune 20, 1940, my husband was killednear Dunkirk, fighting the British.

"To me came 100 red roses. Withthem was a note, signed 'Adolf Hitler'.

"From time to time Hitler wrote tome. Notes like this, 'My darling Mimiyou cannot think how hard I amworking. But Germany wil l be vic-torious. Then, perhaps, we can to-gether.'

"But victory never came."Hitler, in his last crazy hours

married Eva Braun, but I know hedid not love her. I—as he so oftentold me—was the only love of hislife." * * *