Chapter 192 Chapter Thirty-One Five Minutes After Midnight, or "The Captain Sinks with the Ship" (4)

As the Russians were closing in on the capital from all sides, Eva Braun's usually cheerful personality had turned into terror, but she didn't dare to show it. Once, she grabbed Traudl Jung's hands and admitted in a trembling voice that she was scared. "In the end everything will pass!" She wrote a farewell letter to his good friend Hulda. "This is my last letter, which is the last symbol of my life", she wrote.She also explained that she had sent the jewelry to her for distribution in her will.She apologized for her incoherent letter because Goebbels' six children were having a falling out in the next room. "I really don't understand how these things can happen! It's enough to make people lose their belief in God!" In the afterword, she added that Hitler himself was completely disappointed.However, on the next day, Monday, April 23, Eva wrote to her sister again, saying that there is still one more chance. "However, it goes without saying that we will not allow ourselves to be captured alive by them." She told her sister to destroy all her official documents, put the letter from the Führer and her reply in a waterproof bag, and buried it in the ground.The letter ended with a postscript of pitiful hope: "I have just spoken to the Führer. I think he is more optimistic about the future today than he was yesterday."

Himmler was also preparing for the last minute, and just before midnight, he met again with Falk Bernadotte at the Swedish consulate in the Baltic port of Lübeck. "The war must end," he said unexpectedly, with a resigned sigh. "I admit that Germany has been defeated." The Fuehrer was probably dead, so he was no longer bound by his oath.He said he would have surrendered the Western Front; not the Eastern Front. “I have always been, and always will be, the sworn enemy of Bolshevism.” He asked Count Bernadotte if he would pass this advice on to the Swedish Foreign Minister, who would pass it on to the West.

Bernadotte didn't like the idea, but agreed to pass it on to the Swedish government.If this proposal is rejected, what will you Himmler do? "In that case," he replied, "I'd take command of the Eastern Front and die in battle."Himmler also said that he was willing to meet with Eisenhower and immediately surrender unconditionally to him. "As far as you and I are worldly, I ask you, should I beg Eisenhower?" he asked. He remarked that it was the most painful day of his life.He deliberately walked into the darkness and entered the cab.He stepped on the clutch and the car raced through a bush and crashed into a barbed wire fence.The Swedes and the Germans worked together to finally pull the car out.Himmler staggered away, and Count Bernadotte commented that the incident was somewhat symbolic.

At the military conference held the next day, April 24, Hitler was well informed that Mantefil's Twelfth Army had been completely cut off by the deep penetration of Soviet tanks. "The Oder River is a wide natural barrier," he said after a moment of silence, "but the Russians outperformed the Third Tank Army. From this point of view, the Russian victory only shows the incompetence of the German military leaders there!" Krebs tried to defend the front-line commanders, but his actions triggered Hitler's memories of Steiner's bankrupt offensive.He pointed tremblingly at the map and said that within twenty-four hours another attack must be launched from the north of Berlin. "The Third Army must use all available forces to launch this attack, leaving our unattacked front empty. The connection between the north of Berlin and the city of Berlin must be restored by tomorrow night. Pass this order on immediately." It was suggested that Steiner lead the offensive, which made Hitler furious. "Those SS officers, arrogant, slow, hesitant, are of no use to me!"

Goebbels was gone, ready to make a final proclamation to the citizens of Berlin.He hoped that by telling the truth to the citizens, they would be frightened so that they would continue their expedition against the Reds to the end. "Our hearts must not be shaken, must not tremble. The Bolsheviks have launched a massive offensive, flooding from the east under the walls of the imperial capital against the heart of Europe." Although these last words had been spread, Julius Chaber is still burning the Führer's private letters.After the burning, the personal adjutant of the head of state boarded the plane and headed south with orders.Destroy private documents at the Munich apartment and at the Berghof.