ATLAS

DivergenceOMEGA-11-2-6Sheet 6 of 6 of the dossier Nazi Antarctic base

Hitler in Berlin or at the pole?

What the records say about Hitler's death and the U-530 interrogations, against the escape story of the second sheet.

Summary

This sheet sets the escape narrative of the second sheet against the documented record. According to the historical account, Adolf Hitler committed suicide in the Führerbunker on 30 April 1945, and that Eva Braun died with him by cyanide poisoning. His death was announced on German radio on 1 May, and in early May his dental remains were extracted from the soil. This is the opposite of Szabo's account, in which he flees by submarine to a polar stronghold.

The rumours nevertheless found fertile ground. Stalin was wary of believing Hitler was dead and restricted the release of information, which left room for alternative stories. When U-530 reached Argentina, its crew were questioned by Argentine, American and British interrogators, who concluded that its appearance there was coincidental and that Hitler was not aboard. U-977's captain, Heinz Schäffer, later said that he had sailed for Argentina to avoid surrender, citing a propaganda broadcast and the hope of better living conditions. The divergence is thus clear: one account puts Hitler's death in Berlin, the other at the pole, and only the first rests on physical and documentary evidence.

Unconfirmed accounts

  1. Unofficial, unconfirmed

    A conspiracy narrative still places Hitler in a polar base: the Nature column summarizes it as a secret base "to which they spirited Hitler at the war's end".

Verified facts

  1. Verified fact

    In early May 1945 Hitler's and Braun's dental remains were extracted from the soil.

    • Death of Adolf Hitler, Wikipedia
      In early May, Hitler's and Braun's dental remains were extracted from the soil.
  2. Verified fact

    Stalin was wary of believing Hitler was dead and restricted the release of information to the public.

    • Death of Adolf Hitler, Wikipedia
      Stalin was wary of believing Hitler was dead and restricted the release of information to the public.
  3. Verified fact

    U-977's captain Heinz Schäffer decided to sail to Argentina rather than surrender, citing a propaganda broadcast and hopes of better living conditions in a country with a large German community.

Official version

  1. Official version

    Adolf Hitler committed suicide by gunshot in the Führerbunker on 30 April 1945, and Eva Braun died with him by cyanide poisoning.

    • Death of Adolf Hitler, Wikipedia
      On 30 April 1945, Adolf Hitler committed suicide by gunshot in the Führerbunker when it became clear that Germany would lose the Battle of Berlin
  2. Official version

    His death was announced in German radio broadcasts on 1 May 1945.

  3. Official version

    U-530's crew were interrogated by Argentine, American and British officers, who concluded its appearance was coincidental and Hitler was not on board.