Historian Challenges Hitler's Alibi in Niece's Death
New evidence suggests Adolf Hitler may have been present at the time of his niece Geli Raubal's suspected suicide.
A German historian is questioning the long-held narrative surrounding the death of Geli Raubal, Adolf Hitler's 23-year-old niece, who died in 1931 from a gunshot wound. For decades, it has been widely accepted that Raubal died by suicide, an event that occurred two years before Hitler's rise to power. The official account states that Hitler was in Nuremberg on the day of her death, providing him with an alibi.
However, historian Harald Sandner claims to have discovered new evidence, including a death certificate, that suggests Raubal's body was found approximately 24 hours earlier than previously reported. According to Sandner, this revised timeline implies that Hitler could have been present in Munich at the time of his niece's death. "Since the body was already indisputably in the flat at that point, the actual time of death must logically have been much earlier – either in the early hours of Sept 18 or even as early as the night before," Sandner told The Telegraph. He asserts that the date and time on the document "completely contradict the official, 95-year-old narrative put forward by the Bavarian judiciary and the NSDAP [the Nazi party]."
Sandner speculates that Munich police might have colluded with Hitler to suppress the truth and conceal the circumstances of Raubal's death. The nature of Hitler's relationship with his niece has long been a subject of historical debate and speculation.
It is documented that Raubal lived with Hitler in close proximity from the age of 17 until her death, and that he exerted significant control over her life. As Hitler's influence within the Nazi party grew, he reportedly became increasingly possessive of Raubal, restricting her movements and relationships. One notable incident involved Hitler forbidding her from continuing a relationship with his chauffeur, Emil Maurice, and subsequently dismissing the driver. Following this, Raubal was allegedly not permitted to leave the house without being accompanied by Hitler or one of his associates.
The official ruling at the time, with no post-mortem examination conducted, was suicide. The lack of a thorough investigation and the presence of Hitler's alibi have contributed to the prevailing theory for nearly a century. Sandner's research, if widely accepted, could prompt a re-examination of this pivotal event in Hitler's personal life and early political career.