As a young man, Adolf Hitler attended a performance of Richard Wagner’s opera Rienzi with his friend August Kubizek, who later recalled how enraptured Hitler had been by the performance. After a long silence, Hitler led them to the Freinberg hill, clasped his hands, and “In grand, captivating images, he told me about his future and the future of his people,” Kubizek…

By April 26, Berlin was nearly sealed. The Soviets had reached the heart of the city, and shellfire pounded the Reich Chancellery grounds without pause. That same day marked the final collapse of one of the Nazis’ last lifelines: Tempelhof Airport was rendered unusable by advancing Soviet forces. Though a few flights had still been possible the day before, April 26 marked…

By April 25, Berlin was fully encircled. The Soviet pincers had closed. No roads in. No lines out. The city was a trap, and everyone inside the bunker knew it. Above ground, the Red Army poured artillery fire into what remained of the capital. Below, in the Führerbunker, Hitler continued to pretend he was giving orders. The mood was hushed. There were…

By April 24, 1945, the psychological center of the Nazi regime had disintegrated. Within the walls of the Führerbunker, Hitler was now fixated on betrayal—real and imagined. The previous day’s fury at Hermann Göring had not subsided. If anything, it had metastasized. Göring had been the first to fall, but he would not be the last. News arrived that Heinrich Himmler—head of…

The day after Hitler’s infamous breakdown saw the Führerbunker’s psychological state shift from despair to fragmentation. Hitler had given up on military victory, but he hadn’t given up on control. April 23 was marked by paranoia, betrayal, and the crumbling of whatever command structure still remained. One of the most consequential developments was the fallout between Hitler and Hermann Göring. Göring, once…