‘This war is robbing me of my best years,’ he went on, ‘You know, Kubizek, how many things I have planned, what I still want to build. But I would like to be around to see it, understand me? You know better than anyone how many plans I have carried with me from my youth. So far I have only been able to realise a few. I still have an enormous amount to do, but who will do it? Time will not stand still. We are getting older, Kubizek. A few more years and it is too late to do what remains to be done.’
That strangely excited voice which I knew from my youth, trembling with impatience, now began to describe the great projects for the future: the spread of the autobahns, the modernisation of the commercial waterways and railway network, and much else. I was scarcely able to keep up with it all. Again I received the impression that he wanted to justify his intentions to the witness of his youthful ideas. I might be only an insignificant civil servant, but for him I was the only person who remained from his teenage days. Possibly it was more satisfying for him to lay bare his ideas to a simple compatriot who was not even a Party member than to the military and political decision-makers who surrounded him.
When I attempted to return the conversation to our common erstwhile reminiscences, he seized at once on a loose remark I made and continued: ‘Poor students, that is what we were. And we starved, by God. With nothing more than a chunk of bread in our pockets we would set off for the mountains. But things have changed now. A couple of years ago, young people sailed aboard our ships to Madeira. See, over there is Dr Ley together with his young wife. He built up the organisation.’ Now he broached his cultural plans. The crowds before the Festival Hall might be calling for him to appear, but he had the bit between his teeth now and would not break off. Just as in his monologues in the dark room at old Frau Zakreys’s house, he knew that as soon as he started on the problems affecting art I would be with him whole-heartedly.
‘The war is tying me down but not for much longer, I hope,’ he said, ‘then I can get back to building and creating what is still to be created. Then I will send for you, Kubizek, and you will always be at my side.’
Outside, the Wehrmacht band struck up, indicating that the performance was about to resume. I thanked the Reich Chancellor for his kindness and wished him good luck and success in the future. He accompanied me to the door, then stood and watched me leave.
After Götterdämmerung concluded, I walked down the drive and saw that the Adolf-Hitler-Strasse was cordoned off. I stood at the entrance to watch the Reich Chancellor pass. A few minutes later his cavalcade came in sight. Hitler was standing up in his car receiving the ovation of the crowd. On either flank drove the vehicles of his military escort. What happened next I have never forgotten. The general music director, Elmendorf and three ladies who had been at Haus Wahnfried came up and congratulated me. I had no idea why. The convoy of vehicles was almost abreast, moving at slow speed. I stood by the cordon and gave a salute. At that moment Hitler recognised me and gave his driver a signal. The cavalcade stopped, and Hitler’s car sheered over to my side of the street. He smiled, reached out his hand to me and said, ‘Auf Wiedersehen’. As his car rejoined the convoy, he turned and waved. Suddenly I was the centre of all the hubbub and attention. Hardly anybody knew who I was or what had merited me such attention from the German leader.
23 July 1940 was the last time I saw Adolf Hitler. The war developed in extent and intensity. There was no longer an end in sight for it. My employment took up all my time; my sons were conscripted. In 1942 I joined the National Socialist Party. It was not that my basic attitudes to political questions had changed; my superiors in office considered it right and proper, now that the struggle was one of national survival, that municipal leaders should show their colours. Naturally I was outwardly a supporter of Adolf Hitler, but not politically. But this was war, and I had to do what was expected of me.
‘Has the Führer never asked you about your Party membership?’ the Bürgermeister enquired one day. I told him that the question had never arisen. There had been just one sly dig once in 1939 when I was presented to Frau Wagner. Hitler pointed out that I wore no Party badge nor medals and, knowing that I was secretary of the Linz branch of the Richard-Wagner-Bund deutscher Frauen, remarked, ‘That is Herr Kubizek for you. He is a member of your League of German Women. Very nice!’ What he implied was: ‘The only society to which my friend belongs is – a women’s organisation. That is enough to show the man he is.’
The war cast a long shadow. To the general misery and woe came personal disappointment and bitterness – I am thinking here especially of Dr Bloch. The good ‘poor people’s physician’ as they called in him Linz was by now a very old man. He wrote to me through the intermediary of Professor Huemer, Hitler’s former form-master, asking that I intercede with the Reich Chancellor on his behalf and let an old Jew be, since it was he who had attended to Frau Hitler in her last illness. To be an advocate for him seemed to me the right thing to do. I did not know Dr Bloch personally, but I wrote at once to the Reich Chancellery enclosing the old doctor’s letter. After a few weeks Bormann replied, expressly forbidding me to intercede in future on behalf of third parties. As for Dr Bloch, he could tell me that the matter had been assigned to ‘the general category’, whatever that was. This was a Führer instruction. Whether Hitler had seen my plea I had no idea. The fact that Dr Bloch, so far as I could determine, continued to be left in peace was not really reassuring. All I saw from this was that I could not approach Hitler without getting to him face-to-face, and that was impossible so long as the war lasted.
In time the end came. The war was lost. I listened to the radio transfixed in those fearful days of May 1945 as the Reich Chancellery fell and the European conflagration terminated. The closing scene of Rienzi came to mind in which the Volkstribun dies in the flames of the Capitol.
… the Volk abandon me also,
whom I elevated to be worthy of the name:
Every friend abandons me,
who created for me my luck.
Though basically an unpolitical being who had not identified himself with the political events of that epoch which ended in 1945, I was resolute that no power on earth could force me to deny my friendship with Adolf Hitler. My first and immediate concern in this respect was the memorabilia. Come what may these items had to be preserved for posterity. I had wrapped the letters, postcards and sketches in cellophane years previously; now I placed them in a leather case and slipped them behind the brickwork in the cellar of my Eferding house. After the mortar was carefully reapplied, there was no trace of the hiding place. It was none too soon, for the next day the Americans came. I spent the next sixteen months in the notorious Glasenbach internment camp. The Americans searched my house for the memorabilia but left empty handed. They also interrogated me on two occasions, at Eferding and Gmunden, where I made no secret of my friendship for Adolf Hitler. Eventually I was released from custody on 8 April 1947.
* Rabitsch, Hugo: Jugend-Erinnerungen eines zeitgenössischen Linzer Realschüler: also Aus Adolf Hitlers Jugendzeit: Deutsche Volksverlag, Munich 1938.
* * *
Index
Page references in italics refer to illustration captions.
Academy of Art (Vienna) 10, 73, 124, 129–30, 141–2, 157–8, 160–1, 163, 169, 174
Anschluss 10
Bach, Johann Sebastian 201–2
Bauernberg 107
Bayreuth 10, 12, 25, 76, 80, 85, 107, 113–4, 118, 186, 188, 197,
Beethoven, Ludwig van 176, 197, 199, 202
Bellini, Vincenzo 187
Benedictine Order 76, 80
Benkieser (nickname for Stefanie, q.v.) 73, 74
Bethlehemstrasse (Linz) 94
Bloch, Dr Eduard 14, 133–4, 259
Blütengasse (No. 9) 89, 100, 127–8, 135, 137, 138, 216, 253
Bormann, Albert 247
Bormann, Martin 247, 252, 259
Boschetti, Professor 156, 174
Bosnia 162
Brahms, Johannes 196<
br />
Braunau am Inn 46, 47, 49, 54
Brauneis, Prof. 58
Bruckner, Anton 42, 196–7, 202, 249–50
Brünhilde 76
Budweis 90
Burg Theatre 120, 126, 166, 178, 181, 213, 241
Capuchin Order 90
Carmelite Order 95, 148
Cichini, Edler von 61
Commenda, Hans 60
Conservatoire (Vienna) 10, 22, 121, 141, 145, 146–7, 13, 154, 156, 158, 160, 174, 179, 183, 188, 189, 194, 196, 204–5, 208, 221, 222, 230, 232, 233, 240, 243
Custozza, Battle of 162
Dante Alighieri 61, 181
Danube, River 29, 32, 33, 38, 39, 40, 71, 89, 108, 109, 110, 112, 115, 123, 135, 137, 208–9
Dessauer, Heinrich 25, 34
Dinkelsbühl 109
Döllersheim 53, 54
Donizetti, Gaetano 187
Drasch, Heinrich 60
Eferding 10, 11, 19, 243–4, 246, 249, 251, 254, 260
Elendsimmerl 41
Elsa 68, 76, 81
Engstier, Max 60, 63
Eva 76
Ernst, Otto 181
Fischlham bei Lambach 58, 144
fliegende Holländer, Die 85, 121, 126, 187, 254, 256
Franz Josef, Emperor 45, 52, 56, 162, 226
Freinberg 12, 31, 33, 39, 116–19, 245
Fuchs, Albert 201
Ganghofer, Ludwig 181
Gissinger, Theodor 63–4
Glasl-Hörer, Anna, see Hitler, Anna
Gluck, Christoph 201–2
Goebbels, Josef 252
Goethe, Johann von 181, 185
Göllerich, August 25, 78, 85, 196
Götterdämmerung 254, 256, 258
Gounod, Charles 187
Gramastetten 41
Grieg, Edvard 197
Grüner, Leonhard 76
Grünmarkt (No. 19, Steyr) 61
Gutheil, Gustav 153, 196, 232
Hafeld 54
Habsburg monarchy/state 65, 88, 90–1, 114, 162, 164, 204–5, 213, 222, 226, 229
Hamann, Brigitte 14
Händel, Georg Friederic 201–2
Hanslick, Eduard 196
Haydn, Franz 202
Hermannskogel 208
Hess, Rudolf 42, 253, 254
Hiedler, Johann Georg 47–8, 53, 54
Hiedler, Johann Nepomuk 47–8, 54
Hitler, Adolf:
anger of 32, 34, 68, 69, 71, 78, 107, 114, 126, 134, 155–60, 177
appearance 28, 36–7, 38, 105, 135, 150, 212–13, 221
and architecture/town planning 14, 55, 73, 80, 96–115, 100, 102, 127, 130, 158, 165–7, 172–3, 174–5, 177–9, 186, 222, 236–7, 248–9
and art 14, 31, 34, 35, 61, 222
attitude to work 30
and civil servants/service 34, 38, 52, 56, 160
and the Church 93–5, 228
composes opera 78, 189–95
correspondence with Kubizek 10, 22, 63, 73, 103, 106, 120–3, 129, 148, 206, 235–9, 245–6, 250, 260
development of political views 55, 63, 87–95, 116–19, 127, 172–3, 197–9, 218, 222–31
eloquence 32–3, 37–8, 117,
financial resources 14, 39, 88, 102, 111–12, 125, 129, 144, 155, 183, 242
frugal lifestyle 39, 144, 155, 194, 257
as Führer and Chancellor 10, 80, 118, 245–60
and homosexuality 219–20
and Jews 12, 13, 93–4, 155–6, 229–31
and the military 56, 57, 92, 183–4, 204
and music 14, 76–86
and mythology 62, 82–4, 176, 181, 182, 187, 190
and painting/drawing 30, 40, 41, 62, 73, 96, 105, 125, 151, 169, 175–7
school/schooldays/schoolfriends 30, 31, 36, 54, 58–65, 69, 77, 89, 93, 95, 98, 99, 137, 251
sense of humour 42–3
and sex 212–21
siblings (deceased) 23 47, 49, 50, 53
writings of (see in addition Mein Kampf) 31, 40, 62, 68, 158, 189, 229
Hitler, Alois 32, 34, 36, 38, 44–50, 51–7, 60, 61, 69, 70, 77, 88, 91, 92, 93, 94, 97, 99, 124, 126, 128, 135, 137, 143, 159, 228
Hitler, Alois (jun.) 45, 47
Hitler, Angela, see Raubal, Angela
Hitler, Anna 47, 54
Hitler, Franziska 45, 47, 54
Hitler, Heinz 46
Hitler, Klara 13, 14, 23, 31, 32, 36, 37, 44–50, 51, 53, 54, 60, 61, 69, 70, 71, 72, 74, 88, 89, 94, 95, 97, 102, 116, 123–9, 132–8, 141, 142, 144, 146, 148, 157, 159–61, 214, 259
Hitler, Paula 14, 23, 26, 44, 50, 62, 71, 95, 125, 127, 129, 132, 133, 135, 137–8, 142, 159
Hitler, William Patrick 46
Hofmannsthal 164
Hof Library 127, 180
Hof Museum 120, 166, 222, 236
Hof Opera 80, 82, 120–2, 151, 152, 166, 183–5, 212–3, 241
Holzpoldl 41
Huemer, Eduard 60, 63, 206, 259
Humboldtstrasse (No. 18) 28, 44, 45, 46, 62, 73, 74, 78, 82, 88, 122, 138,
Hüttler, Johanna, see Pölzl, Johanna
Ibsen, Henrik 181
Isak, Richard (brother of Stefanie) 67, 70, 140
Isak, Stefanie, see Stefanie
Jentsch, Max 232
Jetzinger, Franz 9, 11, 13, 14, 216
Jurasek 90
Kaiser, Director 153, 232
Karslkirche 166
Kirchengasse (No. 2) 112–3
Klagenfurt 65, 243
Klammstrasse (No. 9) 25, 27, 82
Königgratz, Battle of 162
Kopetzky, ex-Sgt-Maj 24–5, 77
Krimhild 40
Kubizek, August:
anti-semitism 12
father 23–7, 32, 37, 41, 43, 79, 133, 140, 141, 146–9, 171, 205–6, 234, 243
interned by Allies 10, 21, 260
meets Hitler 27–8
military service 10, 204–7, 215, 233, 239, 243
mother 23–5, 27, 32, 37, 41, 78–9, 137–40, 141, 144–6, 148–9, 205, 235, 235, 240, 243
siblings (deceased) 23
work as upholsterer 22, 25, 26, 30, 31, 35, 78–9, 96, 132–3, 145–7
writes book about Hitler 11, 19
writes official account of Hitler’s life 10
Lambach 45, 54
Lambach monastery 76, 80, 94, 157
Landsberg prison 92, 245
Landstrasse (Linz) 29, 34, 66, 67, 124, 127, 151, 178
Lavantthal 65
Leonding 31, 46, 49, 52, 54, 59, 77, 125, 137, 139, 142, 143, 144, 253
Leopold Stocker Verlag 11, 19–20
Lessing, Gotthold Ephraim 181
Lichtenberg 96, 109
Lichtenhag 41
Linz (generally, see also various streets and districts) 9, 14, 29, 54, 90, 106–9, 114–15, 127, 173
Linz Landestheater 27, 80–2
Linz School of Music 24, 25, 153
Liszt, Franz 25, 78, 185
Lohengrin 30, 68, 80, 84, 126, 184–5, 187, 235, 236
Lowe, Ferdinand 196
Ludwig II, King of Bavaria 85
Lueger, Karl 228
Mahler, Gustav 186, 230
Marburg an der Drau 10, 64, 243
Matzelsberger, Franziska, see Hitler, Franziska
Mayrhofer, Josef 31, 125, 142–3, 144, 145
Mein Kampf 12, 21, 50, 52, 53, 59, 62, 80, 89, 92, 94, 120, 122, 131, 167, 174, 177, 179, 180, 222, 225, 230
Melk 208
Mendelsohn, Felix 197, 230
Meistersinger, Die 76, 81, 185, 187
Mistelbach 54
Mittermaier, Karl 58
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus 202
Mühlviertel 39, 208–9
Nazi Party 10, 11, 13, 19, 20
Nietzsche, Friedrich 181
NSDAP, see Nazi Party
Obersalzberg 75, 246, 256
Parsifal 185
Passau 54
Pfennigberg 41
Pölzl, Amalia 47
Pölzl, Johanna (grandmother of AH) 47
Pölzl, Johanna (a
unt of AH) 47, 155
Pölzl, Johann Baptist 46
Pölzl, Klara, see Hitler, Klara
Pöstlingberg 104, 105, 112, 250, 253
Pötsch, Leopold 64–5, 90, 99
Prachatitz 90
Prague 90
Prewratzky, Josef 77–8
Puccini, Giacomo 187
Raubal, Angela (half-sister of AH) 45, 47, 58, 101, 133, 138–9, 142, 235, 241, 244
Raubal, Angela (Geli; niece of AH) 142
Raubal, Leo 31, 45, 51, 100, 125, 133, 138–40, 142, 235, 241, 244
Rax (mountain) 209–11, 241
Rechberger, Franz 58
Rienzi 12, 81, 116–18, 256, 259
Rilke 164
Ring der Niebelungen, Der 185, 256
Ringstrasse (Vienna) 29, 120, 127, 165–7, 178, 207, 218
Rodel, River 39, 41
Rosegger, Peter 181
Rossini, Gioacchino Antonio 187
Rothenburg 109
Saalfelden 54
St Andrä 65
St Florian 41
St Georgen 41
Schicklgruber, Alois, see Hitler, Alois
Schicklgruber, Anna Maria 53
Schiller, Johann von 181, 185
Schmeidtoreck (Linz) 67, 71, 72, 75, 186, 216
Schnitzler, Arthur 213
Schönbrunn 157, 160, 162, 177, 207, 234
Schonerer, Georg Ritter von 93–4, 228
Schopenhauer, Artur 181
Schubert, Franz 197, 249
Schumann, Robert 197
Schütz, Heinrich 201
Schwab, Gustav 82
Schwarz, Franz 95
Semmering 209
Sixtl, Prof. 58
Smetana, Bedřich 187
Spital 46, 133
Stefanie (Isak) 13, 34, 36, 62, 66–75, 76, 85–6, 89, 92, 101, 106, 121–4, 126, 128, 132, 134–5, 138–9, 143, 147, 151, 156, 159, 160, 178, 186, 208, 214–6, 233–4
Stefansdom (Vienna) 108, 109, 151, 178
Steyr 58, 60
Stifter 181
Stockbauerstrasse (No. 7) 105
Strones 53
Stumpergasse (No. 29) 129, 150–61, 167, 207, 240, 242, 245, 256
Sturmlechner 36
Tannhauser 184
Tchaikovsky, Pyotyr 187
The Young Hitler I Knew Page 32