Alwin-Broder Albrecht (18 September 1903 – 1 May 1945) was a German naval officer who was one of Adolf Hitler’s adjutants during World War II.

Alwin-Broder Albrecht
Albrecht wearing an NSKK Brigadeführer uniform
Born(1903-09-18)18 September 1903
Sankt Peter-Ording, German Empire
Died1 May 1945(1945-05-01) (aged 41)
Berlin, Nazi Germany
Allegiance Weimar Republic
 Nazi Germany
Service / branch Reichsmarine (1922–35)
 Kriegsmarine (1935–39)
NSKK (1939–1945)
Years of service1922–45
RankBrigadeführer
Battles / warsBattle of Berlin

Biography

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He was born in Sankt Peter-Ording in the Province of Schleswig-Holstein. In 1922 he joined the Reichsmarine.[1] On 1 June 1934, he was promoted to Kapitänleutnant. Then on 1 November 1937, he was promoted to the rank of Korvettenkapitän.[1] When Hitler's liaison officer to the navy, Karl-Jesko von Puttkamer was transferred to active service on 19 June 1938, Albrecht took over that position.[1]

However, on 30 June 1939, the Commander of the Navy Großadmiral Erich Raeder wanted him transferred to Tokyo as a military attaché or kicked out of the navy completely after it was discovered that Albrecht had married a woman "with a past" in early 1939.[1] Hitler was against it; he had an argument with Raeder over the matter. On 1 July 1939, Hitler appointed Albrecht a NSKK-Oberführer and made him one of his adjutants.[1] Hitler went on to meet Albrecht's wife and liked her. Under Reichsleiter Philipp Bouhler, Albrecht remained on Hitler's staff and worked in the Reich Chancellery in Berlin.[1]

In 1945, Albrecht spent time in the Führerbunker serving in his capacity as an adjutant to Hitler.[2] During the Battle in Berlin, he was last seen defending Hitler's Reich Chancellery with a machine gun. He is believed to have committed suicide on 1 May 1945, aged 41.[1] His body was never found.[3]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Joachimsthaler 1999, p. 289.
  2. ^ Kershaw 2008, p. 922.
  3. ^ Joachimsthaler 1999, p. 56.

References

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  • Joachimsthaler, Anton (1999) [1995]. The Last Days of Hitler: The Legends, The Evidence, The Truth. Brockhampton Press. ISBN 1-86019-902-X.
  • Kershaw, Ian (2008). Hitler: A Biography. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-0-393-06757-6.