Der Fuehrer - Hitler's Rise to Power (1944) - Heiden

388 DER FUEHRERAfter a thorough investigation, the state's attorney declared her asuicide. The coroner's report said the bullet had entered the chest belowthe left shoulder and penetrated vertically to the heart, a probabledirection in case of suicide. In Vienna where she had grown up, GeliRaubal was buried in the Central Cemetery. A Catholic priest who wasa friend of the family blessed her remains. As a rule the Catholic Churchdoes not do this in the case of suicides; but it admits of one exception —where there is a likelihood that the suicide occurred in a state of mentalconfusion. It was a terrible blow to Hitler. Gregor Strasser later claimedthat for two days he didn't let him out of his sight, fearing that he mightdo himself harm. The Austrian government granted Hitler special permissionfor a trip to Vienna. A week after Geli's death, he spent anevening at her grave, shedding many tears.How and why had Geli Raubal died? Was it suicide? Was it murder?In either case, what was the reason? To a close friend her mother laterhinted at murder, or else suicide under compulsion or strong suggestion.She did not accuse Hitler; on the contrary, she said she was sure thatAdolf was determined to marry Geli. She mentioned another name:Himmler.Himmler's part in the matter can only be presumed. The mentality ofthis man and his entire circle justifies the most hideous speculations.Conceivably he thought it his duty to free his Fuhrer from a dangerouswoman. But the circumstances do not point very clearly in thisdirection. Corrupt as the Bavarian administration of justice may havebeen under the leadership of Franz Gurtner — it would at that timescarcely have hushed up a murder, even though it did its best to keep thematter quiet on the ground that suicide was a private affair.Yet there is no satisfactory explanation for suicide. An outbreak ofhysterical rage? Close friends insisted that the merry, robust girl hadnever shown any such propensities. If we are to believe the assertionsand hints of her mother, we might piece together a gruesome scene,compatible with the spiritual twilight of this milieu. We can seeHimmler, calling at a late hour; explaining to Geli that she had betrayedthe man who was her guardian, her lover, and her Fuhrer in one.According to National Socialist con-