Eva Braun’s name is known worldwide for her association with one of the most infamous men in modern history, Adolf Hitler. However, how much is really known about the woman who was beside him for over a decade and who sealed her fate to his in that fateful bunker entombed in concrete?

Some believe that she was simply an empty canvas for Hitler to mold. However, there was more to Eva’s life than meets the eye. Thanks to testimonies, we have learned more about her and the effect their relationship had on her mental health. Keep reading to learn about Eva Braun’s unexplored-until-now story.

She Moved To Berlin To Work For The Nazi Party Official Photographer

Eva was raised in a very traditional, middle-class household in Munich. Her father was a schoolteacher while her mother was dedicated to sewing. Eva showed a wild, free spirit since her youth. As a way to curb this, her parents decided to send her to a Catholic lyceum and then to a Convent school.

However, Eva longed to head to Berlin, as she was convinced that she would be happier and more financially secure there. Of course, in order to achieve that she had to look for a job. And a job she found, along with her sister, Gretl,  at the employ of Heinrich Hoffmann, the official Nazi party photographer.

Hitler - 23 Years Eva's Senior - Was Romantically Involved With His Niece At The Time

Eva met Adolf Hitler on a day when he visited Heinrich Hoffman’s camera shop. Eva was the clerk and reports point out that her fascination with Hitler was immediate. Back then, Hitler had yet to gain control of Germany. Also, he was 23 years older than her.

Hitler seemed to like Eva well enough but he wasn’t as smitten as she was. He was still in a relationship with his niece, Geli Rauban. But fate had other plans. When Geli tried to leave Hitler he categorically refused. This drove Geli to suicide and left Eva to console him over her death.

Their First Date Was At The Opera

While Hitler courted Eva, he would invite her to join him in cultural events. Hitler, known for his bohemian tendencies and love of art, greatly appreciated opera. He wanted to know what Eva was interested in, so he decided to propose that she attended a function with him.

This would be the first of many outings they would make. At first, everything was friendly and cordial and it was uncertain if a romantic relationship had started. What is known is that Hitler wasn’t the most attentive of dates. Eva, who was already in love with him, couldn’t help but drown in a sea of anxiety.

Hitler Was A Toxic Boyfriend

Adolf would shower Eva with attention and then he would disappear for days. This was driving Eva mad and she didn’t enjoy the lack of stability. After all, the 40 year-old-man was supposed to be her boyfriend. Instead, she barely saw him while they were courting.

Eva felt abandoned and witnesses have said that it was evident from the start that their love was imbalanced. While Eva looked at Hitler with devotion, Hitler was more indifferent towards her. This caused a great impact on her psyche. Eva might have been falling into a deep depression.

Eva Tried To Kill Herself To Get His Attention

Eva was certainly prone to depression and her toxic relationship with Hitler didn’t do her a lot of good. Seeing that his former lover had taken her own life and that gotten her plenty of attention, Eva decided to do the same. The chosen method was a gun.

It’s unclear if Eva had any experience using guns. It’s very likely that she didn’t until much later. However, she determined that shooting herself in the heart might not be that difficult. Fortunately for her, she failed. However, her goal was accomplished. Hitler visited her in the hospital with flowers and promises.

Hitler Was More Committed To His Ambitions Than To Eva

Hitler’s commitment to fulfilling his dystopian vision of Germany clashed harshly with Eva’s needs. In fact, Hitler went unmarried for almost the entirety of his life, and the cause of this was related to his plan for the country. He tried to look like a man completely enamored with Germany’s future.

Therefore, he refused to take a wife. In his opinion, a wedding would only make his followers doubt him. Furthermore, getting a wife might deter his female admirers, and he surely enjoyed the attention. He said that it was better to remain single, as female followers admire single men more than married man.

Their Time Together Was Scarce At Best

While Eva longed for a normal relationship, Adolf was focused on his extermination of innocent people and taking over the world. Nevertheless, they would sometimes go to the country and take long rides around. However, they were always surrounded by Hitler’s entourage, allowing for precious little intimacy.

After all, they were not supposed to show any type of personal affection in public. Hitler had a stern image to keep and him flaunting that they were in a relationship would threaten that image. Therefore, he took extreme measures to make sure no signs of affection were evident during these outings.

He Treated Eva Like An Embarrassing Secret

During the country rides, Eva couldn’t ride with Hitler. Instead, she had to ride with the secretaries. Hitler’s paranoia didn’t allow for anything more flexible than that. However, Hitler’s caution was not misplaced. According to some historians, the outrage would’ve been immense in the entire country. And indeed, it wasn't until the end of the war that the German public found out about their relationship.

Some of the high-ranking officers who found out about the couple were mortified. According to his own declarations, Hitler was above such things as female companionship. This is why Eva was a secret hiding in plain sight. Some of the things Hitler would do to maintain this paranoid image deeply hurt her.

He Often Gave Her Money In Front Of Everyone

In his own very unique way to take care of Eva, Hitler would often give her envelopes filled with money. He would do this in front of everyone, which was demeaning for, although this didn’t seem to be his intention. Allegedly, Eva often put her thoughts into words in a diary.

According to extracts from the diary she allegedly wrote, she would have preferred a love note or something more meaningful. Instead, she only received packages of cash, which she loved to spent but couldn’t fill her empty heart. She decided it was time to end everything once and for all.

It Took A Second Suicide Attempt To Get Hitler To Take Her Seriously

Feeling dejected and forgotten, Eva’s mental health was deteriorating. In one occasion Hitler disappeared for about three months. Convinced that he didn’t love her anymore or that he was with someone else, she decided to take sleeping pills. According to her alleged diary, this time she was really determined to die.

She went through with her attempt but didn’t die. However, when she woke up Hitler was right there next to her with flowers and promises of love. This time, Eva had managed to achieve what she wanted, attention. Meanwhile, Hitler seemed to be ready to make up for his past distant behavior.

They Moved In Together But Had Different Rooms

After Eva’s second suicide attempt, things seemed to change. Hitler actually set up a house for her. Eventually, he managed to get Geli’s mom out of his home. Finally, Eva was going to be moving into Hitler’s house. According to the servants, they had adjoining rooms, which shared a door that connected them.

Geli’s mom had been living in Hitler’s house for a long time as a housekeeper and he decided it was time to get her some other accommodations. This way, Eva felt more comfortable with the idea of living in his house. Finally, she would get what she wanted, more time with Adolf.

They Were Almost Never Seen Together In Public

Despite their relationship being very secret, they were caught by the camera on a couple of events. One of these was in the 1936 Winter Olympics. In the picture taken, Eva is seen sitting right behind Hitler. For a man surrounded by so much publicity, he managed to keep his partner well hidden.

Eva seemed to be content with her place in his life. According to people that knew her, she wasn’t the smartest of women and she had simple hopes. This was in sync with Hitler’s philosophy. He was known for saying that an unintelligent woman was the perfect companion for a man, and would not challenge him or interfere with his leisure.

She Was Forced To Become A Vegetarian Like Hitler

According to numerous reports, at some point in his life, Hitler adopted a vegetarian diet. He would request fresh fruits and vegetable for his table every day. According to one of the members of his inner circle, Goebbels, Hitler wanted to turn the entire German population into vegetarians after the war.

This goal, of course, started with Eva. Given the fact that they were living together and she was his companion, she had no choice but to adopt his lifestyle. According to some reports, she disliked this very much and would often complain about the dietary options she was presented with.

Eva’s Political Views Are Clad In Mystery

Eva liked to stay away from politics. Some reports indicate that women were not to talk politics in her house. Instead, she preferred to talk about clothes and gossip with the ladies. However, some historians seem to think that there are some things that turn out to be pretty obvious simply by context.

Eva spent almost half of her life next to a man with very clear political views. Furthermore, there are records in which she is sitting beside him during a political meeting. While it’s unlikely that she had any say in Hitler’s policies, it can safely be assumed that, in practice, she agreed with them.

She Tried To Fill The Void Through Consumerism And Social Events

As we’ve said, Eva seemed to be a woman of simple aspirations. One of her favorite pastimes was going out to buy clothes. From dresses to hats and new pairs of shoes, she loved spending the cash Hitler would give to her on expensive attire and extravagant gatherings.

Allegedly, Eva also loved to be a hostess. She would often invite friends over when Hitler wasn’t at home. Considering that she was Hitler’s companion, a lot of people wanted to be in her good graces. Braun's champagne parties were a common occurrence, as she enjoyed the luxuries afforded to her by being Hitler's lover.

Despite Everything, She Still Idolized Hitler

Although not much is known of Eva’s personality, one thing is sure, she adored Adolf Hitler. In her eyes, Adolf was a true hero and he was going to save Germany. This shows that she either agreed with his ideology or at the very least, was blind to the monster Hitler really was.

Everyone that knew her could attest to this fact. Eva was in love with Hitler before he was able to give her the opulent life she led. She loved him before he reached the highest power seat in Germany and gained millions of followers. This explains her devotion until the end.

She Was Hitler’s Faithful Companion For Almost 15 Years

Eva was a faithful companion to Hitler. They were together for about 15 years. She stayed with him despite rumors of infidelity and the lack of attention she so intensely craved. Hitler recognized her for her loyalty and said that he could only trust her and his dog Blondie.

It has been reported that Eva was actually jealous of the dog and didn’t get along with it. However, in Hitler’s eyes, they were the only living beings that would stand with him unconditionally. Allegedly, Eva would often kick the dog during dinner. This has not been confirmed.

She Could Have Escaped, But Stayed By His Side Till The End

As World War II headed to an end, things were dire for the German side. Eva was in Bavaria and, despite Hitler’s opposition; she headed to Berlin in order to be with him. She spent the last days of her life in an underground bunker alongside the man she loved.

Even after she arrived, Hitler urged her to leave. Eva adamantly refused. She had decided to follow through with her choice and this was beside Adolf. Her brother-in-law was killed during this time, as it was believed that he was defecting when they found him with a suitcase and committing adultery.

They Got Married As The Red Army Approached Berlin

As the Allied troops closed in and they understood that the end was near, Hitler decided to give one last honor to Eva. Finally, after almost 15 years, he married her. He said that it was as a reward for all of her years of loyal friendship, and what must have been Eva’s dream finally coming true.

The scenario was less than romantic though. They got married in the bunker with only Hitler’s colleagues as witnesses. Eva wore the dress she knew Hitler liked to see on her and there was no grand ceremony. However, they did have a toast afterward and Hitler included her in his testament.

Eva Followed Hitler In Death

Eva had attempted suicide twice by the time April 30 of 1945 came by. On this day, as Berlin fell, she and Hitler decided it was time to leave this world. Eva took cyanide pills, choosing poison as her way of ending her life. Finally, after two failed attempts, she succeeded.

In a letter to her friend, penned days before her death, she showed a distinct lack of anxiety. She almost seemed to welcome the end of her life. She died as she lived, next to Adolf Hitler. Eva Braun’s story remains to this day a cautionary tale; her tragic demise both a testament of how misplaced love and self-demeaning can wear the guise of true love.