Mike Flynn is an admitted "born researcher" and rare book collector with a flair for ferreting out some interesting questions. In this essay he raises the issue of whether or not Der Fuehrer had and employed a double for more than ceremonial duties. Recently I came across evidence that suggests Adolf Hitler employed a double during conferences with his most senior generals. The significance of this, if my suspicions are true, is immense. Throughout history leaders have employed doubles. Churchill and Montgomery are examples from World War II, but these were merely stand-ins designed to confuse the enemy and possibly allow their alter egos some rest. Neither of these sent their doubles to attend strategic meetings where the future course of the war was to be decided. Now there is some evidence that Hitler may have done exactly that at a particularly critical meeting on the Russian front with two of his Field Marshals. The evidence is contained in BOUNDEN DUTY: The Memoirs of a German Officer, 1932-1945 by Alexander Stahlberg, (London: Brassey, 1990). Stahlberg, a member of a wealthy, influential, and conservative Prussian family was Field Marshal von Manstein's aide de camp (ADC) from November 1943 until the end of WWII. Bounden Duty relates his life from 1932 to 1945. While stressing the plots on Hitler's life and the Stahlberg family's involvement in them the book also provides one of the clearest descriptions of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of Russia as seen from the vantage point of a junior German officer. It was these aspects that originally attracted me to the book, especially Stahlberg's description of the 1941 invasion of Russia in and its aftermath. Stahlberg was in the unique position of being "a fly on the wall" in this particularly crucial period at some of the most important turning points in the war and that alone makes the book invaluable to the serious student of the era. But it was Stahlberg's opportunity to observe Hitler at close quarters at numerous conferences as Manstein's ADC that compelled me to reread the book while paying close attention to those portions covering meetings where Hitler was present. This has led me to the conclusion that Hitler had a double that did more than fill in for ceremonial functions. Why? Because Stahlberg describes two entirely different Hitlers at these conferences. One Hitler was vibrant, healthy, upright, clean and, freshly shaved. This Hitler did not require eye glasses, who led the meetings and, who used guile in avoiding decisions he did not wish to make. The other Hitler, was a sickly, broken man with slack skin a dirty food stained tunic, a protruding stomach and a head that hung downwards. This one responded to his generals in the same way each time. Staring at a spot on the situation map he would spend the entire meeting grinding his jaws muscles, concluding discussions with "risky," "very risky," or "you will have my decision on your arrival back at headquarters." Before moving on to Stahlberg's observations I want to make a few points clear. First, my suspicion is based on inference. I freely admit that there is no "smoking gun." Second, Stahlberg himself ascribes the differences he saw to the drugs given Hitler by his physician, Dr. Morrell. Still there is too much awry here that to be explained away simply by drugs. Stahlberg first met Hitler in 1933. Other than noticing he was shorter that his pictures portrayed him, shaking his hand, hanging up his leather coat and noticing there were two chrome covered Walther pistols in the pockets he gives no additional details. The next opportunity Stahlberg had to observe Hitler was while attending a conference on February 6, 1943, four days after the German surrender at Stalingrad. A strong Hitler opened the meeting by admitting responsibility for the defeat. During Manstein's presentation, Stahlberg noted that, Hitler stubbornly stared at the situation map clenching and unclenching his jaw muscles. At the conclusion of the briefing Hitler called the plans "risky." Eleven days later Hitler visited Manstein's headquarters at Saporoshie on the Eastern Front. Stahlberg noted two planes land nose to tail. In his account, Hitler descended from the first one, while the second disgorged SS troops. These immediately left the airfield heading for Hitler's designated quarters in search of bombs. Hitler, waiting for the all clear from his bodyguards engaged the Field Marchal in a fifteen minute discussion on the field. Stahlberg observes the exchange but note nothing other than it was too windy for him to hear the discussion. Stahlberg later goes with Hitler and Manstein to Der Fuehrer's residence and is formally introduced to him. "Hitler gave me his hand, but it was no handshake, his hand was like a sponge," Stahlberg comments. Later, while taking removing Hitler's coat Stahlberg is surprised by his very bad breath. During this visit to Manstein's command there were five conferences over three days. At the first one that afternoon, a mere four or five hours four to five hours after his arrival Stahlberg records that "(Hitler's) appearance shocked me!"... "slack skin, dirty uniform, head hanging, stomach projecting, he looked like a used up sick man." None of these characteristics were noted or commented on by him at the time of Hitler's arrival despite being close enough to note his breath and remove his coat.. While listening to Manstein's presentation Hitler again repeated his February 6th jaw grinding mannerisms. Hitler's comment at the end was also a repeat: "Very risky." The next day Stahlberg attended two other conferences at which Hitler was present. He was deeply shocked by what he saw. "There was something horrifying about [Hitler's] slack stance and the uniform, which was still dirty in spite of the batmen present.". During the conference Stahlberg attempted to photograph Hitler wearing glasses since no such picture had been made public at that time. Although Hitler did put on his glasses during the meeting Stahlberg was unsuccessful in his attempt. At the February 18th evening conference, Stahlberg records "... a completely different Hitler came in, in no way comparable with the man of earlier today and the day before. The drooping failing figure was suddenly transformed into an, upright brisk and vital apparition. He was freshly shaved, his skin had color, and he was also wearing a clean tunic." Stahlberg ascribes the change to drugs prescribed by Dr. Morrell, Hitler's personal physician. Morrell, according to John Toland in Hitler, was a quack, a fact that Stahlberg gives credence to by recording the physician's request for the still warm glands of a freshly killed calf, which he needed to continue a course of treatment for Der Fuehrer. That Hitler would be undergoing such treatment suggests a man who was ill, not vibrant, robust or capable. At the noon conference the following day Field Marshal Manstein and Hitler were joined by Field Marshal Ewald von Kleist, Commander Army Group A. Stahlberg relates "no sign of the ridiculous jaw flexing today... Hitler was still fresh and no way comparable with the shocking person of 24 hours ago.". Stahlberg thought this change "extraordinary." No eye glasses were mentioned in regard to this meeting either, instead Hitler showed another side of his personality. Instead of staring at the map during the briefing Hitler interrupted it, stepped back, and proceeded to provoke an argument between the two Field Marshals, then used this as an excuse to end the conference without making any decisions. There are two other items worth mentioning which occurred during Hitler's visit which are suggestive of a double. Stahlberg notes, with more than a little annoyance, that Hitler never left his own rooms during the entire period he was at Manstein's headquarters, except to attend the conferences. Stahlberg viewed this as an affront to his Field Marshal and Kliest, since Hitler snubbed them by not dining with them. I think the reason may have been because the existence of a double was a closely guarded secret and the meeting was generally designed to avoid unnecessary contact between Hitler and the other. The final item of importance is that on shaking hands with Manstein on his departure Hitler was recorded on film holding on to Manstein's hand for 35 seconds. This from a man described by Stahlberg earlier as "having no handshake". Either Hitler had become incredibly healthy or it may have been an entirely different person. Stahlberg goes on to relate four other meetings with Hitler to 1944 in each of which Hitler's foul breath, appearance, eye glasses, and grinding jaw muscles are either mentioned or absent. A number of other explanations may exist of course. Hitler may have been sick and a double sent with instructions to do nothing more than stall. Or Hitler, a firm believer in medical quackery, may simply have been responding to the variety of medicaments that Morrell was trying out on him. Did Hitler have a double? I can't prove it but I believe it be worthy of further research by one so inclined. Back to Cry Havoc #7 Table of Contents Back to Cry Havoc List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1994 by David W. Tschanz. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com