Eva Braun

She was born the middle of three sisters into a Catholic family on 6 February 1912 - three lively, pretty girls. She was educated at a lyceum, then for one year at a business school in a convent where she had average grades and a talent for athletics.

Fresh out of the convent school Eva Braun, at 17, met Adolf Hitler the first time when she was working in Munich in 1929 as the assistant of Hitler's personal photographer Heinrich Hoffmann. From the moment Hitler walked into the shop, she was in love was born in Simbach, Germany, in 1912. She worked as an assistant in the studio of Heinrich Hoffmann and became his mistress.

After the death of Geli Raubal in 1931, Hitler began to see more of Eva Braun. However he still had relationships with other women Hitler was especially fond of film-stars and one girlfriend the actress Renate Mueller, committed suicide by throwing herself out of a hotel window in Berlin.

Eva was extremely jealous of Hitler's other girlfriends and in 1932 she also attempted suicide by shooting herself in the neck. Doctors managed to save her life, and after this incident Hitler seemed to become more attached to Eva and saw less of other women.

Hitler had no desire to have children. He told several people that if he had children they were certain to disappoint him as they would never match his own genius.

The Nazi Party always attempted to keep Hitler's love life secret. In his speeches Hitler claimed that he had never married because he was "married to the German people." The severe casualties suffered during the First World War meant that there was a large number of widows and spinsters in Germany. Women in Germany found Hitler's bachelor image attractive and this helped win him votes during elections. It was for this reason that Eva Braun was never seen in public with Hitler.

Hitler gave Eva a flat in Munich but she later moved into the Berghof in Berchetesgaden. She remained there until April 1945 when she joined Hitler in his Berlin Bunker.

On 28th April, 1945, Hitler married Braun. That night Hitler tested out a cyanide pill on his pet Alsatian dog, Blondi. Braun agreed to commit suicide with him. She could have become rich by writing her memoirs but she preferred not to live without Hitler.

The Soviet troops were now only 300 yards away from Hitler's underground bunker. On 30th April Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun went into a private room and took cyanide tablets. Hitler also shot himself in the head. The bodies were then cremated and his ashes were hidden in the Chancellery grounds.