Hitler's Family: In the Shadow of the Dictator (2005) [N/A]
Featuring:
Florian M. Beierl, Adolf Hitler, Alois Hitler
Written by:
Oliver Halmburger
Thomas Staehler
Directed by:
Oliver Halmburger, Thomas Staehler
Release Date:
August 9, 2005
Original Title:
Familie Hitler - Im Schatten des Diktators
Alternate Titles:
Hitler's Family: In the Shadow of the Dictator
Hitlerova rodina: Ve stínu diktátora
Genres:
Documentary
Production Companies:
Channel 4 Television
History
Loopfilm
ZDF
ZDF Enterprises
Production Countries:
Germany
Ratings / Certifications:
N/A
Adolf Hitler consistently hushed up or denied his family lineage for fear that his ragtag bunch of ancestors and living relatives could tarnish his reputation or expose his imperfect Aryan background. His family had a history of psychiatric disorders, and his second cousin, Aloisia Veit, was locked up in an asylum for nine years before being sent to the gas chambers for being "unworthy of life". Hitler was embarrassed by his sister Paula, and made her live under the assumed name of Paula Wolf. Paula became engaged to Dr Erwin Jekelius, medical director of the asylum who sent hundreds of mentally ill patients, including Aloisia Veit, to their deaths.
This film provides history about members of Adolf Hitler's family of origin and surviving members of his family up to the date of it's release. It highlights suspected reasoning for Hitler's attempts at eradicating any and all traces of his family's existence from public record during his time in power.
