Heinz Linge

Heinz Linge (23 March 1913 – 9 March 1980) was a valet at German dictator Adolf Hitler's headquarters.

Early life

Linge was born in Bremen, Germany. He worked as a valet at Wolfsschanze in Rastenburg.

Berlin, 1945

Linge was one of many soldiers, servants, secretaries, and officers who moved into the Reich Chancellery bunker in 1945. There he continued as Hitler's favorite valet and protocol officer and was one of those who closely witnessed the last days of Hitler's life during the Battle of Berlin.

Linge worked as a valet at Hitler's bunker in Berlin (the Führerbunker). He was also Hitler's personal ordinance officer. Linge delivered messages to Hitler and he escorted people for whom Hitler had sent.

Aftermath

Linge was one of the last to leave the Führerbunker. He was arrested by the Red Army, which interrogated him about the circumstances of Hitler's death. Linge was released from Soviet captivity in 1955. He died in Bremen in West Germany in 1980.

Popular culture

Linge is portrayed by actor Thomas Limpinsel in Oliver Hirschbiegel's 2004 German film "Downfall". In Hans-Jürgen Syberberg's "Hitler – ein Film aus Deutschland" (1978) [http://imdb.com/title/tt0076147/] , he is played by Hellmut Lange.

Hans Rattenhuber, Head of Hitler's Bodyguard, is quoted as stating- "I looked at Linge in surprise. He explained to me that before his death, Hitler ordered him to leave the room for 10 minutes, then to return, wait 10 minutes more and then carry out the order. Having said that, Linge quickly went to Hitler's room and returned with a Walther pistol, which he placed on the table before me... Now it was clear to me what Hitler's order had been. Obviously Hitler, doubting the effectiveness of the poison after all the injections he had been given for such a long time, ordered Linge to shoot him after he had taken the poison. Linge had shot Hitler."