It wasn’t assumed at the time that Hitler really would stay in Berlin and kill himself and the Army distributed photos of a disguised Hitler among US troops in case he tried to pass himself off as someone else. Sounds crazy now, but Heinrich Himmler, perhaps the second most powerful figure in the Third Reich, actually did disguise himself as a sergeant and managed to avoid capture for three weeks. But Hitler kept his word, and blew out his brains in the Fuhrerbunker in the center of Berlin when the Russians were three hundred meters away. Thus ended the thousand year Reich. For decades, though, rumors persisted that Hitler had escaped. The jokes lasted even longer, though by the 1980’s Hitler would have been reaching the century mark and the rumors and jokes finally faded.

But in 1945, here’s what the Army thought a disguised Hitler might have looked at. Take your pick. Hitler’s double, by the way, who did look like a disguised Hitler, and was down there in the Fuhrerbunker with the real Hitler until the final days, was executed by the SS not long before they executed Hitler’s dogs. Imagine his surprise. I’ve never understood why he stayed. He could have snuck out, shaved the mustache, cut his hair, and escaped with the civilians still leaving Berlin even then. He could have written a memoir. Gone to Hollywood and imitated Hitler in a zillion movies. But he stayed. I almost feel sorry for the shmuck. Almost.