What if Hitler didn't commit suicide after losing the war?

In our timeline, Adolf Hitler ended his life as the Soviet Red Army was closing in on the Fuherbunker in Berlin, finally acknowledging that Germany lost the war and deciding to not be executed or imprisoned by the Allies; instead, he would die by his own hand and with a shot to the head.

What if that didn't happen? What if Hitler actually did get captured by the Red Army, and had to stand in the Nuremberg Trials? How does this change things?

As for my two cents: Ironically, the only good thing that Hitler ever did was commit suicide, because that actually made the process of rebuilding Europe and ending Nazi ideals far quicker and easier than if he were captured and had to stand trial. Consider the context: Even after the war was lost, the Nazis still held considerable influence, followers and allies. It's not like everyone instantly came to the realization that Nazism was bad. This was why so many Nazis were able to escape to Argentina and live prosperous lives there, as they had supporters who could both smuggle them out (like Franco) and the Argentine government was sympathetic to them.

But thankfully, that all died down, and increasingly so overtime. Sure, you had people in Germany who wanted Hitler to win the war for decades afterwards, but they were increasingly on the fringe of society, and once they all died off, you're left with a Germany that hates Nazis as much as anyone -- with the extra sting of guilt, shamed of their dark past. West Germany was able to escape its Nazi roots in the Cold War quickly, because the citizens adopted western ideals and became a free nation that denounced Nazism, and wanted to reunite with Soviet-controlled East Germany the entire time to become a single country again.

By the 1960s, just twenty years after the war, most of the world had pretty well forgiven Germany and saw them as an ally and friend. Keep in mind that many WWII veterans were still alive then, and relatively young, with full remembrance of the Nazis. Though, the Cold War being what it was, it helped we had a new enemy on our minds in the place of the old: Those damned communist reds.

Thing is, if Hitler didn't kill himself right then and there, the Nazi ideals would remain popular far longer, and there would likely be resistance movements across both Germanies. If Hitler had been captured, he would've had to stand trial in Nuremberg, and that would change the way the trials went and what happened afterwards. The Nuremberg Trials in OTL was to various Nazi officials by the Americans, British, French and Soviets, and not having Hitler there made this relatively easy. No one stood as high in Germany as the fuhrer. He was the glue that held the thing together, and sheer admiration he drew from the people was astonishing in its own right (I've seen the comparison to that of Beatlemania in the 1960s). Without that "glue", the entire Nazi system completely fell apart.

Hitler would not be any ordinary prisoner. He would the highest value person in the trials, and they would have quite a dilemma on their hands. They would have to treat him well, keep him under absolute protection, and make sure he both never escapes or is never broken out. Once the trials are completed, the Allies would be left with the unenviable choice of what to do with him. A pick your poison scenario that leads to trouble either way.

Do they sentence him to death, or life in prison?

Going with the former, Hitler dying at the hands of the Allies and not the man himself would martyr him to his followers, keeping Nazism alive far longer, with many resistance/criminal organizations openly embracing his ideals. The process of "de-Nazifying" Germany would slower, more troublesome, would likely get people hurt and killed, and this would hurt Germans on the world stage. If going with the latter, the risk is there that Hitler could always be broken out of by the believers, who would continue to operate because he's still there, and always on guard of their very special prisoner, and Hitler still being alive, even if under bars, would no doubt be seen as an injustice by many around the world.

So that's why I think the best possible outcome happened in OTL, with Hitler ended his own life when he did, so that many got to be spared the pain and suffering his continued existence would cause. It made repairing and reconstructing Germany a much easier task, and Nazism died much sooner than it otherwise would. I'd hate to imagine Germany's standing in the Cold War if they still had a Nazi problem, even if they weren't the ones in power. If that was the case, people would be far less sympathetic to them in their plight to reunite with East Germany, and West Germany would be under far closer watch by the Western Bloc.

But that's just my theory. I'm open to other takes. Please, discuss.
 
Hitler would certainly have been hanged at Nurnberg or by the Soviets, along with the rest of the key Nazis who were OTL. I don't see his surviving a few extra months making Naziism any more attractive post-war. If he was put on the stand he would have blathered like the lunatic he had become, and made the Nazi last gasp look even more stupid and delusional.
 
If somehow he was captured alive and not torn limb from limb by the Soviets that stormed the bunker, he'd either hang at Nurenburg or in the mother, father and great aunt of all show trials in Moscow.
 
In our timeline, Adolf Hitler ended his life as the Soviet Red Army was closing in on the Fuherbunker in Berlin, finally acknowledging that Germany lost the war and deciding to not be executed or imprisoned by the Allies; instead, he would die by his own hand and with a shot to the head.

What if that didn't happen? What if Hitler actually did get captured by the Red Army, and had to stand in the Nuremberg Trials? How does this change things?

As for my two cents: Ironically, the only good thing that Hitler ever did was commit suicide, because that actually made the process of rebuilding Europe and ending Nazi ideals far quicker and easier than if he were captured and had to stand trial. Consider the context: Even after the war was lost, the Nazis still held considerable influence, followers and allies. It's not like everyone instantly came to the realization that Nazism was bad. This was why so many Nazis were able to escape to Argentina and live prosperous lives there, as they had supporters who could both smuggle them out (like Franco) and the Argentine government was sympathetic to them.

But thankfully, that all died down, and increasingly so overtime. Sure, you had people in Germany who wanted Hitler to win the war for decades afterwards, but they were increasingly on the fringe of society, and once they all died off, you're left with a Germany that hates Nazis as much as anyone -- with the extra sting of guilt, shamed of their dark past. West Germany was able to escape its Nazi roots in the Cold War quickly, because the citizens adopted western ideals and became a free nation that denounced Nazism, and wanted to reunite with Soviet-controlled East Germany the entire time to become a single country again.

By the 1960s, just twenty years after the war, most of the world had pretty well forgiven Germany and saw them as an ally and friend. Keep in mind that many WWII veterans were still alive then, and relatively young, with full remembrance of the Nazis. Though, the Cold War being what it was, it helped we had a new enemy on our minds in the place of the old: Those damned communist reds.

Thing is, if Hitler didn't kill himself right then and there, the Nazi ideals would remain popular far longer, and there would likely be resistance movements across both Germanies. If Hitler had been captured, he would've had to stand trial in Nuremberg, and that would change the way the trials went and what happened afterwards. The Nuremberg Trials in OTL was to various Nazi officials by the Americans, British, French and Soviets, and not having Hitler there made this relatively easy. No one stood as high in Germany as the fuhrer. He was the glue that held the thing together, and sheer admiration he drew from the people was astonishing in its own right (I've seen the comparison to that of Beatlemania in the 1960s). Without that "glue", the entire Nazi system completely fell apart.

Hitler would not be any ordinary prisoner. He would the highest value person in the trials, and they would have quite a dilemma on their hands. They would have to treat him well, keep him under absolute protection, and make sure he both never escapes or is never broken out. Once the trials are completed, the Allies would be left with the unenviable choice of what to do with him. A pick your poison scenario that leads to trouble either way.

Do they sentence him to death, or life in prison?

Going with the former, Hitler dying at the hands of the Allies and not the man himself would martyr him to his followers, keeping Nazism alive far longer, with many resistance/criminal organizations openly embracing his ideals. The process of "de-Nazifying" Germany would slower, more troublesome, would likely get people hurt and killed, and this would hurt Germans on the world stage. If going with the latter, the risk is there that Hitler could always be broken out of by the believers, who would continue to operate because he's still there, and always on guard of their very special prisoner, and Hitler still being alive, even if under bars, would no doubt be seen as an injustice by many around the world.

So that's why I think the best possible outcome happened in OTL, with Hitler ended his own life when he did, so that many got to be spared the pain and suffering his continued existence would cause. It made repairing and reconstructing Germany a much easier task, and Nazism died much sooner than it otherwise would. I'd hate to imagine Germany's standing in the Cold War if they still had a Nazi problem, even if they weren't the ones in power. If that was the case, people would be far less sympathetic to them in their plight to reunite with East Germany, and West Germany would be under far closer watch by the Western Bloc.

But that's just my theory. I'm open to other takes. Please, discuss.

There is a strong chance that if Hitler did not kill himself, he would've been shot by Soviet soldiers or assassinated while in prison. If not, he absolutely would have been hanged after a trial at Nuremberg presents evidence of his staggering crimes against humanity. There is no way Hitler would have lived past 1946.
 
Honestly, I don't think Hitler being captured and put on trial would have had much of an effect, though it might be helpful for historians writing the history of the 3rd Reich. Losing the war didn't suddenly turn the Germans into remorseful democrats. They were concerned with their own plight, not that of Nazi regime's victims. Denazification did not suddenly change their views...or make them really confront the Nazi's atrocities. But they also weren't eager to man the barricades and die for the regime. Many still thought the regime had done more good than bad, but he wasn't the messianic 'saviour' of the 30s or the triumphant victor of 1940 anymore. By the time he shot himself, he was the man prolonging their ordeal.

So, no, I don't think him being put on trial and inevitably hanged would've spawned a resurgence of Nazi resistance groups. The Nazis half-heartedly tried Werwolf and it went nowhere, beyond murdering a mayor who was working with the allies and some other random killings. Honestly, Hitler letting the allies capture would have a negative effect on the German public's opinion of him, much like his suicide did. After all, he'd ranted about how his armies should fight to the bitter end and had old men and little boys drafted to fight in a futile war to prolong his own sorry existence...and then he gets captured instead of picking up his Mauser rifle and going down fighting the 'Bolshevik' hordes. There's a reason Dönitz lied about the cause of Hitler's death in OTL.

His reaction when a number of his minions inevitably try to save their own skin by blaming everything on him would be amusing though. Because by the end of the war their main concern was saving themselves from a date with the hangman, even if they were fanatics in the SS (most SS functionaries did not flee to Argentinia or get executed...they lived mundane lives in Germany). Germany has clearly and unambiguously lost the war.
 
Last edited:
I doubt that Soviets would are willingful spare Hitler any second when they see him. If Hitler doesn't kill himself then it is quiet plausible that Soviets do that immediately when they enter from Führerbunker's door.

But even if Soviets don't kill him and decide spare him to Nuremburg Trial it is not even sure that he wouldn't commit suicide later or die from his several health troubles.

But if Hitler would miracously survive to the trial and is cabable stand that he would be quiet maniac and would get nazism look even more idiotic. A the end Hitler would be hanged if then he doesn't commt same thing what Göring did only few hours before execution.
 
What I want to know is how would Hitler’s presence affect the other defendants and their defense?

IOTL almost all of the Nuremberg defendants (Goering, Keitel, Frank etc) never fully disavowed Hitler or reneged on their trust and belief in him. They criticized some of his flaws and decisions on the stand certainly but almost to a man they never turned on him.

Considering he was a fanatic in every sense of the word if Hitler admitted to all the charges without guilt or hesitation that would certainly interfere with the others’ defense strategies. Even more so if Hitler feels his fellow Nazis are trying to deny their complicity and gladly tells the prosecution that they carried out his orders faithfully.

Hitler was the same person that ordered 2 of his closest followers that he had known for decades (Himmler and Goering) executed for “betraying” him and said the German people deserved to perish for the sin of losing the war. I highly doubt he’d let his inner circle pass the blame all on to him to save their own skins.
 
Last edited:
There is a strong chance that if Hitler did not kill himself, he would've been shot by Soviet soldiers or assassinated while in prison. If not, he absolutely would have been hanged after a trial at Nuremberg presents evidence of his staggering crimes against humanity. There is no way Hitler would have lived past 1946.
I'd be very surprised if he lived until 1946, or for that matter August 1945. A quick trial in Moscow followed by a public execution in Red Square is the most likely outcome of him being taken alive by the Soviets.
 
It's an interesting thought! If he was captured and placed in Nuremberg would the doctors nurse him back to health. He was a physical and mental wreck by 1945. If he was given medical treatment and weened off the drugs, he may have become more like his 1930ish self. That would have made the trial much more interesting and possibly would have extended the Nazi ideology worldwide. People of the world would have potentially had an opportunity to hear a powerful orator, which may have been something the allies didn't want to happen. Remember he was a powerful speaker with the ability to persuade people with his voice. Churchill was probably his only equal at this level.
 
If Hitler didn’t commit suicide he would NOT be in Soviet hands he would have RAN to the US or attempt to flee the country. Either way he would not have stayed in the USSRs area he was not THAT stupid that he would let himself be taken alive by the USSR.
He would prefer not to let GB get him either but definitely not the USSR.
 
I could see Hitler being captured alive if he left the Führerbunker for the Berghof, which would probably be easier to take by surprise. But there's the question of how plausible it would be for him to make such a decision, since he refused multiple OTL suggestions that he retreat from Berlin.
 
Last edited:
Unless they've been given VERY STRICT orders not to. Stalin would want to drag Hitler through Red Square in a cage so I think that likely.
Not such a good idea if Stalin wants to be seen to keep to Yalta agreement. Very much a stand off instead of 'being nice' to each other. The Cold War 3-4 years earlier. Yet the Russians would be further behind, tech wise, as no one in the West would trust him, not that they didn't in the first place. Little things like no Mig-15 to getting the bomb later.
 
If Stalin had his way he would personally give the Fuhrer the Emperor Valerian treatment. I think that possibility frightened Hitler more than being dragged to Nuremberg
 
Top