# Hitler and the Ghost on the Radio

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-and-the-ghost-on-the-radio/109455>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 16, 2002, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-and-the-ghost-on-the-radio/109455 "2002-05-16T22:29:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Daoloth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/82dd89/32.png) [@Daoloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daoloth)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2002, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-and-the-ghost-on-the-radio/109455/1 "2002-05-16T22:29:00Z")

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Recently while perusing an extensive site dedicated to the history of the Third Reich ([www.thirdreich.net](http://www.thirdreich.net)), I stumbled upon the New York Times obituary for Adolf Hitler. The last paragraph of the long obituary cryptically reads:

"LONDON, May 1 - When Doenitz declared on the radio that Hitler had died “a hero’s death.” a ghost voice immediately interrupted, shouting “This is a lie!”  
[The British Broadcasting Corporation subsequently reported that Hitler had actually died of a stroke, rather than in battle against the Russians, the National Broadcasting Company said.]

Hitler, who was 56 years old on April 20, was lauded by Doenitz as “one of the greatest heroes in German history.” Here the ghost voice broke in “The greatest of all fascists!” "

So, um, what was this ghost voice? Anyone?

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**Author:** ![Sparc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Sparc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparc)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2002, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-and-the-ghost-on-the-radio/109455/2 "2002-05-16T23:12:05Z")

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Propaganda of defamation (well deserved as it would be). I’ve heard the recording of Doenitz speech. There was no ghost voice.

Sparc

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**Author:** ![Daoloth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/82dd89/32.png) [@Daoloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daoloth)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2002, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-and-the-ghost-on-the-radio/109455/3 "2002-05-16T23:13:36Z")

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Ah, thanks. Do you have a link to the speech, by any chance?

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**Author:** ![Sparc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Sparc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparc)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2002, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-and-the-ghost-on-the-radio/109455/4 "2002-05-16T23:33:57Z")

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Not per se. But I’ll check my archives and see, I might have a copy. But I can only do that from the office. It’s in my sound library if I still have it. Get back tomorrow to you on it.

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**Author:** ![d12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/71c47a/32.png) [@d12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/d12)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2002, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-and-the-ghost-on-the-radio/109455/5 "2002-05-17T03:56:46Z")

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I’m still amazed that Adolf and I share the same birthday…  
I wonder if I’m gonna grow up to be an infamous dictator :rolleyes:

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**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2002, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hitler-and-the-ghost-on-the-radio/109455/6 "2002-05-17T05:41:09Z")

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Well, it beats being an infamous dic.