And we could have been battling the last pockets of Japanese homeland resistance into 1950. I guess there’s always another alternative, but given that all the doors had closed for Adolf and his chances of getting out of Berlin alive and uncaptured were minimal, the speculations are pretty thin.
Even his leaving earlier, when he could have, is unlikely for reasons already discussed. He was in it for the win, and failed - for weeks to years - to see that he couldn’t possibly win or even force an settlement short of total surrender.
I think he knew that if he went into hiding or fled that Germany would quickly fall without their charismatic leader making all those smart military decisions. As long as he stayed in Berlin he could lead the retreat (er war), even though the odds were stacked against him. He was deluded enough to think that Germany could somehow still win or at least fight to a stalemate. Once he knew it was over he took his own life instead of taking his chances with the Russians. A smart move on his part.
Serious denial about the state of the war until too late. He really didn’t believe the number of divisions his generals were telling him the Soviets had. Plus the Germans had the advantage now of fighting on German soil. Surely all the German people wouldn’t let him down!
He also hoped for a Western Allies-Soviet falling out. He basically couldn’t believe the West was working with those bleeping bleeping commies.
Hitler shot himself 5 days after Mussolini was killed. By the time he heard about it the chances of getting out were slim at that point. He had already decided to end it in Berlin well before then. Note that Eva Braun had decided to stay with him in Berlin months before rather than heading to the hills. No one could persuade her to leave. Both knew what was going to happen.
The last thing Hitler wanted was to be captured and taken to Moscow. Show trial, execution wasn’t going to be his fate. He was going to die “heroically” defending Berlin next to his troops. Note that the initial death announcement actually said this.
Like with all people of his ilk, the facts didn’t matter. It’s what you tell people.
Hitler had a thing with destruction. The total destruction of Germany was the suitable punishment for the people letting him down. The longer he stayed around, the more complete the destruction. If he left Berlin a couple weeks earlier, things would have quickly wound down.
He considered himself such a great man that hiding somewhere would not be possible. Everyone knew the great Hitler! Plus, as noted, he knew he wasn’t going to live much longer. Even if he defeated Russia early on, he wasn’t planning on staying in power past 1948 or so.
I don’t think this was a factor in the end. In the final days, Hitler made it clear that he was pissed at Germany. As far as Hitler was concerned, Germany had let him down and deserved to be destroyed.
B) He realized there was no place he could go and not be captured and tried one way or another. Considering his mental state, a “heroic” death-before-dishonor probably sounded like a good idea.
Hitler spent a great deal of resources on hardened sites and escape tunnels so he certainly contemplated such an event. One could stipulate this was an option to continue the war and not as an escape from total failure. Hitler didn’t leave himself an option to fail.
He had to have known that if he was caught there was zero chance it was going to go well and he would be chased to the ends of the earth in the process. Hell, his own people repeatedly tried to kill him.
The only significant plan was Himmler’s Alpine Fortress which Hitler wasn’t very keen on and was never constructed. While some people and resources were withdrawn into that area near the end of the war, that was based on geography and the front line situation.
No cite, but I recall seeing some documentary where they said he “didn’t want to end up in a zoo”. I suppose that meant jail, and as someone mentioned upthread, he didn’t want to suffer Muzzolini’s fate.
His father died of a sudden stroke at 65. His mother died of cancer at 47 (she was Alois Hitler’s third wife after his first two wives died). His paternal grandmother died of tuberculosis at 51. His supposed paternal grandfather died at 64 of unspecified natural causes. His maternal grandparents lived longer; they died at the ages of 73 and 76. Four of Adolf Hitler’s siblings died in infancy; two of diptheria, one of measles, and one of hydrocephalus. Hitler’s mother had two sisters, who died at the ages of 48 and 66. Hitler’s father was an only child.