Was Hitler Ill? A Reply to Eberle and Neumann

Abstract

Hitler’s health, both physical and mental, remains a contentious topic with regular attempts to reach a finding. Was Hitler Ill: A Final Diagnosis? published in 2012 by Henrik Eberle and Hans-Joachim Neumann with a review of the latest documentation, claims to be the definitive account, finding that, aside from routine illness at times, he did not have any health problems.1 This account, however, is challenged by the evidence—documented on film and by observers—that Hitler had Parkinson’s Syndrome (PS). There is a strong case that this arose from encephalitis lethargica, acquired during service on the Western front. The finding that Hitler was not unwell, aside from routine health issues, cannot be sustained.