Gerhard Boldt Gerhard Boldt ( 24 January 1918 – 10 May 1981 ) was an officer in the German Army ( " Wehrmacht Heer " ) who wrote about his experiences during World War II . World War II . On 4 August 1943 , Boldt was awarded a Knight ' s Cross of the Iron Cross for extreme bravery . He was a Senior - Lieutenant ( " Oberleutnant " ) with the 58th Infantry Division on the Eastern Front . Boldt also served as a cavalry officer . During the last months of World War II , Boldt was seconded to Reinhard Gehlen ' s military intelligence staff . He was stationed in German dictator Adolf Hitler ' s Führerbunker . This was located below the Reich Chancellery in central Berlin . Boldt reported to General Hans Krebs and was summoned to a daily briefing session with Hitler , his generals , and closest associates - in particular Martin Bormann , Hermann Göring , and Joseph Goebbels . Boldt had a unique opportunity to observe at close quarters the leading members of the Nazi hierarchy during the Battle of Berlin . After the war , he wrote about his experiences during the last days in Nazi - held Berlin . Boldt ' s description of the atmosphere , first in the semi - ruined Reich Chancellery and then in the claustrophobic surroundings of the Führerbunker , convey a chilling impression of destruction and of the collapse of the entire Nazi system . Background . By April 21 , 1945 , Soviet Marshal Georgi Zhukov ' s 1st Belorussian Front had broken through the defenses of German General Gotthard Heinrici ' s Army Group Vistula on the Seelow Heights . Having achieved the breakthrough , the Soviets were advancing towards Berlin with little to stop them . Adolf Hitler , ignoring the facts , saw salvation in the ragtag units commanded by one of his favorite generals , Felix Steiner . Steiner ' s command became known as " Army Detachment Steiner " ( " Armeeabteilung Steiner " ) . Unfortunately for the Germans , Army Detachment Steiner was an army which existed primarily on paper : it was something more than a corps but less than an army . Hitler ordered Steiner to attack the northern flank of the huge salient created by Zhukov ' s breakthrough ; and the German Ninth Army , commanded by General Theodor Busse , which had been pushed to the south of the salient , was ordered to attack northward in a pincer attack . Late on April 21 , Heinrici called Hans Krebs , chief of the German General Staff ( OKH ) , and told him that Hitler ' s plan could not be implemented . Heinrici asked to speak to Hitler but was told by Krebs that Hitler was too busy to take his call . Army Detachment Steiner fails to launch an attack . Of 22 April , Boldt wrote the following concerning Hitler ' s breakdown during one of his last conferences : Almost immediately after Hitler ' s plan for Steiner failed to launch , a new plan was created . The new plan involved General Walther Wenck and his Twelfth Army . Wenck ' s army faced the Americans to the west . The new plan had Wenck attack with his army to the east , link up with the Ninth Army of General Theodor Busse , and relieve Berlin . The inhuman order . Of 25 April to 26 April , Boldt wrote the following about Hitler ' s order to flood the underground railway : Last days in the Führerbunker . Of 28 April , Boldt documented the following discussions between Martin Bormann , Hans Krebs , and Wilhelm Burgdorf : Early on 29 April , Freytag - Loringhoven informed Boldt that Hitler had married Eva Braun . Boldt was laughing at the news when Krebs came from behind a curtain and chastised him : " Have you gone quite mad ? How dare you laugh at your highest commander ? " Escape . On 29 April , three couriers left Berlin . Each left with a copy of the last will and testament of Adolf Hitler . Communications were down , the Soviets were closing in , and many were morbidly anticipating Hitler ' s suicide . Boldt ' s friend , Bernd von Freytag - Loringhoven , obtained permission for them to leave . That evening , Boldt left the Führerbunker with Freytag - Loringhoven and Burgdorf ' s assistant , Lieutenant - Colonel Rudolf Weiss . Weiss became separated from his two companions and was captured . He endured 5 years captivity in a Soviet POW camp in Poland . On 12 May , after several close encounters with Soviet forces , the two men parted company ; Boldt went north to Lubeck and von Loringhoven headed towards Leipzig to join his wife and son . Post - war . Boldt became a writer . He wrote " Hitler ' s Last Days : An Eye - Witness Account " ( ISBN 1844153614 ) . This book was translated by Sandra Bance . His book was used for the film " " . " Hitler ' s Last Days : An Eye - Witness Account " was also used for the German - Austrian 2004 drama film " Downfall " ( " Der Untergang " ) . Portrayal in the media . Gerhardt Boldt has been portrayed by the following actors in film and television productions .