14. While Berliners died in their thousands above, below ground, Hitler continued with his daily routines – including his late, lazy mornings
Even though things had changed – and changed for the worse – for the Nazi regime, its leader insisted on following his usual routines, hopeful that he might be able to mastermind a comeback. Hitler liked to sleep in late; he would get up just before midday and then take a quick bath and breakfast before he held his first conference with his generals at noon. Even though millions of people were starving thanks to the war he had dragged Germany into, Hitler always made time for a proper lunch, made by his personal chef.
For the rest of the afternoon and evening, Hitler would receive generals and other key figures in the Nazi regime in his private study. Conferences would sometimes go on until the early hours of the morning. Understandably, no general wanted to show any signs of tiredness or suggest they wanted to leave. They simply waited until Hitler had finished his ranting. On many occasions, such desperate meetings would go on until 5am. After that, the Fuhrer would retreat to his private quarters in the lower part of the Bunker and not emerge again until lunch the following day.