8. Unity Mitford ditched life as a pampered English aristocrat to travel to Germany to become Adolf Hitler’s young muse.
The English aristocrat Unity Mitford didn’t just flirt with the concept of fascism, she quite literally flirted with the Fuhrer himself. Born into high society in 1914, she made her social debut at the age of 18 – just like any other aristocratic young lady. But unlike her peers, by this point, her older sister, Diana, had started an affair with the leader of the British Union of Fascists, Oswald Moseley. And it was with her sister that Unity first visited Nazi Germany. She fell in love not just with the regime, but with its leader, Adolf Hitler.
The younger Mitford sister hung out in Hitler’s favorite Munich cafes. Before long, she had his attention. What’s more, Hitler became so fond of his pretty English aristocrat that his own girlfriend, Eva Braun, became insanely jealous. Indeed, it was only when Braun attempted suicide – an act some believe was a cry for attention – that Hitler was forced to take sides. Nevertheless, Mitford remained a fervent supporter of Nazism. So, when it became clear that England and Germany were to go to war, she shot herself. While she survived the initial bullet to the head, she died a few years later, having lived through the war in disgrace in her native land.