I'm about half way through and am finding that she goes into so much detail about her life and films prior to her work for the Nazis that it's as if she'd trying to prove she was not then nor never a Nazi -- which I believe. One of the most chilling observations she makes is on one of the occasions when Hitler has a private meeting with her and tells her, regarding the bust of a young woman in his home (page 180 the first paragraph):
"I told you why I will never marry. But this girl," he said pointing at the bust, "Is Geli my niece. I loved her very much -- she was the only woman I could have married. But fate was against it."
Riefenstahl then goes on to write: I did not have the nerve to ask what she died of. Only much later did I learn from Frau Schaub that Geli had shot herself that, here in this apartment.
I later learned that in Hitler's life there were more women who committed suicide after a relationship with him which is not surprising although it does make me wonder what kind of women could be attracted to such a domineering man.
I do think that, regarding Hitler, it is important to remember that he was fully human and though a monster it is critical to remember this point because if he's thought of as only the monster he was this will make it possible to not recognize such people when they come around again — because they will.
Hitler told the public he would not marry because his bride was Deutschland (Germany) and that a Frau (wife) would distract him too much from the important business of running Germany which was another of his lies. There had been several women and when he did marry Eva Braun they committed suicide about a day later (around midnight of April 28/29, 1945 in the Berlin Führerbunker. Also, Hitler did not like the day-to-day minutia of attending to the business of government and so left it to others to take care of.
BTW the E in Eva is pronounced A like in the word lake.
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