Bridget Dowling facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bridget Dowling
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Offering information about the
British War Relief Society, 1941 |
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| Born |
Bridget Elizabeth Dowling
3 July 1891 Dublin, Ireland
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| Died | 18 November 1969 (aged 78) Long Island, New York, U.S.
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| Spouse(s) | Alois Hitler Jr. |
| Children | William Patrick Hitler |
| Relatives | Thomas Dowling, Brother |
Bridget Elizabeth Hitler (born Dowling) was Adolf Hitler's sister-in-law. She was married to Alois Hitler Jr., Adolf Hitler's half-brother. Bridget was also the mother of William Patrick Hitler. She was born and grew up in Dublin, Ireland.
Contents
Bridget Dowling's Marriage Story
Meeting Alois Hitler Jr.
In 1909, Bridget and her father, William Dowling, went to the Dublin Horse Show. There, they met Alois Hitler Jr. He told them he was a rich hotel owner traveling around Europe. But actually, he was a poor kitchen worker at the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin.
Alois spent time with Bridget in Dublin. Soon, they started talking about getting married. On June 3, 1910, they ran away together to London. They lived in Charing Cross Road for a short time. Bridget's father was very upset and threatened to accuse Alois of kidnapping. But Bridget convinced her father to accept their marriage.
Life in Liverpool
The couple moved to Liverpool, England. They lived at 102 Upper Stanhope Street. In 1911, their only child, William Patrick Hitler, was born there. Sadly, their house was destroyed during a German air raid in 1942.
Family Troubles
Alois went to Germany in 1914 to start a business. But World War I began, stopping his plans. Bridget did not go with him because Alois had become difficult and treated their son badly. Alois then decided to leave his family.
He went back to Germany and married another woman. This was against the law because he was still married to Bridget. After the war, he even sent a message saying he had died. Later, people found out he had lied. German authorities charged him for marrying two people at once in 1924. Bridget helped him avoid serious trouble.
Bridget raised her son alone without any help from Alois. She eventually divorced him, even though her religion made it difficult. She moved to Highgate, North London, and rented out rooms in her home to earn money.
Moving to America and Her Claims
In 1939, Bridget went with her son to the United States. He was invited to give talks about his famous uncle, Adolf Hitler. They decided to stay in America.
Bridget wrote a book called My Brother-in-Law Adolf. In it, she claimed that Adolf Hitler lived with her and Alois in Liverpool. She said he stayed with them from November 1912 to April 1913. She wrote that he came to Liverpool to avoid joining the army in Austria. Bridget also claimed she taught Adolf about astrology. She also said she told him to trim his mustache.
Some people, like biographer William Stevenson, have said there are documents that support Hitler's visit to England. This period, from 1912 to mid-1913, is sometimes called Hitler's 'missing year'. During this time, he was living in homeless shelters in Vienna. Historian Peter Longerich says there is not much reliable information about Hitler's life from 1910 to 1913.
Adolf Hitler wrote in his own book, Mein Kampf, that he moved to Munich in the spring of 1912. However, police records show he moved from Vienna to Munich in May 1913.
Historians disagree about whether Hitler really visited his relatives in Liverpool. Some think Bridget's book was made up to earn money from her famous connection. But others, like Professor Alan Cassels, find her story believable. Professor Robert Waite does not believe her claims. Bridget's daughter-in-law also said Bridget admitted the book was mostly made up. Still, the story of Adolf Hitler visiting Liverpool remains popular. It has been used in books and comics.
Life After the War
After World War II, Bridget and her son settled in Long Island, New York. They used the new last name Stuart-Houston. Bridget died there on November 18, 1969. She is buried in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Coram, Long Island. Her son is buried next to her; he died in 1987.
Bridget Dowling's family history was a mystery for a long time. Then, Irish census records from 1901 and 1911 were put online. The 1901 census lists her family under William Dowling in Dublin. The family later moved to Denzille Street. Bridget's name is not on the 1911 Irish census. Instead, she appears as "Cissie Hitler" on the 1911 England and Wales Census. She is listed with her husband "Anton Hitler" and son "William Hitler" in Liverpool.
See also
- Hitler family
- Meet the Hitlers
