Mid-Week Mini: Hitler’s Nephew, The American Sailor
In this week’s Mid-Week Mini Episode, we talk about how Hitler’s nephew served in the United States Navy.
Imagine growing up with one of the most infamous last names in history. Now imagine volunteering to fight against the man who gave you that name.
Adolf Hitler had a nephew named William Patrick Hitler. He wasn’t born in Germany, but in Liverpool, England, in 1911. His father was Alois Hitler Jr., Adolf’s half-brother, making William the dictator’s own nephew.
As Adolf Hitler rose to power, William occasionally traveled to Germany, hoping his famous uncle might help him find a career. Instead, the relationship became increasingly strained. William later claimed his uncle pressured him to give up his British citizenship and remain in Germany. He refused.
After returning to Britain, William publicly criticized Adolf Hitler and even wrote magazine articles describing his experiences with his uncle. By 1939, he was in the United States on a speaking tour when World War II broke out, leaving him stranded.
When America entered the war, William wanted to enlist in the U.S. military. Because of his family connection, his application drew extra scrutiny. Eventually, he wrote directly to President Franklin Roosevelt asking for permission to serve. After an FBI background investigation, he was accepted into the U.S. Navy in 1944.
William served as a hospital corpsman. During the war, he was wounded in action and received the Purple Heart before being honorably discharged in 1947.
After the war, he wanted to leave the Hitler name behind. He settled on Long Island, New York, changed his family’s surname to Stuart-Houston, and started a medical laboratory business. Most of his neighbors reportedly had no idea who he really was.
William Patrick Hitler died in 1987. His story is a reminder that you don’t get to choose your relatives, but you do get to choose your own path. The Internet says is true.
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