On Hitler's Mountain is a powerful and revealing memoir of an "ordinary" childhood during an extraordinary time. Born in 1934, Irmgard Hunt grew up in the picturesque Bavarian village of Berchtesgaden, near Adolf Hitler's alpine retreat. As the embodiment of Aryan "purity," she sat on the Führer's knee for photographs and eagerly embraced the Nazi doctrine that surrounded her. In this seemingly idyllic world, untouched by war, she accepted the lies from teachers and leaders, joined the Hitler Youth at ten, and sang songs praising National Socialism. However, as the war progressed and terror forced her into bomb shelters, her doubts about the "truths" she had been taught grew, influenced by a few brave individuals who rejected Hitler's ideology. After the regime's fall and the suicide of its leader, many in her community clung to their beliefs and guilt, while Irmgard felt isolated in her quest for truth. She was determined to confront her country's dark past and take responsibility for the reality that her elders sought to forget. Committed to defending freedoms and democratic values, she resolved that the lessons of her youth would guide her. This candid memoir offers a unique first-person perspective on a tumultuous era, chronicling the moral collapse of a nation without rationalization or whitewash.
