hitler's mother, the mystery of pregnancy

hitler's mother

fiction
edward w pritchard

I, Klara Hitler, once a mere maid, now pregnant for the fourth time, with three children now dead,  have terrible premonitions of future hallocaustations that I am afraid to express to anyone lest of all my husband Alois; a man of violent temper. Alois Hitler , my husband, a  man twenty three years my senior who has already struck me more than once. I fear that I am bringing evil onto the world myself partly to blame for I entered into this wretched union voluntarily, being sixteen, poor plain and having no options other than to work as a domestic in the home of my husband and his first sickly wife, here in Austria, in the poorest part of our Country. Now older, and pregnant for the fourth time, I see my situation more clearly, an abortion impossible because of my religion and my countries laws. I have no choice but to bring this child into the world but in my mind because of my trepidations and my willfulness I fear I will cause this child to be something unwonted.

Seven months pregnant now and often alone I have terrible forebodings that seem viscerally real. Other woman here tell me that such is a woman's lot in our time and place to be beaten, to be without hope and to fear to bear and deliver children into a hostile world. But in secret my fears are different for I feel a dread that my offspring will cause terrible destruction of a scale unknown in human history. I know I sound crazy to say this, my fears perhaps being merely the ravings of a depressed lonely pregnant  woman whose husband has already began to eye another younger woman; me fearful now that I have already lost the little youth and beauty I once had.

The Doctor in the village has previously warned me that a Mother's unusual moods may be transmitted across the uterus to the child into fetal depressive tendencies that may affect a child forever. I tremble over what monster I may bring into the world. The baby's Father, my husband Alois, himself  already stigmatized at birth as a bastard, which is one cause of my hardships, may pass his sour nature of an inability to convey love and kindness onto our new baby. Now I compound my poor unborn child 's problems by my will full stubbornness to accept this fourth pregnancy and my role as a wife and Mother. I fear I shall be the cause of unknown problems for this child I carry. My fears cause me to have imaginary grandoise beliefs that my unborn child will shape and change the world, perhaps in an evil way.

My Doctor now reassures me that my fears and forebodings are normal and are typical for a Mother who has previously lost a child, and I have recently lost three babies. Furthermore my Doctor tells me that my mental state alone will not cause harm to my baby. Any  fetal depression causing temporary failure to thrive issues quickly disappears in a few weeks in otherwise healthy babies. My doctor adds that how a baby is born and develops is ultimately God's will. Feeling better I now look forward to having a strong healthy baby and being a loving Mother.

Historical note:                                                              

Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889, the fourth child of Alois Schickelgruber AKA Hiedler, AKA Hitler and Klara Hitler in the Austrian town of Braunau. Two of Adolph's siblings died from diphtheria when they were children, and one died shortly after birth.  A brother, Edmond, was born two years later. Another sister, Paula, was born in 1896, the sixth of the union. Klara Hitler dotted on her son Adolph and Mother and son were unusually close throughout the rest of Klara's life. Klara Hitler died in 1907. Adolph kept his Mother, Klara's picture in his room until his death in April 1945.
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