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Unity Mitford’s Pattern: A Daily Diet of Hitler’s Company
Unity Mitford, a young English aristocrat, has made it her daily routine to visit the Osteria Bavaria restaurant in Munich, where she hopes to run into Adolf Hitler. She is not the only one; Hitler receives hundreds of love letters from female fans, who often become hysterical when they see him. But Unity is different. While she is deeply besotted with him, she is not afraid to approach him and chat with him about a wide range of topics, from politics and travel to movies and music.
In 1936, Unity’s journal entries reveal her determination to stay by Hitler’s side. She has even started translating his book “Mein Kampf” into English, and she attends operas featuring the music of Nazi favorite Richard Wagner. On a typical day, she might visit the Osteria, sit with Hitler, and engage in lively discussions.
In January, Unity receives an invitation to meet Hitler at his table, where he tells her about his harrowing experience of being lost at sea and having to make an emergency landing. He gives her a special red diary, and they have lunch together, with Hitler pouring her wine and discussing topics like Knappertsbusch, the opera director.
Unity’s friend, Mary Ormsby-Gore, recalls that Unity and Hitler would comb through fashion magazines like Harper’s and Tatler, marking the names of those who might support the Nazis when they come to power in England.
As the months go by, Unity’s diary entries reveal her intense dedication to Hitler, her translations of his book, and her conversations about politics and culture. She even starts to carry a small notebook to record the names of those she meets, noting their views on Hitler and the Nazis.
In the following months, Unity faces health issues, including what she calls “the curse,” a women’s affliction that causes her to be constantly tired and irritable. However, her visits to Hitler continue, and she records her conversations with him, including a memorable one in which he tells her about his plans for a Mediterranean cruise.
As the year comes to a close, Unity’s diary entries take on a more somber tone, reflecting the growing tensions in Europe and the rise of anti-Semitic sentiment. She attends a memorial service for King George V, where Hitler is also present, and later, she notes the King’s abdication, which she believes may upset Hitler.
In the spring of 1937, Unity’s life takes a dramatic turn when she attends a dinner party at the home of Hermann Göring, where she witnesses the lavish entertainment and the Fuhrer’s mistress, Eva Braun. Later, she watches as the Blackshirts march through the East End of London, ending in violence, and she reflects on the parallels between Hitler’s struggles for power and her own struggles to be close to him.
Throughout the year, Unity’s diary entries reveal her single-minded dedication to Hitler, her relationships, and her aspirations. Her words offer a glimpse into the private life of a woman who would stop at nothing to be by the side of the man she loves.
