Editing Martin Bormann (section)

===Last days in Berlin===
On 16 January 1945, Hitler transferred his headquarters to the ''[[Führerbunker]]'' ("Leader's bunker") in Berlin, where he (along with Bormann, Bormann's secretary [[Else Krüger]], and others) remained until the end of April.{{sfn|McGovern|1968|p=154}}{{sfn|Kershaw|2008|p=894}} The ''Führerbunker'' was located under the [[Reich Chancellery]] garden in the government district of the city centre. The [[Battle of Berlin]], the final major Soviet offensive of the war, began on 16 April 1945.{{sfn|Joachimsthaler|1999|p=98}} By 19 April, the [[Red Army]] started to encircle the city.{{sfn|Beevor|2002|pp=217–233}} On 20 April, his 56th birthday, Hitler made his last trip above ground. In the ruined garden of the Reich Chancellery, he awarded [[Iron Cross]]es to boy soldiers of the [[Hitler Youth]].{{sfn|Beevor|2002|p=251}} That afternoon, Berlin was bombarded by Soviet artillery for the first time.{{sfn|Beevor|2002|p=255}} On 23 April, [[Albert Bormann]] left the bunker complex and flew to the Obersalzberg. He and several others had been ordered by Hitler to leave Berlin.{{sfn|Joachimsthaler|1999|p=98}}

In the early morning hours of 29 April 1945, [[Wilhelm Burgdorf]], Goebbels, [[Hans Krebs (Wehrmacht general)|Hans Krebs]] and Bormann witnessed and signed [[Last will and testament of Adolf Hitler|Hitler's last will and testament]]. In the will, Hitler described Bormann as "my most faithful Party comrade" and named him executor of the estate.{{sfn|Bartrop|Dickerman|2017|p=1069}} That same night Hitler married [[Eva Braun]] in a civil ceremony.{{sfn|Lang|1979|p=391}}{{sfn|Beevor|2002|p=343}}

As Soviet forces continued to fight their way into the centre of Berlin, Hitler and Braun [[Death of Adolf Hitler|committed suicide]] on the afternoon of 30 April. Braun took [[cyanide]] and Hitler shot himself.{{sfn|Kershaw|2008|p=955}}{{sfn|MI5, ''Hitler's Last Days''}} Pursuant to Hitler's instructions, their bodies were carried up to the Reich Chancellery garden and burned. In accordance with Hitler's last wishes, Bormann was named as [[Party Minister of the National Socialist German Workers' Party|Party Minister]],{{sfn|Joachimsthaler|1999|p=187}} thus officially confirming that he held the top position in the Party. Grand Admiral [[Karl Dönitz]] was appointed as the new ''[[President of Germany (1919–1945)|Reichspräsident]]'' (President of Germany) and Goebbels became [[head of government]] and [[Chancellor of Germany (German Reich)|Chancellor of Germany]].{{sfn|Joachimsthaler|1999|p=187}} Hitler did not name any successor to the title Führer.{{sfn|Kershaw|2008|pp=949, 950}} Goebbels and his wife [[Magda Goebbels|Magda]] committed suicide the next day.{{sfn|Joachimsthaler|1999|pp=286–287}}

The Battle in Berlin ended when General der Artillerie [[Helmuth Weidling]], commander of the Berlin Defence Area, unconditionally surrendered the city to General [[Vasily Chuikov]], commander of the [[8th Guards Army (Soviet Union)|Soviet 8th Guards Army]] on 2 May.{{sfn|Beevor|2002|p=386}}