Jackie: Mutt War Hero – Documents that were recently unearthed in the political archives of the German Foreign Ministry reveal details of an interesting footnote in history; a dog that mocked, and angered Hitler himself.
According to the documents, during WWII Nazis were enraged to learn about a mixed-breed dog named “Jackie” in Finland who earned the nickname “hitler” because of how it would raise its paw in the air in what looked to be a mock “heil hitler” salute.
According to records, officials in Berlin heard about the dog’s strange habit, and ordered German diplomats in Finland to investigate and gather evidence. Soon, the dog’s owner, Tor Berg, was ordered to the German embassy in Helsinki for questioning.
As the scandal grew, more ministries were involved including the foreign office in Berlin, the economy ministry and hitler’s chancellery. German suppliers were ordered by the nazis to end cooperation with Berg, who owned a pharmaceutical wholesale company. Records also show nazi plans to destroy Berg’s company.
However, witnesses against Jackie and her owner were not willing to testify in court. As WWII progressed, attention to the matter was eventually diverted. Although Jackie was never given official credit as a war hero, the momentum in the war soon shifted in Russia’s favor against the Germans.
Stories like this, (along with the fact that one of Hitler’s last acts was to order the execution his own German Shepherd, Blondi) help to solidify his title as history’s biggest bastard. Thanks to Jim Dumont in Newtown, Pa
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