Researchers Analyze DNA Believed to Belong to Hitler, Reveal Possible Genetic Condition

Analysis of Hitler’s DNA Suggests Rare Hormonal Condition, Genetic Study Sparks Debate

A team of researchers led by Turi King examined DNA believed to belong to Adolf Hitler. Their findings indicate he may have had Kallmann syndrome, a rare hormonal disorder, and confirm his paternal ancestry, challenging long-standing rumors. The study, highlighted in a Channel 4 documentary, has not yet been peer-reviewed.

Origins of the DNA Sample

The DNA comes from a bloodstained fabric swatch taken from a couch in Hitler’s Berlin bunker, where he and Eva Braun died in April 1945. U.S. Army Col. Roswell P. Rosengren obtained the sample when Soviet forces allowed him entry into the bunker. The piece remained in his family until it was auctioned in 2014 and acquired by the Gettysburg Museum of History in Pennsylvania.

King’s team compared DNA from the blood with that of a confirmed relative, concluding the sample most likely came from Hitler.

Genetic Findings and Kallmann Syndrome

The most notable genetic finding was a mutation in the PROK2 gene. Variants in this gene are linked to Kallmann syndrome and congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. In males, these conditions can delay puberty, reduce testosterone, and sometimes cause undescended testicles.

King explained, “You either don’t go through puberty or you go through a partial puberty.” Historical records also note cryptorchidism during Hitler’s imprisonment after the 1923 Munich Beer Hall Putsch, supporting the genetic results.

Bold Ancestry and Genetic Lineage

The research addressed persistent rumors about Hitler’s alleged Jewish ancestry. Y chromosome analysis matched the DNA of Hitler’s male-line relatives, effectively ruling out Jewish ancestry through his father. King stated that the results confirm prior speculation about his paternal lineage is inaccurate.

Mental Health Polygenic Risk Assessment

The study calculated polygenic risk scores for psychiatric conditions, including schizophrenia, autism, and ADHD. Hitler’s scores were higher than 99% of a sample of 30,000 Danes.

Ditte Demontis, a psychiatric genetics professor involved in the study, emphasized that polygenic scores are research tools, not diagnostics. “These scores cannot predict individual behavior,” she said. King noted that genetics is only a small part of the historical picture, and social and political contexts were critical to his actions.

Scientific and Public Reception

The findings have not yet undergone peer review or journal publication. Experts caution that without validation, the results cannot be fully assessed. Pontus Skoglund of the Francis Crick Institute said the research may risk public misinterpretation and stigmatization of people with similar conditions.

Tom Booth, a bioarchaeologist, added that historical records already provide extensive insight into Hitler’s life. DNA findings are “a small puzzle piece” rather than a definitive explanation.

Historical Context and Methodology

The research took over four years and leveraged King’s prior experience, including the identification of King Richard III. Methodology included forensic verification and comparison with living relatives. The team aims to publish their work in a high-profile journal soon, though no date has been set.

Balancing History, Genetics, and Public Perception

King stressed that genetics does not determine morality. “It’s incredibly rare that people with these conditions commit violent acts,” she said. The study frames Hitler’s genetic profile as a minor factor in the broader context of history, politics, and social influence.