Audrey Hepburn’s Fear of Her Mother’s Nazi Connections Revealed

A new biography on Audrey Hepburn claims that the iconic actress lived in constant fear that her mother's admiration for Adolf Hitler would be made public, potentially ruining her Hollywood career.

The biography, titled “Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II” by Robert Matzen, sheds light on the complex relationship between Hepburn and her mother, Ella van Heemstra.

According to the book, Hepburn was terrified that her fans would discover that her mother had met Hitler at his headquarters in Munich and had been thrilled when he kissed her hand.

Ella van Heemstra was known to admire the German leader and was even referred to as a “lipstick Nazi,” having dated a German officer and being accused of displaying a flag with a Swastika in her apartment.

Hepburn also worried that people would find out about her own involvement during the war years.

Between 1942 and 1944, she had danced in ballets where German soldiers were likely present in the audience.

However, she took these secrets “to her grave,” as she did not want her family to be seen as Nazi sympathizers.

The biography reveals that Hepburn's parents had fallen under the influence of British fascist Sir Oswald Mosley during their time in London.

Ella van Heemstra even wrote an essay for Mosley's newspaper on the joys of fascism, which led to an invitation to meet Hitler in 1935.

During the meeting, Ella was captivated by Hitler's “deep blue eyes” and admired his “enigmatic smile, full of humility.”

Despite her mother's political beliefs, Hepburn still loved and respected her.

The fear of her mother's Nazi past damaging her career haunted her, but their bond remained strong.

Hepburn rarely spoke about her personal life, especially her mother's political views, during interviews.

She kept her true feelings locked away, even though she had never shared her mother's pro-German sentiments.

The biography also delves into Hepburn's experiences during World War II.

She nearly starved during the “Hunger Winter” of 1944-45 and performed in the Dutch town of Velp to raise money for the resistance.

Hepburn's involvement with the resistance included delivering food to Allied airmen and distributing underground newspapers while evading Nazi detection.

After the war, Hepburn moved to the United States and achieved fame with films like “Roman Holiday” and “Sabrina.”

She became one of the most famous women in the world, but her fear of her mother's Nazi past continued to haunt her.

Despite her success, Hepburn remained cautious about discussing her personal life and the war years.

Audrey Hepburn's story is one of resilience and determination, as she overcame her fears and went on to become an iconic actress and humanitarian.

Her legacy continues to inspire generations, reminding us that our past does not define our future.