One of history's most persistent rumors about Adolf Hitler turns out to have a kernel of truth—though not quite in the way most people think. Medical records from Hitler's imprisonment following the failed Beer Hall Putsch in 1923 reveal that the Nazi dictator had cryptorchidism—an undescended right testicle—rather than true monorchism (having only one testicle).

The distinction matters. An undescended testicle means the organ exists but failed to descend into the scrotum during development, remaining in the abdomen or inguinal canal. Prison physician Josef Steiner Brin's examination, conducted between 2:00 and 2:30 PM on Hitler's arrival, recorded the left testicle in normal scrotal position while noting the right testicle's absence from the scrotum.

The British Song That Launched a Myth

The rumor exploded in popular culture thanks to a cheeky British propaganda song sung to the tune of "Colonel Bogey March." The ditty, claiming "Hitler has only got one ball," became a favorite among Allied troops during World War II. According to British author Donough O'Brien, his father Toby O'Brien wrote the original lyrics in August 1939 as part of Britain's official propaganda program.

Ironically, the original version targeted Hermann Göring—"Göring has only got one ball"—referencing his groin wound from the Beer Hall Putsch. The song evolved to focus on Hitler instead, and folklorist Greg Kelley notes these comedic references proved remarkably effective, embedding theories of Hitler's condition in public consciousness for nearly a century.

Modern Science Weighs In

In 2025, DNA analysis added another layer to the story. Researchers discovered Hitler carried a mutation on the PROK2 gene, variants of which cause Kallmann syndrome—a condition that can delay puberty and cause undescended testicles in males. This genetic evidence aligns perfectly with the 1923 medical records.

Professor Peter Fleischmann of Erlangen-Nuremberg University authenticated the examination records when they surfaced at auction and were subsequently seized by the Bavarian government. These documents remain the most reliable historical evidence of Hitler's condition.

Soviet Disinformation

An alleged Soviet autopsy published in 1968 claimed Hitler's left testicle was missing—contradicting the German medical records. Historians widely dismiss this report as Cold War disinformation, noting that only Hitler's dental remains were ever positively identified from the charred corpse recovered in Berlin.

The persistence of this anatomical detail in popular culture demonstrates how wartime propaganda, when combined with a catchy tune and actual medical evidence, can create an enduring historical narrative. The British troops who sang that song may have been closer to the truth than they realized—just with the medical terminology wrong.

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