We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
WiseGEEK

Advertiser Disclosure

Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.

How We Make Money

We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently from our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
History

Did Any of Adolf Hitler’s Relatives Fight Against Him in World War II?

Updated May 17, 2024
Our promise to you
WiseGEEK is dedicated to creating trustworthy, high-quality content that always prioritizes transparency, integrity, and inclusivity above all else. Our ensure that our content creation and review process includes rigorous fact-checking, evidence-based, and continual updates to ensure accuracy and reliability.

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

Editorial Standards

At WiseGEEK, we are committed to creating content that you can trust. Our editorial process is designed to ensure that every piece of content we publish is accurate, reliable, and informative.

Our team of experienced writers and editors follows a strict set of guidelines to ensure the highest quality content. We conduct thorough research, fact-check all information, and rely on credible sources to back up our claims. Our content is reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy and clarity.

We believe in transparency and maintain editorial independence from our advertisers. Our team does not receive direct compensation from advertisers, allowing us to create unbiased content that prioritizes your interests.

William Patrick Stuart-Houston had the dubious distinction of having the most infamous uncle in history. Name not ringing any bells? Stuart-Houston was born William Patrick Hitler in Liverpool, England in 1911, to Irish mother Bridget Dowling and Austrian father Alois Hitler, Jr., the half-brother of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. As fate would have it, William would end up fighting against his uncle's German forces as a member of the U.S. Navy in World War II.

William was brought up by his mother after Alois abandoned the family in 1914. When he turned 18, William visited his father in Germany. He returned in 1933 and tried to benefit from his uncle's position as chancellor, asking him for increasingly better jobs. However, the two shared little affection. “I didn’t become Chancellor for the benefit of my family (and) no one is going to climb on my back,” wrote Adolf Hitler, who called William “my loathsome nephew" on at least one occasion. William even tried to blackmail his uncle for a better job by revealing alleged family secrets.

After a stint back in Britain, where William wrote "Why I Hate My Uncle" for Look magazine, he eventually moved to the United States. After many attempts to enlist in the U.S. military (his motives were looked on skeptically, to say the least), he wrote directly to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was eventually allowed to join the Navy in 1944 and served for three years as a hospital corpsman. After a battlefield injury, he was awarded a Purple Heart.

From Hitler to Houston:

  • William changed his name to William Stuart-Houston after the war, married Phyllis Jean-Jacques, and lived a normal life of relative anonymity in Patchogue, New York. He owned a business that analyzed blood samples and died of natural causes in 1987.

  • William and Phyllis had four sons, but none had sons or daughters of their own. Contrary to a popular rumor, though, they did not have a pact about refusing to sire children.

  • The neighborhood where William Hitler spent his earliest years was reduced to rubble in the Liverpool Blitz in January 1942.

WiseGEEK is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
See our Editorial Process Share Feedback

Discussion Comments

WiseGEEK, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGEEK, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.