Jean-Marie Loret: The Man Who Believed He Was The Secret Son Of Adolf Hitler

Published February 24, 2023
Updated March 12, 2024

While serving in the German army during World War 1, Adolf Hitler allegedly had an affair with a French woman named Charlotte Lobjoie — and Jean-Marie Loret was the result.

In June 1917, Charlotte Lobjoie met a German soldier.

She was chopping hay in the fields in Fournes-in-Weppe, a small town west of Lille, France, with some other women when they noticed an attractive German soldier, standing across the street.

Jean-Marie Loret

YoutubeJean-Marie Loret, purported to be Adolf Hitler’s son.

He was drawing on his sketch pad and caused quite a stir amongst the young ladies. Eventually, Charlotte was designated to approach him. She was enamored with him, though they didn’t even speak the same language.

After a while, the two began a brief affair, often taking walks through the countryside, and indulging in drinks together at night. Charlotte would later remember that the soldier had a temper, often ranting in German about things that bothered him.

Eventually, the affair ended, as the soldier had to return to the trenches in Seboncourt. Not long after he left, Charlotte realized she was pregnant.

Though it wasn’t that unusual, as many children in France at the time were products of French mothers’ affairs with German soldiers on leave, Charlotte was ashamed that she was pregnant out of wedlock. When the child was born, she named him Jean-Marie, and eventually gave him up for adoption to a family called Loret.

She never spoke of her baby’s father, only letting on that he had been a German soldier.

It wasn’t until her deathbed that she would reveal who Jean-Marie’s real father was: a young, unassuming German soldier named Adolf Hitler.

Charlotte Lobjoie With Adolf Hitler

Youtube/Getty ImagesCharlotte Lobjoie and a young Adolf Hitler.

Ironically, during World War II Jean-Marie Loret had fought against the Germans in 1939, defending the Maginot Line before the Nazi invasion. He even joined the French Resistance, and was given the codename ‘Clement.’

Hounded by the news of his father’s identity, Jean-Marie delved into the history of his mother’s affair, determined to find proof one way or the other to see if he was, in fact, Adolf Hitler’s son. Beginning in the 1950s, he even hired scientists to find out if he and Hitler had shared the same blood type, and handwriting experts to see how similar the two’s penmanship was.

On Hitler’s side, there was less corroboration. There is no evidence that Hitler ever knew he had a child. He never mentioned knowing of Jean-Marie’s existence, and he in fact outright denied having any children at all on multiple occasions.

However, rumors still swirled. Especially after World War II people feared that any child of Hitler’s could potentially follow in the Fuhrer’s footsteps, and as such were terrified that one might exist. Some people believed there was a child hiding out, and some believed that Hitler himself had hidden one.

Hitlers Descendants
History Uncovered Podcast
Episode 42: The Truth About Adolf Hitler’s Descendants
After his death in 1945, Adolf Hitler left a number of family members behind — and some believe he may have secretly had children of his own.

Hitler’s valet Heinz Linge even stated once that he heard Hitler express the belief that he had a child, though that report, like the others, was unsubstantiated.

Despite many doubts, Jean-Marie Loret wrote an autobiography before his death in 1985, titled Your Father’s Name Was Hitler in which he describes finding out his father’s identity, and the struggle to prove that he was Hitler’s son. He even alleges that Hitler knew about him, and tried to destroy all evidence of his existence. He also claims that Hitler had him appointed as a charge de mission within the French army in order to get him killed.

However, the only concrete evidence Jean-Marie Loret found suggesting that he was actually Hitler’s son was minimal. He discovered that he and Hitler were the same blood type and that visually the two were strikingly similar.

It wouldn’t be until after Jean-Marie Loret’s death that new evidence in the case of Hitler’s son would come to light.

Adolf Hitler Painting

Getty ImagesWatercolor done by Hitler, similar to those found at Charlotte Lobjoie’s home.

An official military document, originally from the Wehrmacht, the German Army, revealed that envelopes of cash were delivered by German soldiers to Charlotte Lobjoie during the occupation of France.

This cash could be evidence that Hitler remained in contact with Charlotte after he left her. Paintings were discovered in Charlotte’s attic that were signed by Hitler. There was also a painting found with Hitler in Germany that closely resembled Charlotte, though it is uncertain if it really was her.

Since the new evidence came to light Your Father’s Name Was Hitler has been set to be re-released to contain the new evidence.

After Jean-Marie Loret’s death, his children stopped pursuing the issue. Jean-Marie’s lawyer has pointed out that should the children prove their lineage, they would be eligible to receive royalties from Hitler’s book Mein Kampf, but the children declined.

After all, who would really want to profit off of the proof that they were a Hitler descendant?


Enjoy this article on Jean-Marie Loret, the man who may be Adolf Hitler’s son? Next, read about the legitimate Hitler descendants and where they are now. Then, read about the living descendants of other famous figures throughout history.

author
Katie Serena
author
A former staff writer at All That's Interesting, Katie Serena has also published work in Salon.
editor
John Kuroski
editor
John Kuroski is the editorial director of All That's Interesting. He graduated from New York University with a degree in history, earning a place in the Phi Alpha Theta honor society for history students. An editor at All That's Interesting since 2015, his areas of interest include modern history and true crime.