Wentworth by the Sea hotel kitchen worker Frank Graham at an employee party in 1946 (Courtesy Frank Gra hm on SeacoastHistory.com)
This exclusive unretouched photograph shows what appears to be Adolph Hitler attending a party at Wentworth by the Sea at New Castle, NH in 1946, a full year after the end of World War II. The despised dictator, presumed dead, seems to be holding hands with none other than his girlfriend Eva Braun.
The Hitler imposter can be seen just behind the Invisible Man and Mata Hari and to the left of two women dressed as gambling dice. This authentic photo comes from Frank Graham, who worked as a meatcutter at the Wentworth following the war. Frank told me he had no money for a costume for rhe employee masquerade ball, so he slicked back his hair, dabbed on a shoe-polish mustache and borrowed a pair of boots from the hotel stables. He was shocked to discover a woman dressed as Hitler’s main squeeze, and they danced through the night. During the festivities, Frank went onstage and sang “Hitler in the Snow” to the tune of “Turkey in the Straw.”
Frank graciously loaned the picture for my book about the history of the hotel. This was the first year of ownership by James and Margaret Smith, who retired in 1982. A close look at the photo appears to show a number of workers in blackface. A weekly masquerade ball for guests was part of the hotel entertainment. Employees continued their own dress-up tradition annually. Frank also made headlines when he discovered a four-legged duck in the hotel kitchen during a conference with 300 guests. (Courtesy Frank Graham, copyright SeacaostHIstory-dot-com)
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