Europe's aristocracy fell over itself trying to support and promote Adolf Hitler (pictured) during the Third Reich, a new book published in Germany has revealed

Europe's aristocracy fell over itself trying to support and promote Adolf Hitler during the Third Reich, a new book published in Germany has revealed.

The Nazi dictator even granted 'honorary Ayran' status to a Jewish princess because of her social contacts which Hitler craved to turn to political advantage.

He was obsessed with the British royal family and went out of his way to cultivate contacts with European bluebloods who had links to the House of Windsor, the book claims.

'Hitler's Secret Helpers' by historian Karina Urbach chronicles how the noble families of Germany and Austria were vital to the ambitions of the guttersnipe ex-corporal in his rise to the top.

'Many of them helped in the rise of Hitler and gave him support in the social arena with the glare of publicity falling upon them,' said Frau Urbach.

Despite her Jewish origins, Hitler was particularly spellbound by a woman he called his 'Dear Princess' - Stephanie von Hohenlohe-Waldenburg Schillingsfürst who died in 1972.

The dictator personally gave her the coveted Gold Medal of the Nazi Party for her services to the Reich in 1938 and bestowed on her the Ayran status, even though she was born a Jewish commoner and married into the Austrian nobility.

'She was rewarded because she used her good relations in the nobility for years behind the scenes to open doors for Hitler allowing him to hold political talks with influential people,' said the historian whose work has been received with positive critical acclaim.

Despite her Jewish origins, Hitler was particularly spellbound by a woman he called his 'Dear Princess' - Stephanie von Hohenlohe-Waldenburg Schillingsfürst (pictured) who died in 1972

'Like many other aristocrats, she was one of Hitler's secret helpers.'

Although Hitler boasted that Nazism was the true classless society, where worker and industrialist, aristocrat and bank clerk were equal, it was a myth.

'Due to their close friendship and kinship relationships across national borders, they formed an international network which Hitler used,' added the author.

Another noble he courted and used for his contacts was Prince Max Egon zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg, who lived until 1968.

His family had served the German Kaiser, a French marshall, a Cardinal in Rome, numerous Austro-Hungarian generals and field marshalls and even the Russian czars.

'The prince used his international connections in the service of Hitler,' said Frau Urbach.

'There were differences between the Catholic and the Protestant nobility. The former focused on the Imperial Court of the Habsburgs in Vienna, the latter on the royal family in London.

'No matter what prayer book they took on Sunday at the Church, they all could participate if they wanted to in country house diplomacy.'

Although Hitler boasted that Nazism was the true classless society, where worker and industrialist, aristocrat and bank clerk were equal, it was a myth, the book says

The relationship between Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy was aided by Prince Philipp von Hessen who led secret German foreign office missions for Hitler which included talks with Pope Pius XII.

'The Hessen prince was married to a daughter of the Italian king and therefore all doors in Rome stood open for him,' said the author.

'At the same time he was close with the British Royal family's relation Carl Eduard, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, a Nazi since the beginning and the main conduit iof Hitler to the English Kings Edward VIII and George VI. related such as also Carl Eduard.

'He tried with his shuttle diplomacy tirelessly to pull England on to the side of Germany.'

Details of German contacts to the British royal family are mostly sealed in archives, as are many of the histories of the German aristocracy.

Urbach finds this 'an intolerable situation' and is fighting for access to the secret of the House of Windsor as well as those of her noble countrymen.

According to her research the age of secret diplomacy ended for the nobility with the end of the Second World War.