
A previously unseen photo has emerged showing Adolf Hitler celebrating the wedding of his future 'brother-in-law' - who he had executed a year later.

The picture, taken just three days before D-Day, shows the Nazi dictator congratulating SS officer Hermann Fegelein and bride Gretl Braun at a reception in Salzburg, Austria.

Just 11 months later, Hitler ordered the execution of the groom for the crime of deserting his post during the Allied invasion of Europe.

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A previously unseen photo has emerged showing Adolf Hitler (right) celebrating the wedding of his future brother-in-law SS officer Hermann Fegelein (left) to bride Gretl Braun (centre). Hitler had Fegelein executed a year later

Pictures taken just three days before D-Day also show Eva Braun (centre) being serenaded by Nazi musicians

Celebration: Gretl Braun is pictured, right, leaning back on new husband Hermann Fegelein on their wedding day

The photo was found in an album of 12 black and white snaps of the wedding reception that lasted for three days and was organised by Eva Braun, the elder sister of Gretl and Hitler's mistress. Many high ranking Nazi's were in attendance

The photo was found in an album of 12 black and white snaps of the wedding reception that lasted for three days and was organised by Eva Braun, the elder sister of Gretl and Hitler's mistress.

The fuhrer was one of the witnesses to the marriage along with SS chief Heinrich Himmler and Martin Bormann, Hitler's private secretary.

The photos show the wedding guests enjoying themselves at the Mirabell Palace in Salzburg with lots of dancing, champagne and live music.

Three days later Hitler was fast asleep at his nearby Berghof residence when the Allied invasion of Europe began.

As tens of thousands of British, American and Canadian troops landed on the beaches of Normandy at 6am on June 6, Hitler's staff were too afraid to wake him to inform him.

The photos show the wedding guests enjoying themselves at the Mirabell Palace in Salzburg with lots of dancing, champagne drinking and live music

Three days after the wedding, Hitler was fast asleep at his nearby Berghof residence when the Allied invasion of Europe began

The 12 black and white photos taken at her first wedding have sold at Marlows auctioneers of Stafford for £400

Family affair: Sisters Gretl Braun (left) and Eva (right) were pictured embracing at the wedding ceremony

This delayed the German response and counter-attack and allowed the Allies to gain a foothold on Nazi-occupied Europe.

Eleven months later, in January 1945, and with defeat for Germany only a matter of time, Hitler had retreated to his Führerbunker in Berlin. By April of that year, Russian tanks had reached the outskirts of the city.

With battle raging in Berlin, Fegelein, who was also in the bunker, fled after reportedly deciding not to join a suicide pact - but was tracked down and arrested by Hitler's elite security force.

He had gone to his Berlin apartment and was in civilian clothes preparing to run away to Sweden or Switzerland and after being dragged back to the bunker, he was subjected to a court martial for desertion.

Eva Braun is said to have begged Hitler to spare Fegelein's life with his wife, Gretl, heavily pregnant.

Although there are conflicting reports of what happened next, it is thought he was taken to the garden of Berlin's Reich Chancellery on April 28 and shot.

Gretl (pictured being serenaded by Nazi musicians) was heavily pregnant when Hitler ordered the execution of her husband

The rare set of photos show Gretl Braun receiving wedding gifts at her reception in Austria. High ranking Nazi officials were invited

The ceremony took place at a hall in Salzburg, Austria, close to Hitler's Berghof residence

A day later, Eva and Hitler married and on April 30 they both committed suicide; Eva by taking cyanide and Hitler by shooting himself.

Five days later Gretl gave birth to a daughter, Eva, who she named after her sister. Eva killed herself in 1971 following the death of her boyfriend in a car accident.

Gretl married a textile distributer in 1954 and lived in Bavaria until 1987.