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Hitler DNA Sequencing Indicates Kallmann Syndrome, No Jewish Ancestry

Independent verification of a bunker blood sample underpins findings to be detailed in a Channel 4 documentary.

Overview

  • An international team reconstructed Hitler’s genome from a blood‑stained sofa swatch taken from his Berlin bunker and led by geneticist Turi King.
  • Researchers report a PROK2 gene mutation consistent with Kallmann syndrome, a disorder linked to delayed puberty, low testosterone and undescended testicles.
  • A Y‑chromosome match to a known male‑line relative supports the sample’s authenticity and counters the longstanding rumor of Jewish paternal ancestry.
  • The genome showed polygenic risk scores in the top one percent for autism, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, which experts caution are not diagnostic for individuals.
  • Historians and clinicians note the limits of genetic inference, citing a 1923 medical record of an undescended testicle and warning against stigmatizing people with similar conditions.