 After his release from captivity in 1953 , Misch returned to what was then West Berlin . He arrived home on New Year 's Eve 1953 to the house which was 3 @.@ 2 kilometres ( 2 @.@ 0 mi ) from the Führerbunker . At the time , Misch 's wife worked as a teacher in Neukölln . Misch struggled for several years with what to do with his life after captivity . He was offered various odd jobs , among others as a porter in a hospital and as a driver . Most of these job offers were through his wartime contacts , and required moving away from Berlin , which his wife refused to do . He finally obtained a loan backed by wealthy German philanthropists to buy out a painting and interior decorating shop from a retiree in Berlin . He ran this modest business successfully , and during the early Allied occupation of Berlin also became involved in the making of peanut butter for American troops . The business had been started by Misch 's old friend , Adolf Kleinholdermann . This sideline business became so successful that Misch considered leaving his shop . His wife convinced him to remain in the painting and interior decorating business . In 1975 , Gerda was elected to the parliament of West Berlin in which she served for several years . Years later Gerda developed Alzheimer 's and died in 1998 . Misch continued to manage his shop until his retirement at age 68 in 1985 . His memoir in German , Der letzte Zeuge ( The Last Witness ) , was published in 2008 . The English edition was published in 2014 with an introduction by historian Roger Moorhouse . 
