Heinrich Hoffmann Photo Gallery

Heinrich Hoffmann (1885 – 1957) served as Adolf Hitler’s official photographer from when Hitler took control of the Nazi party in 1921 until his death in 1945. Hoffmann estimates he took over half a million photographs of Hitler over the course of his career. His portraits were the most significant source of Nazi propaganda materials published over the course of close to 25 years, everything from postcards, posters, magazines, postage stamps and picture books. Click on each theme below to see a complete photo album devoted to that particular event or topic.

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‘Jugend um Hitler’

This 1934 Heinrich Hoffmann photo book titled Jugend um Hitler (Youth Around Hitler) is a 96 page piece of Nazi propaganda depicting Adolf Hitler as a kind-hearted, child loving father figure. The 120 photographs depict the close relationship of the Chancellor of Nazi Germany with children. Hitler is shown hugging kids, giving autographs, holding children’s hands, drying a little boys tears, etc. in an attempt of countering the enormous anti-Hitler propaganda that was being circulated around the world by the foreign press. The introduction to the book was written by Baldur von Schirach, the Reichsjungendfuhrer (National Youth Leader), who later married Heinrich Hoffmann’s daughter, Henriette.

This was a second edition printing of the popular propaganda book ‘Jugend um Hitler’, featuring Hitler portraying himself as a warm and dedicated father of the German people.

There are many photographs taken at Hitler’s home on the Obersalzberg, where members of the general public were sometimes invited up as special visitors from the large daily crowds that gathered outside of his estate. Hitler especially loved being photographed with children, and it seems that he had a genuine fondness for their company. One of his favorite guests was a beautiful young girl from Munich named Bernile. She visited on her birthday on 20 April 1933, the same as Hitler’s, and was invited out of the crowd by Hitler to join him for a special birthday treat of strawberries and whipped cream. Hoffmann made maximum use of the propaganda photos taken of them during this and many other subsequent visits.

Postcard of Adolf Hitler with Bernile, who referred to him as ‘Uncle Hitler’ and soon became known as his ‘sweetheart’, at his Alpine retreat

When a later investigation by Hitler’s staff revealed that Bernile’s maternal grandmother was Jewish, Martin Bormann forbid her and her family to ever visit Hitler again. The fact that Bernile’s grandmother and mother were Jewish was already known to Hitler in 1933. This book was even published after Hitler became aware of her ancestry. Hitler learned about the ban in May 1938 when Heinrich Hoffmann complained to him that Bormann had also forbidden him to continue publishing any photos showing the Führer with a Jewish child. In his book “Hitler Was My Friend”, Hoffmann writes that Hitler remarked about Bormann: “There are people who have a true talent to spoil my every joy.”

Rosa Bernile Nienau and Adolf Hitler pose for a picture on 20 April 1933. It was her 7th birthday and his 44th.
Bernhardine Nienau, called Bernile, was a German girl who became known as “the Führer’s child” because of her close friendship with Adolf Hitler that lasted from 1933 to 1938. She passed in 1943 at the age of 17 from polio.
Adolf Hitler meets with members of a Hitler Youth orchestra on the terrace of Haus Wachenfeld in the summer of 1934.
Illustration from ‘Jugend Um Hitler’ (Zeitgeschichte, 1934). ‘Der Stolz jeder Spielschar, Gast am Obersalzberg Sein’ (The pride of every player, being a guest at the Obersalzberg).
Adolf Hitler in Berchtesgaden with children wearing traditional Bavarian clothes in 1934.
Adolf Hitler surrounded by a group of young children during his election campaign in 1932. Baldur von Schirach, the Nazi youth leader, can be seen standing behind Hitler wearing lederhosen. This print is also featured in Hoffmann’s book ‘Adolf Hitler. Bilder aus dem Leben des Führers’, Hamburg, published 1936.
A little girl offers a bouquet of flowers to Adolf Hitler on the occasion of Hitler’s 44th birthday on 20 April 1933.
Hitler accepts a bouquet from a young admirer in 1932. Figure 1.–This young boy in an early Deutsche Jugend uniform makes a presentation to Hitler himself at the annual Nuremberg NAZI Party rally. The movement had a mesmerizing impact on hundreds of thousands of German boys, many of which identified personally with Hitler’s leadership.
Four awestruck German girls in traditional costume greet their idol Adolf Hitler in 1934.
Adolf Hitler gives autographs to a group of children on the grounds of his estate on the Obersalzberg near Berchtesgaden, 1933.
Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler poses with a young member of the Hitler Youth at the 1933 Dortmund SA Rally on 9 July 1933.
Adolf Hitler talking to children visiting his house in the region of the Obersalzberg near Berchtesgaden in 1934.
Adolf Hitler greets a young boy while touring Germany.

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Verboten Love

I love history and have always been infatuated with the design and style of the 1920’s. Unfortunately I can’t time travel back to this era, so I live vicariously through books, movies and photos.

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