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 eachtheme below to see a complete photo albumdevoted to that particular event or topic.
Today is August 15th, National Relaxation Day, an entire day dedicated annually to the fine art of rest and relaxation. As summer winds down it might be a good time to consider squeezing in one last picnic outing. It’s also a great day to take a look through this album of photographs I’ve collected of Adolf Hitler indulging in his favorite pastime of outdoor dining with his friends and family. This first group of ten photographs is incredible to view here as a complete set, as it documents a specific outing he took to the Harz Mountains in the summer of 1935.
Adolf Hitler enjoys a picnic with close friends on a lake in the Harz Mountains on 17 July 1935. Arthur “Willi” Kannenberg, Hitler’s butler at his home in Berchtesgaden, serenades him and his entourage with his accordion playing talent.
The Harz region is located in central Germany between Nuremberg and Hamburg, and has historically been associated with witches, spirits, and black magic. The towering Mount Brocken, northern Germany’s highest peak, is the fictional site of the witches’ spring festival celebration in Goethe’s “Faust.” Hitler also picnicked quite frequently in the scenic surroundings around his home in Berchtesgaden, often right in his own backyard. All of these locations provided idyllic settings of natural beauty paired with a relaxed atmosphere of revelry and merrymaking that was ideal for Heinrich Hoffmann’s propaganda publications.
Heinrich Hoffmann also took advantage of the Harz Mountain picnic outing in the summer of 1935 to take several propaganda photographs of Adolf Hitler. Here is one of the more famous photographs from that day that was reproduced on popular postcards captioned “Rast im Harz”.Adolf Hitler encountered several local families out enjoying this beautiful summer day on the Waldensee.A local child presented Adolf Hitler with a beautiful bouquet of flowers and was most likely rewarded with an autographed photo of the Führer in return.
On this particular picnic outing Adolf Hitler spent 90 minutes enjoying lunch and wandering around the area surrounding the Oberer Nassenwieser Teich, a small pond located to the south-east of the town of Clausthal-Zellerfeld. Many of these photographs were contained in several personal photo albums belonging to Rudolf Hess.
Adolf Hitler enjoys an apple during a picnic break in the Harz mountains, this photo was from one of Rudolf Hess’s personal albums.Pair of Heinrich Hoffmann portraits of Adolf Hitler on a picnic in the Harz mountains, 17 July 1935.Heinrich Hoffmann portrait of Adolf Hitler in the Harz mountains on 17 July 1935.Martin Bormann joins Adolf Hitler on a picnic outing on the Nassewieserteich on 17 July 1935.Adolf Hitler taking a travel break in the Harz mountain range, Germany, 1935. A print from “Adolf Hitler. Bilder aus dem Leben des Führers” Hamburg: Cigaretten/Bilderdienst Hamburg/Bahrenfeld, 1936. (Collecting picture Adolf Hitler No. 7 journey through the Harz Mountains, ‘the leader can also be happy’). Konstantin Hierl, the head of the Reich Labour Service, joins Hitler on this outing.Postcard of Hitler in Harz that reads “A fun hour of relaxation while driving”
Adolf Hitler also encountered a group of local women and girls out picking berries along the roadside while heading up to the Nassewieserteich outside of Clausthal-Zellerfeld. Just imagine their surprise when the Führer arrived with his entire entourage to enjoy a picnic outing in their hometown!
Adolf Hitler out on a picnic with close friends on his 45th birthday 20 April 1934. Hitler would often stop to picnic while traveling by car..Detailed special photo report in the ‘Illustrierter Beobachter’ of the Führer’s trip on his birthday in this issue: “On the road with the Führer on April 20”Adolf Hitler out on a picnic with close friends c.1932.Adolf Hitler out on a picnic with close friends c.1932.Adolf Hitler out on a picnic with close friends c.1932.Adolf Hitler and Rudolf Hess during a visit to Carl Röver and his family in Oldenburg on 28 February 1929.Adolf Hitler and Rudolf Hess during a visit with Carl Röver and his family in Oldenburg on 28 February 1929.Adolf Hitler Abseits Vom Alltag (Hitler Beyond Everyday Life) – Relaxation in the forest c. 1932.Adolf Hitler making a sandwich while out on a picnic c.1932.Adolf Hitler enjoys a quiet picnic between meetings, circa 1931.From a spread from “Deutschland Erwacht’,” Hitler sits on a picnic blanket, ready to indulge in a snack. Circa 1931.Adolf Hitler unusually relaxed and reclining on a blanket at a picnic outing in July 1930. Geli Raubal is sitting directly behind him in a white dress. He’s holding a bottle of Fachinger mineral water in his left hand.Adolf Hitler at a picnic in July 1930 on the way to the Wagner Festival in Bayreuth; from left: Henriette Hoffmann (daughter of the photographer Heinrich Hoffmann), Wilhelm Brückner, Ilse Müller (daughter of the printing company owner Adolf Müller; with her back to the camera), Hitler’s niece Angela (Geli) RaubalAdolf Hitler and Geli Raubal are joined by Hitler’s dog Muckl as they carry out picnic chairs to the front lawn of Haus Wachenfeld in 1931.Adolf Hitler and Geli Raubal enjoy a picnic out on the front lawn of Haus Wachenfeld with Hitler’s dog Muckl in 1931.This is an odd one, it looks like Hitler and Rudolf Hess are about to hit the Oregon Trail in their covered wagon 😂 More likely they stopped by a farm to enjoy a picnic while out on a road trip in August 1931.This photo appears to be taken on the same day as the one above, Adolf Hitler is out on a road trip with his chauffeur Julius Schreck and Rudolf Hess (from left) resting on a dike in northern Germany in August 1931.Adolf Hitler traveling with Rudolf Hess and Julius Schreck in Northern Germany in August 1931.Hitler loved taking daily walks around the Obersalzberg area, one of his favorite trails was the Der Carl von Linde Weg, from the area below the Platterhof Hotel to this picnic area next to the Hochlenzer Gasthaus. Here he has his dog whip looped around his shoulders as he walks.
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.
[…] pen in order to make a Hitler’s sister look more slender). Kurt Lüdecke reads a newspaper with Adolf Hitler during a picnic on their way to the first Reichsjugendtag der NSDAP (day of the Hitler Youth) in Potsdam on 1 […]
Heinrich Hoffmann Photo Gallery 