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.
It was 96 years ago today that the 1927 Reichsparteitag kicked off for a massive three day celebration in Nuremberg from August 19-21. The tradition of hosting an annual National Party Convention of the NSDAP began in 1923, with the first one being held in Munich and the second in Weimar in 1926. This was the third of these highly orchestrated Nazi propaganda events that would henceforth exclusively convene in Nuremberg. Inaugurating the traditions of a massive military parade towards the Hauptmarkt and assembly and deployment of SA troops in Luitpold Park southeast of the city center, it was attended by a crowd of 15,000 jubilant Nazis and spectators.
19 August 1927 – Reichsparteitag der NSDAP erstmals in Nürnberg. On August 19, 1927, the third party conference of the NSDAP opened in Nuremberg. Around 15,000 people take part. Adolf Hitler salutes the SA parade heading towards the Main Market Square in Nürnberg.
Nürnberg was chosen as the ideal location for a number of other reasons besides its central location in the Reich. It’s picturesque medieval character provided the perfect backdrop for the nationalistic pageantry that took place in the Main Market Square, and the city was well connected by modern road and rail links to the rest of the country. There was also the fact that Hitler was still banned from public speaking in much of Germany in 1927, but not in Nürnberg, a city that was a hotbed of Nazi sympathizers with a supportive local police force. Despite this atmosphere the rally still saw outcrops of resistance which led to several riots and scenes of mass violence that led to the event being banned for a year in 1928.
19. August 1927 – Reichsparteitag der NSDAP erstmals in Nürnberg. Adolf Hitler salutes the SA parade at the Reichparteitag in NürnbergPostcard Adolf Hitler, Rudolf Heß, Julius Streicher, in Nürnberg 1927, NSDAP Reichsparteitag.Adolf Hitler, Joseph Goebbels and Gottfried Feder at the third party rally and NSDAP conference in Nuremberg on 20 August 1927. Gottfried Feder was one of the early key members of the Nazi Party and served as its economic theoretician. His lecture delivered on 12 September 1919 drew Adolf Hitler into the party.Group photo from the Nazi Party rally in Nürnberg in August 1927, Adolf Hitler with Gottfried Feder, one of the early key members of the Nazi Party and its economic theoretician. It was one of Feder’s lectures, delivered in 1919, that drew Adolf Hitler into the party.Heinrich Hoffmann picture postcard from the “Reich Party Congress Nuremberg 1927″ group photo showing Adolf Hitler, Gottfried Feder and Arthur Dinter in the center, flanked by Goebbels and Hühnlein. Signatures of Adolf Hitler, Rudolf Heß, Hermann Esser, Joseph Goebbels, Gottfried Feder, Alfred Rosenberg, F.X. Schwarz, Julius Streicher, Arthur Dinter, and Adolf Hühnlein, On the edge is written “We are Germany!”
Starting in 1927 the rallies were always held in late summer and lasted several days to a week. They drew in thousands of Party members and spectators, including foreign journalists that Hitler was most anxious to impress. The rallies always included rousing speeches by the Führer as well as the parade of Sturmabteilung (SA) troops toward the Hauptmarkt, the main town square. Before 1927 there had been annual rallies held in Nürnberg for German Day, which Hitler and other party members attended, and this tradition was usurped and integrated into the format for the annual Reichsparteitag.
Adolf Hitler gives a speech at the third Nazi Party Congress in Nuremberg at Luitpold Grove. Hitler later had his architect Albert Speer redevelop this park into the iconic Luitpold Arena rally grounds in 1933, with a paved meeting arena and grandstands for 50,000 spectators.At the Nuremberg Party rally in 1927, about 300 Hitler Youth members marched alongside 30,000 brownshirted storm troopers. This was the first appearance of the Hitler Youth at the annual Nuremberg rallies. Adolf Hitler took notice of his young followers and paid special tribute to them. Due to a lack of money, many of the boys had walked all the way to Nuremberg.21 August 1927 – Adolf Hitler gives a speech at the third Reichsparteitag in Nuremberg. Behind Hitler are Rudolf Hess, Julius Streicher, and Heinrich Himmler.Reichsparteitag d.NSDAP 19.-21. August 1927.A picture postcard of the Party Congress 1927. Adolf Hitler in his SA uniform and Rudolf Hess wearing lederhosen and characteristic brown shirt, standing with Korvettenkapitän Hellmuth von Mücke in front of Nürnberg Hauptbahnhof. By 1929 Mücke had become disenchanted with the personality cult forming around Adolf Hitler and his leadership of the party. Turning against Hitler he left the Nazi Party, embraced pacifism, and remained a vocal opponent of Hitler throughout the 1930s and WW2.In the circle: A charming scene; a Nuremberg boy presents Adolf Hitler with a few sweets.Adolf Hitler stands with Rudolf Hess and Julius Streicher in front of the Nuremberg Hauptbahnhof train station on 20 August 1927.
The official 1927 Nuremberg Reichsparteitag eagle pin with lavender floret, as seen on Hitler’s shirt just above his left breast pocket. This is believed to be the first pattern Third Reich political national eagle personally designed by Adolf Hitler.
Another version of the eagle pin seen here with the reich cockade ribbon, produced around late 1927. Hitler wore this red, white and black cockade on his WW l cap, and would once again wear it on his cap starting in March of 1938.
Adolf Hitler stands with Rudolf Hess and Julius Streicher in the Luitpold Park on 20 August 1927.Reichsparteitag d.NSDAP 19.-21. August 1927.Nuremberg Rally 1927. Left to right: Franz Pfeffer von Salomon (soon only von Pfeffer), Rudolf Hess, Adolf Hitler and Uli Graf during the Nazi Party Congress in Nuremberg on the Main Market Square. In the background stands the 14th century Schöner Brunnen fountain.Franz Pfeffer von Salomon with Adolf Hitler during the Nazi Party Congress in Nuremberg on the Main Market Square. In the background stands the 14th century Schöner Brunnen fountain.Group photo of the leaders of the NSDAP taken on 21 August 1927 in Nuremberg before attending Hitler’s speech in the banquet hall of the Kulturvereins Haus (Cultural Association House).Alfred Rosenberg and Rudolf Heß stand with Adolf Hitler at the Reichsparteitag of the NSDAP, 19.-21. August 1927 in Nürnberg. Adolf Hitler during the ‘Reichsparteitag der NSDAP’ in Nuremberg, August 19-21, 1927. In the black SS kepi cap is Rudolf Hess, on the right is Gregor Strasser. The Prinz-Luitpold equestrian monument can be seen in the background. The statue was erected in the forecourt of Nuremberg Central Station in 1901 and remained there until it was ordered to be dismantled by the National Socialists in 1934.Adolf Hitler salutes the SA troops during the 1927 Reichsparteitag in the city center of Nuremberg.Adolf Hitler salutes the SA troops during the 1927 Reichsparteitag in the city center of Nuremberg.Adolf Hitler stands in flower-strewn, open-air Mercedes at the 1927 rally with Max Amann, Gottfried Feder (Hitler’s early mentor in finance and economics) and Franz von Pfeffer.Nürnberg 1927. Adolf Hitler im Blumenregen der vorbeimarschierenden SA Adolf Hitler crosses the Luitpold Grove during the course of events at the 1927 Reichsparteitag. The Luitpold Grove was created for the occasion of the 1906 Bavarian State Exhibition and named for the Bavarian Prince Luitpold (1821-1912). The NSDAP held its party rallies here in 1927 and 1929 until the grounds were greatly expanded for the 1933 party convention.Don’t just stand there, let’s get to it…Strike a pose…There’s nothin’ to it! A-a-a-attitude 👯♀️
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.
Heinrich Hoffmann Photo Gallery 