Hitler often associated with Germans clad in traditional garb, likely for political reasons. He even sometimes wore the same style of clothes, again most likely for promotional photos. But in this shot, he clearly is content to leave the yodeling to the locals.
Adolf Hitler toward the end of World War II. Note that he is clutching a piece of paper in his left hand and clenching his fist with his right, these are tricks that Parkinson's disease patients typically use to control and hide their trembling. I have seen this identified as being from Spring 1944. Perhaps it is, but it looks later than that to me.
Hitler at the Mönichkirchen train station outside his command train (Sonderzug) Amerika (name later changed to Brandenburg). Visible are, from left to right, Dr. Theodor Morell, Gerhard Engel, and Dr. Karl Brandt. Hitler had a field headquarters at Mönichkirchen and stayed at a hotel there (called the Mönichkirchnerhof) in April 1941 for 14 days, from 12 April to 26 April. In fact, Hitler celebrated his 52nd birthday at Mönichkirchen. Hitler was there to follow the progress of the invasions of Yugoslavia and Greece, both of which went exceedingly well.
Adolf Hitler on June 2, 1939, with Prince Regent Paul of Yugoslavia. They are reviewing a Wehrmacht parade in Berlin. Hitler worked very hard to woo Paul and ultimately succeeded, but the Yugoslavs deposed him and Germany had to invade anyway.
Hitler and leaders of the Reich's Labor Service gather on the main forefront of the Zeppelinfeld Nürnburg Rally site (you can see the distinctive facade behind them).
Hitler wearing his famous long leather trenchcoat. Some people claim that this is a blue trenchcoat, but that may just be a trick of the lighting. Other color pictures of the era tend to show black leather as a light blue in direct sunlight. I have seen other trenchcoats worn by senior Wehrmacht officers that appear blue, but that is unlikely to have been the case in real life.
Hitler with
Heinrich Himmler on the Obersalzburg in early 1944. Hitler walked on this path daily when in Berchtesgaden. The British had a plan to assassinate him from those forests in the distance, Operation Foxely, but the war proceeded to its conclusion before it came to fruition. If the operation had been hurried forward, conceivably Hitler could have been shot at the moment this picture was taken because this was the spot chosen to do it.
Hitler with Julius Schaub.
Hitler reviewing a parade of Kriegsmarine soldiers. Holding your arm out like that for lengthy periods of time is not easy, but Hitler was fanatical about presenting a strong image.
Hitler loved to go on hikes in the mountains. In fact, this was something that he did as a young man in Vienna just as much as later in Berchtesgaden. He would go up in the nearby mountains and talk about his love for opera, a lifelong passion.
Hitler loved to pose with children, particularly young girls and even babies. A key part of Hitler's political base was the large cohort of women fully indoctrinated into the party via the BDM and labor organizations. Appearing as a warm daddy-type was a carefully crafted part of Hitler's public image. There were a lot of these pictures. In fact, Hitler had a local little girl pose with him for many such pictures in Berchtesgaden until someone found out that she was Jewish.
Hitler playing with his dog.
Hitler reading his Völkischer Beobachter (which roughly translates as "People's Observer"). This was the newspaper of the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) and was seen as the "voice" of Hitler. It was banned during Hitler's imprisonment in Landsberg Prison from November 1923 to February 1925, when Hitler successfully relaunched the NSDAP. The Völkischer Beobachter paper was purchased from The Thule Society in December by Major General Franz Ritter von Epp, perhaps using secret Army counterintelligence funds. Hitler acquired all of the shares of the newspaper in 1921. The NSDAP's posters for rallies almost always contained references to Völkischer Beobachter. Its publication continued right up to May 1945, though the final issues were not distributed. To the extent that Hiter needed a personal income, which of course he did not after 1933, the Völkischer Beobachter could have provided a nice livelihood for him all on its own.
Adolf Hitler at the International Auto Exhibition in Berlin in 1939. As I've shown in another article, Hitler was a real gearhead when it came to cars and loved to see the latest advances in bodies and motors.
I can't find a date or place for this photo. It looks mid-war to me, perhaps 1943.
A portrait of Adolf Hitler in 1933. Hitler's preferred business suits in the early 1930s, but gradually worked uniforms into his clothing choices until he wore them almost exclusively by the middle of World War II. Throughout the war, he wore uniforms almost exclusively except on very rare occasions, such as the wedding of Eva Braun's sister in early June 1944. At home in the Berghof, Hitler would wear suits in casual situations, too. Hitler most definitely was not a slacks-and-T-Shirt kind of guy.
This is an original color image of Hitler taken by Walter Frentz. This is aboard Hitler's personal
Focke-Wulf Fw-200 Condor, which Hitler used throughout World War II until it was destroyed in an Allied bombing raid on 18 July 1944.
Hitler with his pet German Shepherd, Blondi. Hitler would poison Blondi right before he died.
Hitler and Paul von Hindenburg at an August 1933 Memorial Celebration at the Tannenberg monument. This is very personal to Hindenburg because it is celebrating Hindenburg's great 1914 victory there against the Russians with Erich Ludendorff which made him a German hero.
Speaking of whom, note that Ludendorff was
not invited, Hindenburg and Ludendorff disliked each other following the latter's breakdown during the last weeks of World War I. In fact, Ludendorff ran against Hindenburg in the presidential election of 1925 but only got 1.1% of the vote. Ludendorff was so humiliated by that and other things that he even refused to stand next to Hindenburg at the 1927 dedication of the Tannenberg monument. Ludendorff also had marched with Hitler during the 1923 Putsch - the soldiers refused to shoot Ludendorff, who simply continued walking forward as everyone else walking beside him fell and ultimately just strolled through the line of soldiers doing the firing. While Hitler was in jail, Ludendorff got involved with other parties similar to the NSDAP, and that apparently ended his and Hitler's relationship because Hitler hated political rivals.
Anyway, back to this photo. On the other side of Hindenburg is Hermann Goering busying himself with something or other. One can feel the awkwardness of all three men in the front row. Former Chancellor Franz von Papen is standing behind Goering. Someday, someone is going to claim that Goering is a time traveler due to that narrow briefcase he has on his lap which looks like a laptop. However, if Goering was from the future, he sure made a hash of things in 1940 against the RAF.
Just like in "Star Trek," different colored uniforms symbolize different military/paramilitary groups in 1930s Germany. Brown denoted Sturmabteilung(SA), black was worn by the Schutzstaffel (SS), while field green was worn by ordinary Wehrmacht (Heer) soldiers. Hindenburg is wearing a pointy hat called a Pickelhaube. It is of Prussian design and went out of fashion after World War I, but Hindenburg is wearing his old uniform. The Pickelhaube was replaced during World War I by the Stahlhelm, a much more efficient, safer, modern, and cheaper helmet.
Note Hitler's top hat resting in his lap, as far as I know, Hitler only wore that a few times in 1933 with Hindenburg, who was quite formal. Hitler
could have worn his old World War I uniform if he wished, but it would have been a corporal sitting next to a Field Marshal, and that just wouldn't do.
Adolf Hitler at the 1939 Day of German Art. He is with his elite Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler bodyguards. Max Wünsche is in the black SS uniform at Hitler's left following him. Captured by the British in Normandy, Wünsche passed away in 1995.
A German postcard of Adolf Hitler as Reich Chancellor.
Adolf Hitler with future wife Eva Braun. This is in early June 1944 at the wedding of Eva's sister to the unfortunate Fegelein. The reception was held at the Eagle's Nest, one of seven times that Hitler is known to have visited it.
Croatian ally Ante Pavelic, left, meeting with Adolf Hitler on September 18, 1944.
Adolf Hitler at the map table with General Busse, commander of Ninth Army. They are planning the defense of the Oder and Berlin.
Max Wunsche, Adolf Hitler, and Karl Brandt.
Adolf Hitler at the lectern at the opening of the party congress in the town hall of Nuremberg in 1935.
2021
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