Figure 1.--Adolf Hitler is one of the most photographed men of the 20th century. His personal photographer, Heinrich Hoffmann had virtually unlimited access. Amd there are countless images of him with children. This includes not only children greeting him on his travels around Germany as well as more intimate encounters at the Berghof. This of course made for good propaganda in the German media, but he seems to have genuinely enjoyed contact with young children. The NAZI bigwigs brought their kids to the Berhof when socializing with Hitler. And Hitler incouraged the visits. The Goebbels children were frequent visitors. He seems to have genuinely enjoyed their company. They seem to have helped him relax. The boy here reportedly had lived in Southwest Africa (modern Namibia and a former German colony). We do not know his name, but apparently Hitler wanted to meet him. We are not sure who all of the men are, but we see Rudolf Hess, the Deputy Führer, and Dr. Robert Ley, the Minister of Labor, We are not sure just when the photograph was taken, but we suspect around 1938. Photographer: Heinrich Hoffmann

Adolf Hitler is one of the most photographed men of the 20th century. His personal photographer, Heinrich Hoffmann had virtually unlimited access. Amd there are countless images of him with children. This includes not only children greeting him on his travels around Germany as well as more intimate encounters at the Berghof. This of course made for good propaganda in the German media, but he seems to have genuinely enjoyed contact with young children. The NAZI bigwigs brought their kids to the Berhof when socializing with Hitler. And Hitler encouraged the visits. Top top NAZI s had mountain retreats for their families at Bergesgarden around the Berghof. The Goebbels children were frequent visitors. The Speer children also visited. The Speer children survived the War to describe the visits. The Gobbels children did not. Hitler seems to have genuinely enjoyed the company of younger children. They seem to have helped him relax. He did not have to be careful as to what he said around them. Perhaps readers will have some idea as to the psychological processes at play. Apparently the innosence of childhood even appeals to evil among us. We don't see Hitler actually playing with them, at least in Hoffman's photographs. The children, of course instructed to be on their best behavior, seem to have been presented to Hitler who often petted and spoke to them. They were then allowed to play on their own. Those that remember the experience seem to have found memories of their Uncle Wolf. We suspect that it was more of a nice place to play and they probably got treats. Eva Braun was apparently kind to the children, offering treats and playing cartoons. American Mickey Mouse cartoons were popular. I don't see the children playing with Blondie. We note one Holocaust denier referring to the photogrphs as evidence that Hitler was not the evil monster depicted. But this was not unusual, many NAZIs has tender relations with their children, including those directly involved with the Holocaust. It seems to us incomprnensible, but was quite common. Most of these intimate images are with younger children. Hitler made it very clear as to how German children should be raised. Once in power he wrote, "My program for educating youth is hard … weakness must be hammered away. In my castles of the Teutonic Order, a new youth will grow up, before which the world will tremble. I want a brutal, domineering, fearless and cruel youth. Youth must be all that. It must bear pain. There must be nothing weak and gentle about it. The free, splendid beast of prey must once again flash from its eyes…That is how I will eradicate thousands of years of human domestication…That is how I will create the New Order."

Created: 12:58 AM 4/29/2014
Last edited: 1:36 PM 4/29/2014