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Heinrich Hoffmann was born in Fürth (1885). The family business was ophotograohy and was known for portraits of royaly. We know nothing about his childhood. Hoffman open a studio in Munich before the World war I (1910). During the War he was a photograher with the Bavarian Army. He was an early recruit to the NAZI Party (1920). Hitler chose him to be the Party's official photographer. Hoffman took an estimated 2.5 million photographs of Hitler. Propaganda Minister Josef Goebbels is most associated with propagating the public image of Hitler and the NAZIs. Hoffman may have played an even more important role in creating Hitler's public image. He was more than a photographer, but became a personal friend of Hitler. Once Hitler seized control of Germany (1933), Hoffman's photographs became widely distributed. They were used for postage stamps, postcards, cigarette cards, posters and picture books, like the image here (figure 1). Hoffmann's suggested to Hitler that they both hould receive royalties. As the images were used for postage stamps as well as widely dustributed publications, the royalty payments were substantial. Hoffmann married Therese "Nelly" Baumann (1911). They had two children. Henriette ("Henny") was born (1913). Heinrich ("Heini") was born (1916). Henriette married Reichsjugendführer (Hitler Youth Leader) Baldur von Schirach. Hoffman photographed many HJ events and activities. Von Schirach wrote the introductions to many of Hoffmann's photographic books. Therese Hoffmann died suddenly (1932). Hoffman during the Third Reich wrote several richly illustrated books on Hitler. Two of the best known are: The Hitler Nobody Knows (1933) and Jugend um Hitler (1934). He was especially productive in 1938: Hitler in Italy, Hitler befreit Sudetenland, and Hitler in seiner Heimat. He wrote his last book in 1939, shortly before World War II broke out: Das Antlitz des Führers. I am not sure why he did not continue his works on Hitler during the War. He married Erna. It was he and Erna who introduced Eva Braun to Hitler. She was working in his Munich studio. The Allies arrested Hoffman after the War. He was tried and found guilty for NAZI profiteering. He was senteced to a 4 year prison term. He was released and returned to Munich (1950). He died at the age of 72 (1957). The United States seized an archive of his photographs which are now in the collection of the National Archives.
Heinrich Hoffmann was born in Fürth (1885). The family business was photography and was known for portraits of royaly. We know nothing about his childhood.
Hoffman opened a studio in Munich before the World war I (1910). During the War he was a photograher with the Bavarian Army.
He was an early recruit to the NAZI Party (1920). Hitler chose him to be the Party's official photographer. He thus had unparalled access to Hitkler and traveled with him extensively. Hoffman took an estimated 2.5 million photographs of Hitler.
Propaganda Minister Josef Goebbels is most associated with propagating the public image of Hitler--a god-like image. He thus played a central role in creating the Hitler legend. Hoffman may have played an even more important role in creating Hitler's public image. Once Hitler seized control of Germany (1933), Hoffman's photographs became widely distributed. They were used for postage stamps, postcards, cigarette cards, posters and picture books, like the image here (figure 1). Hoffmann's suggested to Hitler that they both hould receive royalties. As the images were used for postage stamps as well as widely dustributed publications, the royalty payments were substantial.
He was more than a photographer, but became a personal friend of Hitler. Hitler had very few personal friends. Hoffman was one of them. Hoffman seems to have been largely apolitical. At least he does not mention politics or the War in his menoirs. Of course it waa published after the War so you do not know what he ledt out. But i likely that Hitler enjoyed hvong somone around with whom he could relax anf just engage in small talk. He writes in his memoir, "Shooting whch he [Hiter] hated, was a reguar conversational hobbyhorse with Hitler; and if Göring, the Reih Minister of the Hunt, were present, he would hold forth at length and which much irny. 'I have nothing against the chaseas aprofession,' h would say. 'But nowadays .. every high Party official feels that it's 'the thing'to be a member of some shooting syndicate or another and to slaughter indis criminately the dumb beasts of the earth!' "'Mein Führer, you do us wrong!' Göring would object." [Hoffman]
Hoffmann married Therese "Nelly" Baumann (1911). They had two children. Henriette ("Henny") was born (1913). Heinrich ("Heini") was born (1916). Henriette married Reichsjugendführer (Hitler Youth Leader) Baldur von Schirach. Therese Hoffmann died suddenly (1932). He married Erna.
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."
Hoffman photographed many HJ events and activities. Von Schirach wrote the introduction to many of Hoffmann's photographic books.
It was he and Erna who introduced Eva Braun to Hitler. She was working in his Munich studio.
Hoffman during the Third Reich wrote several richly illustrated books on Hitler. Two of the best known are: The Hitler Nobody Knows (1933) and Jugend um Hitler (1934). He was especially productive in 1938: Hitler in Italy, Hitler befreit Sudetenland, and Hitler in seiner Heimat. He wrote his last book in 1939, shortly before World War II broke out: Das Antlitz des Führers. I am not sure why he did not continue his works on Hitler during the War.
The Allies arrested Hoffman after the War. He was tried and found guilty for NAZI profiteering. He was senteced to a 4 year prison term. He was released and returned to Munich (1950).
He died at the age of 72 (1957).
The United States seized an archive of his photographs which are now in the collection of the National Archives.
Hoffman, Henrich. Htler was My Friend: The Memoirs of Hitkler Photographer, (2012), p. 256.
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