See Descriptions On The Right on the Home Page.
|
New Displays
|
 |
|
Helene's Hotline
|
|
 |
eBay and Home Business Classes |
|
Medal of Honor Autographs |
Knights Cross Autographs |
 |
 Astronauts & Space |
|
Victoria Cross Autographs |
Civil War Displays |
|
Miscellaneous Displays |
Other Autographs |
|
Free Research Area |
Books/Signed and Unsigned |
|
Fossils & Minerals |
 Jackalope Services |
|
My Political Blog |
Links |
|
Facsimiles
|
|
What Is A Hoffmann Postcard Portrait?
Heinrich Hoffmann
If you have looked at WWII German postcard photos, you will find many identified as “Hoffmann Portraits.” What is a Hoffman Portrait?
Heinrich Hoffmann was Hitler’s personal photographer. Josef Goebbles, Hitler’s propaganda minister, encouraged Hitler Youth to collect photos of Germany’s military heroes. It became a hobby much like today’s youngsters collecting pop star autographs or baseball cards. The idea was to collect as many of the autographs as possible.
This was such an excellent propaganda tool that each Hitler Youth group had adults whose sole responsibility was to help the youth collect the signed Hoffmann portraits.
Trading for the more scarce ones was fierce. It was not long before people of all ages collected the cards and they were sold in stores across Germany.
Goebbles made considerable use of photographs. Many were portraits, but Hitler also viewed architecture as the more artistic form of propaganda. When World War II broke out, Goebbles continued a tradition that was started in WWI of having portrait postcards produced of German Heroes. The most popular WWI portrait cards were “Sanke Portraits,” but, while popular, they were not used as propaganda tools. These WWII cards, known as “Hoffmanns” are among the most popular WWII German collectibles. Hitler would have the hero photograph, then a small quantity of the post card portraits was given to the hero and larger quantities could be purchased at a discounted price. Coupons were also included in cigarette packages and those coupons could be traded for the Hoffman portrait cards.
As the hobby of collecting these cards grew, some youngsters could not afford to purchase the cards – which sold for a few pennies each at that time. The youngsters would make their own card by pasting an appropriate picture out of a magazine or newspaper and send it to their heroes to sign. These home made cards are called “Hitler Youth Cards” or “Clippings.”
It often took some time before a soldier was recognized as a hero and the time Hoffmann was able to take his portrait and produce his cards. It was not uncommon for the hero to get killed in action before he was photographed by Hoffmann. In those cases, about the only signed cards available are the home made Hitler Youth cards sent for them to sign. In some cases the Hoffmann portrait cards were printed after the hero was killed in action, as was the case of the Helmut Wick portrait. It is not uncommon to see dealers offering Hoffmann portrait cards “signed” by wick. It does not take a rocket scientist to recognize these as counterfeit.
Hoffmann also produced these cards for members of the high command. Some, like Erwin Rommel and Hermann Goring, had numerous different Hoffmann cards with their portraits. Others, like Generalfieldmarshall Schorner, for some reason never had one made. While the signed portrait cards were primarily collected by the youth and some adult citizens, many of the heroes themselves were very aggressive in collecting the signed cards. Adolf Galland and Dieter Hrabak were among those who had quite extensive collections.
After WWII Hoffmann was found guilty as a Nazi profiteer and was sentenced to 10 years. He died in Munich in 1957.
Some little known facts about Heinrich Hoffmann are:
*He first met Hitler to confront him after hearing Hitler tried to kiss his beautiful daughter.
*He took over 2.5 million photographs of Hitler.
*His assistant, Eva Braun, became Hitler’s lover.
*He introduced Erik Jan Hanussen to Hitler. Hanussen coached Hitler in public speaking and it was he that suggested the adoption of the swastika as an “Indian luck symbol” which would bless its wearers with good fortune.
*He became extremely wealthy by receiving a royalty on every photo of his that was reproduced.
*His portraits of Hitler were used on Germany’s postage stamps and Hitler received tens of millions of dollars in royalties after Hoffmann suggested he should receive a royalty on every stamp sold.
By Cy Stapleton
Copyright free – use as you see fit
If re-published, please do so in its entirety. If edited, please give me a credit line