Heinrich Hoffmann was Adolf Hitler’s good friend and personal photographer, the man who hosted an early NSDAP office on Schellingstrasse in München. This is original Third Reich envelope with the residential address of Professor Hoffmann on the back flap, Ebersbergerstrasse 5 in Munich.
Heinrich Hoffmann (1885-1957) was a trained photographer and a well-connected photo studio owner in Munich when he joined the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (NSDAP or Nazi Party) in 1920. He was quickly admitted to the inner circle and became a confidant of Adolf Hitler. After Hitler’s release from incarceration in Landsberg Prison in 1924 Hoffmann became his personal photographer. He alone was franchised to make and sell pictures of the Führer. By 1929 Hoffmann had opened branch offices in Berlin, Vienna, Frankfurt am Main, Paris and Den Haag (The Hague), and hired a new shop assistant, a woman who was to dramatically effect his future. She was Eva Anna Paula Braun, the 17 year old daughter of a München school teacher.
When Hitler succeeded to the office of Reichschancellor in January 1933, Hoffmann’s fortunes took another positive turn. He then published his most successful book, Hitler wie ihn keiner kennt (The Hitler Nobody Knows) which made him very wealthy. It was followed over the next few years by many other Hoffmann photo books or Bildbände. In 1938 Hitler appointed Hoffmann “Professor” out of respect for his craft and his artistic sense.
Hoffmann was jailed by the Allies at the end of World War II and tried as a Nazi “profiteer” in 1947. The court sentenced him to 10 years in prison (later reduced to 3 years, then increased to 5 years) and confiscated nearly all of his personal fortune. He died in München on 16 December 1957.