FRAGMENTS | Heinrich Hoffmann

In 1925, shortly after Hitler's release from prison, where he finished dictating "Mein Kampf", photographer Heinrich Hoffmann photographed Hitler practicing for a speech to the German people with his recorded speeches playing in the background. Hitler, who wanted to study his body language, found the pictures silly and ordered Hoffmann to destroy the negatives. Hoffman did not obey, and in 1955, after serving four years in prison, published the photos for the first time in his memoirs, "Hitler was my friend." Hoffman is the one who introduced Eva Braun to Hitler

"Hitler would stride in, take his stance in front of the camera—you know, head stiff, chin drawn in, hand on his hip, everybody knows the pose. He had only three public poses: one hand on one hip, a hand on each hip, and arms folded. Then he would announce, ‘I am ready. Take my photograph.’ And no photographer would have dared to suggest, ‘My Führer, the public is bored with that pose. Would you be so kind as to try another?’

Hoffmann interviewed by Bernard Taper / October 27, 1950 / The New Yorker

In March 1935, the renowned war photographer, Robert Capa, visited Brussels about a week before the parliamentary elections, when the choice before the voters was between the fascist leader, Leon DeGral, and the liberal, Paul Van Zeeland. In the photos, the fascist Leon DeGrell before the loss.

In 1932, Robert Capa traveled to Copenhagen to photograph the rise of the Russian revolutionary, Leon Trotsky, who lectured on the meaning of the Russian Revolution. This was Kappa's first published work, in the German Der Woltschpiegel, 1932.