Rare photo of Hitler

[Max Williams]

Here is an extremely rare photo of Hitler with an alcoholic drink. The occasion is captioned as his 54th birthday celebrations at the Berghof, 20 April 1943, but I place it possibly earlier.
Left to right: Brückner, Frau Morell, Hitler, Wagner, Eva Braun and Dr. Karl Brandt. A famous non-alcohol drinker, Hitler may have just toasted with his Sekt without drinking it.
Max

[_The_General_]

Very nice photo Max,

From your collection?

[Helly Angel]

Well, Brückner felt in disgrace with Hitler by internal disagreements in 1940 and he was transfered to the Wehrmacht.

Source: III Reich Encyclopedia by Kurt Zentner, pag 116.

[Helly Angel]

Unfortunatelly the photo is cut, the hand behind Bruckner belong to Martin Bormann. The original of this rare photo is from Eva Braun´s Album.

[Max Williams]

Well, Brückner felt in disgrace with Hitler by internal disagreements in 1940 and he was transfered to the Wehrmacht.

Source: III Reich Encyclopedia by Kurt Zentner, pag 116.

The disagreement was over a complaint by Kannenberg, Hitler's valet, concerning the behaviour of some young SS officers on Hitler's staff. Max Wünsche was ordered to return to the LAH and when Brückner interceded on his behalf, critizing the valet, Hitler released him also from service. The official date of his transfer to the Wehrmacht was 1 April 1941. This is one of the reasons I placed the date of the photo earlier than captioned. Clearly, Brandt has not attained the rank of SS-Standartenführer (1 August 1942). The other reason is the date of Wagner's stroke in June 1942. I think the date of this photo is more likely to be April 1940.
Max

[Helly Angel]

THANK YOU Max!!!! your carrection and dates are very appreciated!!

[Thomhasj]

What function did this Brückner occupy that made him so important as to toast with the Führer himself on his birthday?

[Max Williams]

His personal adjutant before Schaub.
Max

[Geoff Walden]

Well, Brückner felt in disgrace with Hitler by internal disagreements in 1940 and he was transfered to the Wehrmacht.

Source: III Reich Encyclopedia by Kurt Zentner, pag 116.

The disagreement was over a complaint by Kannenberg, Hitler's valet, concerning the behaviour of some young SS officers on Hitler's staff. Max Wünsche was ordered to return to the LAH and when Brückner interceded on his behalf, critizing the valet, Hitler released him also from service. The official date of his transfer to the Wehrmacht was 1 April 1941. This is one of the reasons I placed the date of the photo earlier than captioned. Clearly, Brandt has not attained the rank of SS-Standartenführer (1 August 1942). The other reason is the date of Wagner's stroke in June 1942. I think the date of this photo is more likely to be April 1940.
Max

Hi Max, Helly, et al.,

This photo is, of course, one of several taken in the Berghof on the same occasion. Max, I have not been able to find that Hitler was at the Berghof during the period of his birthday in 1940 - can you confirm this? Because of this, I have thought this photo was likely taken during New Years 1939/40. It could also have been taken during Christmas 1939, but I don't think Hitler was at the Berghof then, either.

Regards,

Geoff

[Grünherz]

Well, Brückner felt in disgrace with Hitler by internal disagreements in 1940 and he was transfered to the Wehrmacht.

Source: III Reich Encyclopedia by Kurt Zentner, pag 116.

The disagreement was over a complaint by Kannenberg, Hitler's valet, concerning the behaviour of some young SS officers on Hitler's staff. Max Wünsche was ordered to return to the LAH and when Brückner interceded on his behalf, critizing the valet, Hitler released him also from service. The official date of his transfer to the Wehrmacht was 1 April 1941. This is one of the reasons I placed the date of the photo earlier than captioned. Clearly, Brandt has not attained the rank of SS-Standartenführer (1 August 1942). The other reason is the date of Wagner's stroke in June 1942. I think the date of this photo is more likely to be April 1940.
Max

Hi Max, Helly, et al.,

This photo is, of course, one of several taken in the Berghof on the same occasion. Max, I have not been able to find that Hitler was at the Berghof during the period of his birthday in 1940 - can you confirm this? Because of this, I have thought this photo was likely taken during New Years 1939/40. It could also have been taken during Christmas 1939, but I don't think Hitler was at the Berghof then, either.

Regards,

Geoff

It appears that Hitler was at the Reichschancellery on his birthday in April 1940. Keitel states that he had arguments with H on the 19'th and 20'th of April regarding the administration of Norway. The references, maybe I'm wrong, seem to indicate Berlin. Ref: "In The Service of The Reich" pg. 105ff.
Tom

[Max Williams]

It is the date and occasion which are in question. The location is definitely the Berghof as shown in other photos from this series. In one of the other photos, Brandt has the rank of SS-Stubaf. This therefore indicates a pre-war date of late 1937/1938/early 1939 as he was promoted to SS-O'Stubaf. on 20 April 1939.
Max

[Grünherz]

Yes, I understand the question but perhaps I didn't answer properly. I was only trying to clarify dates. Certainly this is the Berghof. An amazing picture it is.
Tom

("Berlin" meaning that that was where he was during this time in April 1940).
(Wasn't he with the front-line troops during the Christmas seasons of 1939/40 and 1940/41? I don't know for sure).
(Max, please post more of this photo series!)

[Eva]

The dresses and hairstyles in this picture seem to match a photo I have of a New Year's party. I'm not sure of the date (year) of that photo, either, and you gentlemen that know about uniforms may be able to tell if they're not from the same day (if the insignia matches or not).

[Geoff Walden]

Eva,

Yes, those photos were taken on the same occasion. Due to Brandt's rank, it must have been earlier than New Years 1939/40, which is when I had thought it was.

@Max - Who is the officer at the far right of the upper row? I've not been able to place him.

Geoff

[Grünherz]

(Wasn't he with the front-line troops during the Christmas seasons of 1939/40 and 1940/41? I don't know for sure).

Not that he wasn't at the Berghof during the New Year times!