Eva Braun and her Rolleiflex camera

[shot from above]

Hi;
Eva Braun's nickname was "The Rolleiflex Girl". I am researching her camera which she used during most her time at Der Berghof which was a twin lens Rolleiflex with what was a very fast aperture at that time, f 3.8. I have seen in Eva Braun's home movies Frau Goebbels with a Rolleiflex but not the same model as used by Eva Braun.

Does anyone have any photographs of Eva Braun with her Rolleiflex?

Thanks to anyone who is able to provide such an image.

Cheers;
Russ

[Geli]

I don't have a picture of Eva with her camera. But I do recall reading that Hitler gave his niece Geli a Rolleiflex as a gift. They must have been popular cameras.

[shot from above]

Hi;

Yes I believe that is true. The Rolleiflex camera that Hitler would have given Geli would have been too early a model to be confused with Eva Braun's Rolleiflex.

Cheers;
Russ

[Geoff Walden]

I'm not sure if this is the camera you mean, but this is probably the best known photo of EB with her camera. I have seen another one but I don't have a copy here. Also here is a pic of both EB and Gretl at work with their cameras. (all from Eva Braun's photo albums in the US National Archives)

Geoff Walden

[shot from above]

Thanks Geoff for the photos of EB with her camera. Regrettably that is not the camera I am researching and I am not sure it is a Rolleiflex as I don't recognize it. Too bad the other shot of AH and the girls at the rabbit pen doesn't show us the cameras they are holding although their posture would indicate they are looking down through the viewfinder which would mean it is was a medium format camera they were using rather then a 35mm. If you are able to find that other photo of EB with a camera it would be very, very much appreciated. And thanks again for sending the 3 images.

Cheers;
Russ

[DaveL111]

There are many books of photos taken by Eva Braun at the National Archives in College Park MD. I recall seeing some photos of her with another camera but unfortunately I didn't copy any of them.

Geoff your requested photos are in the mail.

[shot from above]

Thanks DaveL111 much appreciated. I believe she owned a number of Rolleiflexs and it would make sense that given money was no object to them and her keen interest in photography that she would have acquired then state-of-the-art cameras as they were introduced by Rolleiflex. So there is a reasonable chance that a number of images do exist of her with different cameras, hopefully if I keep looking and researching I will find the photo of her with this particular camera. Thanks for your assistance in this regard, much appreciated.

Cheers;
Russ

[seekwhence]

The camera being held by Eva Braun in the photograph is a movie camera - I believe a Siemens Model CII made in 1938. Also, just because the ladies in the other photo are looking down through camera viewfinders, that doesn't mean they weren't using 35mm film. Germany pioneered the use of both single and twin lens reflex 35mm cameras. They could have been using a Praktiflex or a Kine Exakta (both SLR's) or a Zeiss Ikon Contaflex (TLR). They even could have been using Rolleiflex's or Rolleicord's for 35mm photography with the optional Rolleikin attachment!

Dave (seekwhence)

[DaveL111]

I found this website, where the owner is offering some Eva Braun personal times. At the bottom he describes the Eva Braun Rolleiflex camera and has photos.

http://www.snyderstreasures.com/pages/eva.htm

[seekwhence]

Unbelievable!!! The seller of the Rolleiflex listed in the previous posting has the unmitigated gall to claim it was owned by Eva Braun! Well, if that's so then she survived what happened in the bunker and escaped Berlin to live well into the next decade! The Rolleiflex in question is a Model E from the mid to late 1950's. Also, she must have preferred an export model since the units of measurement are in feet instead of meters.
I'd like to meet the idiot who lays out $3000 for that camera... I have some original black velvet paintings by Van Gogh to sell to him/her that would add just the right ambiance to its display!

Dave (seekwhence)

[Gianni Lepri]

I myself could not tell a Rolleyflex from a coffee grinder, anyway this one is on YouTube. Hope it helps any.

cheers
Mauvered

[sobel]

Unbelievable!!! The seller of the Rolleiflex listed in the previous posting has the unmitigated gall to claim it was owned by Eva Braun! Well, if that's so then she survived what happened in the bunker and escaped Berlin to live well into the next decade! The Rolleiflex in question is a Model E from the mid to late 1950's. Also, she must have preferred an export model since the units of measurement are in feet instead of meters.
I'd like to meet the idiot who lays out $3000 for that camera... I have some original black velvet paintings by Van Gogh to sell to him/her that would add just the right ambiance to its display!

Dave (seekwhence)

Ah! but you forgot that the Nazi's actually invented a secret time machine which allowed EB to wizz into the future to buy a better camera than she got of AH!!!!!.
I'm sure the machine will appear some day on the above dealers web-site

regards

Sobel

[seekwhence]

Very interesting image Mauvered! Unfortunately I can't tell the maker or the model of the TLR camera EB is holding. I wish we could have a closer view.

seekwhence

[Freightdawg747]

Eva Braun ( as well as her sister Gretil) used a Rolleiflex 622 made from1932-39 with a max shutter speed of 1/500 and a Carl Zeiss 75mm lens, her camera actually had the f/3.5 aperture. It came from Hoffmans. The 621 has the F3.8 aperture. She used to be given high end film as well, hence the reason the original photos created from the negatives came out so sharp.

[Geoff Walden]

Thanks very much for this detailed info, and welcome to AHF!