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This is a stack of 22 candid snapshots taken mid-March 1938, apparently by a private citizen of Vienna during the historic visit of Adolf Hitler to Vienna. Hitler came to Vienna to celebrate the Anschluss or reunification of Austria with Nazi Germany. These photographs have never been published as far as we can tell and many of them have handwritten notes and dates on the back. It is extremely rare that one finds private candid photos of Hitler in his official capacity as Chancellor and Führer.

The photographs show Wien (which had instantly become the second largest city of Nazi Germany) between 12 and 15 March 1938 decorated for the triumphal visit of Der Führer to Vienna. Huge crowds in the center of the city around the Heldenplatz, excited people in trees, on gates and street lights trying to get a better view of the festivities, parades, Nazi airplanes flying over the city, etc.

One photo shows Adolf Hitler putting on gloves while exiting a building and one shows him standing in his enormous open Mercedes-Benz car on the Ring with the Hofburg in the background.

There is a photo of a shop window displaying a photo of Hitler and a sign showing it is an Aryan business (Arisches Geschäft) and one with the date 12 March 1938 written on the back showing a crowd of people with their arms raised in the Hitler salute awaiting Dr. Goebbels on a balcony (directly below). Two photos shows the world-famous Vienna opera decorated with huge Nazi swastika banners and surrounded by enormous crowds of people awaiting the drive-by of Adolf Hitler.

The original photos measure 2-½ x 3-¾ inches. Ten of them have the date 15.III.38 written on the back and a note indicating the location or event on the photo. Three photos were taken and are marked 12 March 1938, one is dated 13 March 1938 on the back and seven are without dates, but clearly were taken during the same celebrations.

Very rare, original Third Reich photo material that has never been in the hands of a dealer or collector before!

Have a look at other material on USMBOOKS.com related to the Anschluß:

- Nazi photo book about the National Socialist Revolution in Vienna

- Superb photo magazine celebrating the reunification of Austria with Hitler's Germany

- Special issue of the Berliner Illustrirte Zeitung about Austria

- Original Hoffmann photo book called Hitler in Seiner Heimat("Hitler in His Home Land")

- Nazi photo documentary of the Anschluß: Volk will zu Volk