Hugo Jaeger

Hugo Jaeger
Born January 18, 1900
Died January 1, 1970 (1970-02) (aged 69)
Citizenship German
Occupation Photographer
Years active 1936–1945
Employer Adolf Hitler
Known for Privately photographing Adolf Hitler

Hugo Jaeger (January 18, 1900 – January 1, 1970) was the former personal photographer of Adolf Hitler. He travelled with Hitler in the years leading up to and throughout World War II and took around 2,000 colour photographs of the Austrian-born German dictator. Jaeger was one of the few photographers who were using color photography techniques at the time.[1]

Early life

Hugo Jaeger was born on January 18, 1900.

Career

Jaeger began photographing Hitler in 1936 and was doing so until the Second World War ended in 1945.[2] Jaeger also specialised in taking colour photographs of the Nazi propaganda spectacles, unlike Hitler's other personal photographer Heinrich Hoffmann.[3] As the war was drawing to a close in 1945, Jaeger hid the photographs in a leather suitcase.[4] He then encountered American soldiers prompting fears of potential arrest and prosecution for carrying around so many images of such a wanted man.[4] When the soldiers opened the case however, their attention was distracted by a bottle of cognac they found there, which they opened and shared with Jaeger.[4]

Jaeger buried the photographs inside 12 glass jars outside Munich.[4] The photographer returned to the burial place over several years to ensure they were safe.[4] He dug up all of the photographs ten years later in 1955, storing them in a bank vault.[1][4] In 1965, Jaeger sold them to Life magazine.[4]

Death and legacy

Jaeger died on January 1, 1970.

Life.com published the photographs as the 65th anniversary of D-Day beckoned in June 2009.[4] The website published the photographs in four separate galleries online.[4] One photo showed Hitler saluting German troops in Adolf Hitler Platz on 1 September 1938.[2] Another showed the Nazi leader attending a Christmas Party in 1941.[5] Further photos show Hitler at the International Auto Exhibition held in Berlin in 1939 and Hitler on a cruise that same year.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 "Hitler up close -- and in color". USA Today. 4 June 2009. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  2. 1 2 "Unseen photographs reveal the private life of Adolf Hitler". The Daily Telegraph. 2009-06-05. Retrieved 2009-06-06.
  3. ↑ "PICTURES OF WORLD WAR II: Hitler in Color". SPIEGEL ONLINE. 2005-01-31. Retrieved 2009-06-06.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Never-before-seen photos of Adolf Hitler taken by personal photographer Hugo Jaeger revealed". Daily News. 2009-06-05. Retrieved 2009-06-06.
  5. 1 2 "New pictures of Adolf Hitler are released". WGN-TV.com. 2009-06-05. Retrieved 2009-06-06.

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