During his 1930s rise to total power in Germany, Hitler's personal photographer was Professor Heinrich Hoffman, one of the most respected in his profession. Documenting Hitler's activities well into the war, Hoffman was under strict protocols when taking photographs of the Fuhrer. All photos with Hitler were staged and no impromptu pictures were allowed, under any circumstances. Propaganda Minister Goebbels carefully crafted the image of the Hitler as Germany's savior and nothing could stand in the way of that task. In fact, Hitler met his mistress and short time wife, Eva Braun, at Hoffmann's studio when she was working as one of his assistants.

Following his first World War Two book, History Leading to the 50th Anniversary of D-Day, Book 2, Michael B. Butler deployed Hoffmann's December 1940 photo book, With Hitler in the West, to help chronicle a military campaign which shocked the world and set the stage for American entrance into the war. The photos in With Hitler in the West are professionally first rate, captured with the best equipment anywhere in the world.

Side by side with the photos from the Henirich Hoffmann book, are hundreds of photos and text capturing the role of then Major General Erwin Rommel's 7th Panzer Division. Rommel's amazing book, The Rommel Papers, was used as a primary source to identify photos mined from the National Archives by Digital History Archives.

German 1940 War Campaign Pictorials from Heinrich Hoffmann, Erwin Rommel, Combat Cameramen & Propagandists highlights the Hoffmann photos with analysis about the high command from General Walter Warlimont, Deputy Chief of OKW Operations Staff. Below are two book trailer videos with Hoffmann photos and one about Rommel.

Available at Amazon at WarPictorials.com.

With Hitler in the West, Part 3

Rommel Commanding 7th Panzer Division

With Hitler in the West, Part 1

To see all of Micheal B. Butler's books at https://www.amazon.com/author/mbbutler

• 410 Pages, 8.5x11.
• 200+ Pages of photographs, containing well over 350 pictures, along with detailed text about the history surrounding the German 1940 world shocking Western Campaign in Europe.
• Photos from With Hitler in the West by Hitler's personal photographer Heinrich Hoffmann.
• Photos taken by then Major General Erwin Rommel, commander of 7th Panzer Division, and subordinates after his unexpected rise to armored division commander.
• Explanations of Campaign from General Walter Warlimont, OKW Operations Staff, and from Rommel's Campaign diary, dispatches and letters to his wife.

About the Book: When World War Two ended in Europe, the U.S. Army and various intelligence agencies collected reams of evidence relating to the conduct of the war. A large number of photographs became property of the U.S. government and then the U.S. National Archives. This publication was created from those collections.

Essentially, this is a pictorial guide, supplemented by text, through the world shocking Nazi Gunman 1940 Western Campaign which brought the Allies to their knees in weeks. Looking back, one cannot fully grasp how this campaign upended top military commands in the Great Powers and reshuffled all the carefully conceived strategic planning scenarios.

There are two main sources: The December 1940 book, With Hitler in the West, created by Hitler's personal photographer, Heinrich Hoffmann, and published by Joseph Goebbels, the infamous Third Reich propaganda chief. Photos taken by then Major General Erwin Rommel or those on campaign with the new commander of the 7th Panzer Division. Outfitted with a Leica camera, Rommel was an avid photographer as well as a frontline commander. His unexpected rise to division commander, due to his relationship with Hitler, raised eyebrows among the German General Staff but proved a good choice.

German 1940 War Campaign Pictorials from Heinrich Hoffmann, Erwin Rommel, Combat Cameramen & Propagandists, Hardcover ISBN: 979-8264299612, ASIN: B0FQ4C2TQC Kindle

Michael B. Butler's second book, released in 2022, is Without Redemption: Creation & Deeds Freeway Killer Bill Bonin, His Five Accomplices & How One Who Escaped Justice. In 2024-26 three books are slated for release: Round the World & Across Russia in 21 Days, 30 Years Later and the two-book history set dedicated to 15 wartime military veterans, many who saw combat, from his family—History Leading to 50th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor, Book 1 and History Leading to 50th Anniversary of D-Day, Book 2.