Crazy Looking Hitler, Rehearsing For His Speeches

The pictures Hitler wanted nobody to see: Nazi leader demanded the destruction of negatives that made him look half-crazed as he rehearsed for a speech... but the brave man who took them ignored his wishes

• Photographs of Hitler show the dictator rehearsing his orating techniques for the camera
• The photographs, taken by Henrich Hoffman in 1925, were previously kept in private collections

By Laurie Kamens

Photographs that Adolph Hitler wanted destroyed show the half-crazed Fuhrer rehearsing his persuasive hate filled speeches.

Published in photographer Heinrich Hoffman's memoir, the behind the scenes photos show the dictator rehearsing emphatic gestures while listening to recordings of his speeches.

Hoffman willfully ignored Hitler's wishes and the photographs managed to survive through the years in various different archives.

Newly released photographs taken in 1925 by photographer Heinrich Hoffman show Adolph Hilter rehearsing his speeches

The photographs, which were reportedly taken in 1925 according The Huffington Post, were taken at Hitler's request.

The future dictator wanted to see himself in action so that he could refine his orating technique.

The pictures show Hitler wildly gesticulating and pointing toward imagined crowds.

Hitler gesticulates towards an imaginary crowd while listening to a playback recording of his own speech

Hitler emphatically gesticulates while rehearsing a public speech. He would late become known for his strong oratory skills

After Hitler reviewed the photos, taken in 1925, he asked Hoffman to destroy the negatives. However, Hoffman ignored his requested and published them in his memoir

However, after Hitler saw the pictures he asked that Hoffman destroy the negatives, not wanting them to be seen by the public.

Hoffman ignored the request and later published the pictures in his memoir, Hitler Was My Friend, which came out in 1955.

With an intense gaze, Hitler makes a point to an imaginary audience as he rehearses a speech

Hoffman's photos were taken just after Hitler's release from Landsberg Prison, during which time he wrote Mein Kampf

Hitler strikes a pose as a rehearses his rhetoric for the camera

Worked up by a recording of his own speech Hitler motions with his whole body as he makes a seemingly vehement point

After their initial publication the photos were stored in Hoffmann's studio until his arrest at the end of the war, whereupon they disappeared into various archives.

The images give a rare glimpse into genocidal ruler's inner workings, exhibiting how he meticulously rehearsed his indoctrinating speeches long before he became the Furer.