Description
Illustrierter Beobachter – Sondernummer “Reichsparteitag Großdeutschlands”, September 1938
Scanned pages: 56 | Instant PDF download
Historical German illustrated magazine (Zentralverlag der NSDAP), special issue on the 1938 Nuremberg Party Rally, digitized.
Cover
Profile portrait of Adolf Hitler in peaked cap, with the 1938 Reichsparteitag medal in the masthead; caption “Der Träger Großdeutschlands und seiner neuen, glanzvollen Geschichte.” No war correspondent credited; photo by Fischer-Boegner (“Sonderaufnahme für den IB.”).
Main Articles
“Nürnberg am 5. September: Der Führer kommt!”
Opening day of the tenth Reichsparteitag: Hitler arrives at Nuremberg main station, is greeted by Rudolf Heß and Baldur von Schirach, and drives through crowds lining the decorated streets (pp. 2–3).
No author credited. Photos: Heinrich Hoffmann (2), Boegner-Fischer (4), Bauer (2).
“Der Führer begibt sich in das Rathaus von Nürnberg”
Hitler inspects the Wehrmacht honour company outside Nuremberg town hall and is welcomed by Gauleiter Julius Streicher and Oberbürgermeister Willy Liebel; the SS-Leibstandarte marches through the city (p. 3).
No author credited. Photos: Heinrich Hoffmann, Boegner-Fischer, Bauer (shared credit block).
“Weihestunde in Nürnbergs Rathaus”
Ceremony in the town hall with Heß, Streicher and Liebel, together with the feature “Die Reichsinsignien in des Reiches Mitte heimgekehrt” on the imperial regalia (crown, sceptre, orb and sword) transferred from Vienna to Nuremberg (p. 4).
No author credited. Photos: Heinrich Hoffmann (1), F. F. Bauer (2).
“Die Jugend Italiens, Japans, Spaniens und Rumäniens in Nürnberg”
Foreign youth delegations and the arrival of the Italian delegation under Staatsminister Farinacci, alongside the gala performance of “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg” conducted by Wilhelm Furtwängler with Rudolf Bockelmann as Hans Sachs (p. 5, including “Festaufführung in der Oper zu Nürnberg”).
No author credited. Photos: Heinrich Hoffmann.
“Der Kongreß des 10. Reichsparteitages, des Parteitages Großdeutschlands”
Rudolf Heß opens the party congress, Viktor Lutze reads the names of the movement’s dead, and Gauleiter Adolf Wagner reads Hitler’s proclamation in the Kongreßhalle (pp. 6–7).
No author credited. Photos: F. F. Bauer, Heinrich Hoffmann.
“Die Eröffnung der Kulturtagung – Die Verkündung der Träger des National-Preises”
Goebbels announces the German National Prize winners Fritz Todt, Ferdinand Porsche, Willy Messerschmitt and Ernst Heinkel, who are congratulated by Hitler (pp. 8–9).
No author credited. Photos: Heinrich Hoffmann.
“Europas Schicksalskampf im Osten”
Alfred Rosenberg opens the historical exhibition of that name in the Norishalle and guides Heß and Gauleiter Erich Koch through it (p. 10).
No author credited. Photos: Fischer-Boegner.
“Der Arbeitsdienst vor dem Führer”
Full-page portrait of Hitler greeting Arbeitsmaiden from the Ostmark on the Zeppelinwiese (p. 11).
No author credited. Photo: Boegner-Fischer.
“Die Soldaten der Arbeit sind angetreten”
The Reichsarbeitsdienst’s day of honour with 40,000 labour men and 2,000 Arbeitsmaiden, Reichsarbeitsführer Hierl and Reichsminister Frick, plus Göring and British ambassador Nevile Henderson at the memorial ceremony (pp. 12–13).
No author credited. Photos: Boegner-Fischer (3), Heinrich Hoffmann (1).
“Eine körperlich ertüchtigte Nation vor ihrem Führer”
Mass gymnastics by 50,000 participants including HJ and BDM on the “Tag der Gemeinschaft”, with Hitler, Viktor Lutze and Reichssportführer von Tschammer und Osten (pp. 14–15).
No author credited. Photos: Heinrich Hoffmann.
“Empfang der ausländischen Diplomaten in Nürnberg”
Hitler’s reception of foreign heads of mission at the “Deutscher Hof”, including François-Poncet, Attolico, Lipski, Nevile Henderson and de Magaz, with a full list of attending nations (pp. 16–17).
No author credited. Photos: Heinrich Hoffmann (2).
“Der Führer beim Appell der Politischen Leiter”
The night-time rally of 140,000 political leaders under the searchlight “Lichtdom” on the Zeppelinwiese, with Hitler and Dr. Robert Ley (pp. 18–19).
No author credited. Photos: Boegner-Fischer.
“Der Führer mit Mädchen aus seiner Heimat”
Full-page photograph of Hitler surrounded by girls from Austria at their first party rally (p. 20).
No author credited. Photo: Photo Harren.
“Die deutsche Jugend vor ihrem Führer Adolf Hitler”
The Hitler Youth and BDM rally in the Nuremberg stadium, where Hitler addresses the youth (p. 21).
No author credited. Photos: Heinrich Hoffmann (2), F. F. Bauer (1).
“Im SA.-Lager Langwasser”
Scenes from the SA tent camp, focusing on the Ostmark SA in traditional Tyrolean and Carinthian dress, a camp concert and Gruppenführer Giesler (pp. 22–23, including “SA. der Ostmark in Nürnberg”).
No author credited. Photos: Fischer-Boegner.
“Der große Appell im Luitpoldhain”
The memorial ceremony and consecration of Ostmark standards before 120,000 men of the SA, SS, NSKK and NSFK, with Himmler, Hühnlein, Christiansen, Lutze, Konrad Henlein, Frank and von Neurath (pp. 24–25).
No author credited. Photos: Boegner-Fischer.
“Der Vorbeimarsch vor dem Führer auf dem Adolf-Hitler-Platz zu Nürnberg”
The hours-long march-past of party formations, with Göring, Heß, Lutze and von Pfeffer beside Hitler’s car (pp. 26–27).
No author credited. Photos: Heinrich Hoffmann (“Aufnahmen für den IB.”).
“Generalfeldmarschall Hermann Göring beim Betreten der Kongreßhalle”
Göring arrives for his speech to the Deutsche Arbeitsfront with Funk, Ley and Bodenschatz, paired with a study of BDM girls’ expressions at the Hitler Youth rally (p. 28).
No author credited. Photos: Heinrich Hoffmann; Friedrich Franz Bauer.
“Der Führer während seiner großen Schlußrede auf dem Nürnberger Parteitag”
Full-page photograph of Hitler’s closing speech, captioned with his line on the Germans in Czechoslovakia (p. 29).
No author credited. Photo: Heinrich Hoffmann.
“Der Tag der Deutschen Wehrmacht”
The Wehrmacht display on the Zeppelinwiese: cavalry, a bomber wing attacking a flak-defended “Fliegerhorst”, a rotorcraft demonstration captioned as a Fieseler Storch (registration D-EKRA), infantry, a panzer regiment, heavy artillery and the parade before Hitler (pp. 30–33).
No author credited. Photos: Heinrich Hoffmann, Boegner-Fischer.
“Männer, die den Reichsparteitag bauen halfen”
Portrait gallery running through the issue of the organisers of the rally, from Dr. Ley and Staatsrat Schmeer to department heads such as Liebel, Speer, v. Tschammer-Osten, Weiß and Wehrmacht officers Stemmermann, Wolpert and Dr. Treeck (pp. 35–50).
No author or photographer credited.
“Adolf Hitler zeigt uns den Weg”
Propagandistic essay (subtitled “Das deutsche Volk und sein Reichsparteitag”) on the meaning of the rally for the German people (pp. 35–38).
Author: Heinrich Eisen.
“Der Reichsparteitag 1938 – im Zeichen der großdeutschen Einigung”
Report on the rally grounds, construction projects and the logistics of accommodating and feeding some 560,000 participants, including transport, police and post (pp. 38–40).
Author: Werner Hecht.
“Vom Marsfeld zum Parteitag Großdeutschlands”
History of the party rallies from the 1923 Munich Marsfeld gathering to the 1938 “Parteitag Großdeutschlands” (p. 42).
Author: Dr. Hermann Schramm.
“Die weltpolitischen Wirkungen der Reichsparteitage”
Essay on the foreign-policy significance attributed to the rallies (pp. 44–46).
Author: Rudolf Jung.
“Deutschlands geistige Gestalt”
Essay subtitled “Nürnberg, das Siegel deutscher Kulturpolitik” on Nuremberg as a symbol of the regime’s cultural policy (pp. 46–49).
Author: Dr. Hans Gstettner.
“Lebendiges Brauchtum ist ewiger Aufbruch”
Essay subtitled “Die Frau und die Nürnberger Tage” on women and the rally as ritual (pp. 49–51).
Author: Florentine Hamm.
“Das ganze Deutschland soll es sein!”
Essay subtitled “Zum Reichsparteitag Großdeutschlands” on the annexation of Austria and pan-German ideology (pp. 51–52).
Author: Gustav Christian Rassy.
“Abschied von Albrecht Dürer”
Literary excerpt subtitled “Ein poetisches Bild des alten Nürnberg” from Ludwig Tieck’s novel “Franz Sternbalds Wanderungen” (p. 53).
Author: Ludwig Tieck; selected by Dr. Hans Gstettner.
“Das malerische Nürnberg”
Photos of Nuremberg castle, the youth hostel “Lug ins Land” and a group in traditional costume beneath swastika banners (p. 54).
No author credited. Photos: Engel (2), Heinrich Hoffmann (1).
“Sie erleben den ersten Parteitag im Großdeutschen Reich!”
Austrian party women in the Kongreßhalle and Arbeitsmaiden at the Reichsarbeitsdienst roll call (p. 55).
No author credited. Photos: Heinrich Hoffmann and F. F. Bauer.
“Im Lager der Wehrmacht”
Camp scenes including the Kriegsmarine honour company “Admiral v. Horthy” tent, the Ordensburgen camp and the humorous decorations of the RAD in “Im Lager des Arbeitsdienstes: Humor auch an Regentagen” (p. 56).
No author credited. Photos: Heinrich Hoffmann (2), H. F. Engel (2).
Artists Mentioned
- Mundorff – painted Autobahn landscape with the Auto Union rings (advertisement, p. 39), undated.
War Correspondents (Kriegsberichter) Named
None – this pre-war issue credits no Kriegsberichter; its photography is by Heinrich Hoffmann, Boegner-Fischer, F. F. (Friedrich Franz) Bauer, H. F. Engel and Photo Harren.