Overview
- Description
- Ernst "Putzi" Hanfstaengl was an early confidant of Hitler but fell increasingly out of favor after Hitler's assumption of power. In 1937 Hitler ordered Hanfstaengl to parachute over Spain and act as an agent for Franco in the Spanish Civil War. Hanfstaengl feared this was really a plot on his life and, in his telling, he convinced the plane's pilot to return to Germany. According to Albert Speer in his memoirs, this was all an elaborate practical joke and no harm was intended. However, Hanfstaengl was frightened enough to decide to defect. It is this episode which is documented in this footage.
"Putzi" Hanfstaengl and a small entourage exit a building in overcoats and hats, and carry luggage to a car. We then see "Putzi" and friends on an air strip. 01:00:26 Putzi stands beside General Karl Bodenschatz. 01:00:33 General Gustav Kastner-Kirdorf in profile on left of screen. An officer straps a parachute onto "Putzi's" back, he enters the plane with other men. INT, MCU, "Putzi" inside the plane. "Putzi" disembarking from the plane. MCU, the airplane's propeller after landing. - Film Collection Title
- Heinz Javorsky Collection
- Duration
- 00:01:59
- Date
-
Event:
1937
- Locale
-
Munich,
Germany
- Credit
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, gift of David Marwell
- Contributor
-
Camera Operator:
Henry (Heinz) V. Jaworsky
Subject: Ernst Hanfstaengl
- Biography
-
Ernst Sedgewiek Hanfstaengl (or Hanfy or Putzi, as he was usually called) (1887-1975), was a German-American at the core of the rise of Hitlerism. Born into a well-known New England family, he was introduced to Hitler in the early 1920s by Captain Truman-Smith, the U.S. Military Attache in Berlin. He became an ardent Hitler supporter, on occasion financed the Nazis and, according to Ambassador William Dodd, .".. is said to have saved Hitler's life in 1923." Putzi became not only an early friend, backer and financier of Hitler, but among those early Hitler supporters he was, .", . almost the only person who crossed the lines of his (Hitler's) groups of acquaintances." In 1931, Hanfstaengl became NSDAP foreign press chief. Hanfstaengl became alienated from Hitler in 1937 and fled to England. He was interned in a Canadian prisoner of war camp. With Germany and the United States now at war Putzi re-calculated the odds and concluded, "Now I knew for certain that Germany would be defeated." Putzi's release from the POW camp came with the personal intervention of old friend President Roosevelt.
Physical Details
- Language
- Silent
- Genre/Form
- Amateur.
- B&W / Color
- Black & White
- Image Quality
- Good
- Time Code
- 01:00:01:00 to 01:02:00:00
- Film Format
- Master
Master 2283 Film: positive - 16 mm - b&w
Master 2283 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - small
Master 2283 Film: positive - 16 mm - b&w
Master 2283 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - small
Master 2283 Film: positive - 16 mm - b&w
Master 2283 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - small
Master 2283 Film: positive - 16 mm - b&w
Master 2283 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - small- Preservation
Preservation 2283 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - small
Preservation 2283 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - small
Preservation 2283 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - small
Preservation 2283 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - small
Rights & Restrictions
- Conditions on Access
- You do not require further permission from the Museum to access this archival media.
- Copyright
- Public Domain
- Conditions on Use
- To the best of the Museum's knowledge, this material is in the public domain. You do not require further permission from the Museum to reproduce or use this material.
Keywords & Subjects
Administrative Notes
- Legal Status
- Permanent Collection
- Film Provenance
- This film was originally created for the German Propaganda Ministry and was later removed by cameraman Henry (Heinz) V. Javorsky. David Marwell, former Director of the Collections Division at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, purchased a 16mm film copy from Mr. Javorsky and subsequently donated it to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum November 22, 2000.
- Note
- See Film and Video subject files for biographical and other information on Ernst "Putzi" Hanfstaengl.
- Film Source
- David Marwell
- File Number
- Legacy Database File: 3367
- Special Collection
-
Steven Spielberg Film and Video Archive
- Record last modified:
- 2024-02-21 07:49:38
- This page:
- https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn1002579
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