Looks like we’ve solved the mystery of the Hitler photo:

The Challenge:

Last week, we posted this photo from the early 20th century and posed a challenge: is this an early, unpublished photo of Adolf Hitler.  It is not an internet image. It’s a scan of a silver gelatin print with no doctoring.

Is it Hitler or not?

The Case for and Against:

131 people entered the contest with arguments about the challenge. The verdict is in:

4 people argued that is IS a picture of Hitler. 127 argue it IS NOT.

Yes, It’s Him:

The arguments FOR focused on facial features and the mustache, especially the mustache.  WWI photos of Hitler show him with a larger, wider mustache. 3 of the 4 who argued FOR this being Hitler said that when he was deployed to the front he would have had to trim that handlebar mustache because the gas masks would not have fit properly.  That’s a strong practical argument.

Sound crazy?  Well, not according to a recent report in The Telegraph, a leading British newspaper.

The prosaic explanation comes in a new biography of the writer Alexander Moritz Frey, who came to know him when both were lowly privates in a Bavarian infantry division.

In a hitherto unpublished essay, Frey, who died in 1957, wrote of his first meeting with Hitler in 1915: “A pale, tall man tumbled down into the cellar after the first shells of the daily evening attacks had begun to fall, fear and rage glowing in his eyes.

“At that time he looked tall because he was so thin. A full moustache, which had to be trimmed later because of the new gas masks, covered the ugly slit of his mouth.” Whole article here.

 No, No, No.  It’s Not Him.

But 95% of entrants argued that this is NOT a pic of Hitler. As you’d guess.  Lots of people made similar arguments.  Here’s a sampling:

1. Physical Features:

Lots of folks commented on face, ears, shoulders and the basic physical presence:

* Hitler had a narrower chin than the man in the photo. (Mike Emery)

* The reason Hitler ended up with the Charlie Chaplin mustache was because he was in a gas attack and his handlebar prevented him from getting a proper seal on his gas mask and he got gassed and sent to the hospital where he trimmed off the handlebar. (Ron Letourneau)

* Hitler did not tilt his head to the side whenever a staged picture was taken, looking squarely into the camera instead, with his head vertical. (John Dobise)

* Take a close look at the photo and then look at any photo of Adolf Hitler, the eyes do not match any known and proven picture with this one. There is a slant not seen in any of his pictures. No matter how you look at it, the eyes do not lie. (Paul Wendland)

* Even though the facial features are close, the shoulders are incorrect.  Hitler always stood shoulders back in a proud stance, NEVER in a relaxed stance. (Dave Waters)

* Adolf Hitlers’ ears were not as prominent as this persons, nor was Hitlers’ head as rounded at the sides. (Ed Blumberg)

2. Uniform

Here’s the rationale for most of the arguments against this being Hitler.  Funny thing here, though, is that while all agree that this was not an outfit that a Bavarian corporal would wear, not everyone agreed on what the uniform actually is:

* The Germans has either pickelhelm or a round garrison cap that had the small button with the red/black/white of the German national colors. (Jeff Squire)

* The uniform he is wearing appears to be US Army in origin and not German. (David Bishop)

* He has no known pictures with this style cap- his pictures as a corporal show only two distinctive type uniform caps (Imperial army caps)- neither being this style. (Ralph Butera):

* World War 1 German Army overcoat uniform did not have a belt.  Also, it may not even be a military issue overcoat as the collar looks to ride too high on the neck. (Kirk Stanford)

* The uniform is not Prussian or Austrian. I believe this is an American Officer, either during or just following World War I. (Thomas Metzger)

* The Photo is of an American Soldier wearing an adopted British Trench Coat.  The “Piss-Cutter” or “Overseas Cap” Hat he is wearing is American worn by Troops in France. (Dennis Malone)

The Winner:

Thanks to everyone who entered. Lots of good argument, but we had to pick a winner.  And that’s Michael Doyle who made this compelling case that included both physical features, uniforms, and a history lesson:

“Hitler’s military career can be divided into three eras: World War I, World War II and a pseudo, para-military period during the rise of the NAZI party.

This can’t be Hitler in World War I. He was a Gefretier in the Bavarian Army. The uniform is wrong, Also, Hitler wore a full mustache for most of the war. He cut off the sides of his mustache following a gas attack when he discovered his gas mask fit tighter with the smaller “nose beard.” The age of the man in the picture is also wrong.

During his pseudo, para-military period he wore first the brown uniform of the SA and later the uniform of Führer und Reichskanzler, a title Hitler assumed to himself on merging the offices of Chancellor and President. He would never again wear a standard uniform. The man in the picture is the right age for this period but the uniform is completely wrong. The man’s posture, with its odd lean, is also wrong.

During World War II, Hitler wore a uniform of his own design. It was a gray tunic, normally displaying the Iron Cross Wound Badge and Golden Nazi Party Badge. His rain coat and overcoat were also high quality, tailored, and non-standard. He regularly wore the Iron Cross Wound Badge and Golden Nazi Party Badge on the outside of these coats also. By this time he was also always accompanied by other party officials and an SS bodyguard. He was also much older than the man in the picture.”

Congrats and a $25 MyServicePride.com gift certificate are on their way to Michael.

Did We Miss the Mark?

Again, thanks to all the folks who weighed in on this.

We don’t always get it right, so if you disagree with the decision of the judges, sound off in the comment section below.  Also, there’s still a lingering question about the uniform the Hitler look-alike is wearing in the picture. If you want to weigh in, let it out in the comment section.

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