Colorized photo of a 35-year old Adolph Hitler upon his release from Landsburg Prison, 1924

Colorized photo of a 35-year old Adolph Hitler upon his release from Landsberg Prison, December 20, 1924. He was convicted for his role in the Beer Hall Putsch on November 8, 1923. The attempted coup in Munich by right-wing members of the army and the Nazi Party was foiled by the government, and Hitler was charged with high treason by the Bavarian State Court and sentenced to 5 years imprisonment. After pressures from his supporters in government, he was released. It was during his 9-month incarceration here where he completed his Mein Kamp and re-strategized his Nazi philosophy. Photo said to be taken by Hitler’s photographer, Heinrich Hoffmann.

After his release, major broadsheets around the world rejoiced that the belligerant German leader has been "tamed" during his brief prison term at Landsburg,  Like this one

Long before his release, on Dec. 20, 1924, due in large part to the efforts of Warden Leybold, Hitler was already thinking about what type of car to buy: a Benz 11/40, which "would meet my current requirements," or a 16/50 with a more powerful engine. His preferred color was gray, and he wanted "wire wheels." Hitler asked the car dealer for preferential treatment. He wrote that he would probably have to obtain a loan for the purchase and that the "court costs and legal fees" he owed were making his "hair stand on end." In the letter, Hitler asked Werlin to inquire at his main office as to "what sort of a discount you can give me."

However, Hitler never got to buy one. The car he used upon his release belonged to Adolf Müller owner of the Münchner Buchgewerbehaus, where the Völkische Beobachter was published. It was a mid-priced Mercedes Benz 11/40, produced between 1923 -1925 and had a six-cylinder in-line engine with 2860 cc capacity that developed 40 hp

Adolph HItler in Paris, June 1940, colorized

After Poland, Hitler trained his sights on France, enabling him to conquer the western European countries of Belgium, Luxumberg and the Netherlands along the way. It also put into motion his vengeance against the country that humiliated Germany in WWI in the Treaty of Versailles. Against all expectations, Hitler demolished within a few weeks what was considered the most powerful military power in mainland Europe since WWI. France underestimated Hitler (and overestimated their own military power) who mobilized more than 3 million soldiers to overwhelm a mere 800,000 French military. The fall of France on June 20, 1940 enabled Hitler to launch his bombing blitz on London and considered invading Britain through the English Channel except that he hesitated and focused his resources on invading Russia instead, opening an eastern front, his biggest and most fatal blunder. Had Hitler continued to invade Britain after France. Britain could have fallen next with a ground invasion while preoccupied with dogfights in the Battle of Brittain. The Royal Family would have moved to Canada.

Here's my colorized take on this event captured Jun 23, 1940 when Hitler posed with his architect Albert Speer (left), sculptor Arno Brecker (right), and personal photographer Heinrich Hoffman against the Eiffel Tower considered a symbol of liberty by the French. The photo shocked the world when it appeared in several broadsheets a day later. People everywhere expected Hitler to proceed and conquer Britain.

The Monsters who started WWII planning their next moves in style with uniforms made by Hugo Boss, 1938

Colorized a rather nicely photographed picture of the antagonists of WWII that started the war.  Flanking Adolf Hitler were Heinrich Himmler (left) and Felix Steiner (right) with some unknown offers behind.