2-490-468 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Julius Schreck, member of the SS and chauffeur of Adolf Hitler, 1933. Schreck (1898-1936) joined the Nazi Party in 1920 at about the same time as Hitler, with whom he became good friends. He took part in the Munich Beer Hall Putsch in 1923 and in 1925 became the first commander of the Schutzstaffel (SS) in its original form as Hitler's personal bodyguard. He stood down from the post in 1926 and worked as Hitler's personal chauffeur for six years before retiring due to ill health. He died of meningitis on 16 May 1936 and was given a state funeral at which Hitler delivered a eulogy. A print from Adolf Hitler. Bilder aus dem Leben des Führers, Hamburg: Cigaretten/Bilderdienst Hamburg/Bahrenfeld, 1936.