A celebration of the 50th birthday of Führer Adolf Hitler was held on this day in 1939. The day was declared a public holiday, while the largest military parade in the entire history of Nazi Germany was held in Berlin. Namely, although Hitler’s birthday was solemnly celebrated during the other years of the Third Reich, the anniversary celebration of his 50th birthday was the largest.
The main organizer of the ceremony was the infamous propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels. The purpose of the event was, of course, to reinforce Hitler’s cult of personality. It is almost unbelievable that Hitler’s birthday was celebrated even in German institutions in distant Australia.
The program began in Berlin during the previous evening, when the Führer drove through a new city avenue in a parade of 50 white vehicles. Then, from the balcony of a monumental new Reich office, he observed torch-lit processions and delegations from different parts of the country. At midnight, they congratulated him and presented him with birthday gifts, among which were many works of art (even a Titian painting).
On this day the program reached its highlight during the military parade of the German Armed Forces (Wehrmacht). A total of 40,000 to 50,000 soldiers participated, from all military branches: Air Force (Luftwaffe), Army (Heer), and the Navy (Kriegsmarine). Of course, there was also the inevitable Himmler’s SS (Schutzstaffel).
