How Tall Was Hitler? Documents and Pictures on His Height

• Adolf Hitler is believed to be around 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) tall.
• He appeared shorter in some photographs due to the taller stature of his generals and the Reichsführer-SS.
• Hitler’s official records and photographs with Heinrich Himmler support his alleged height figure.

The exact height of Adolf Hitler is debated. However, Hitler was 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) tall, according to various sources. Still, eyewitnesses at the 1936 Summer Olympics believe that Hitler was around 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) tall, which was short even for the time. Photos from the 1938 Munich Conference, when four countries discussed Germany’s annexation of Sudetenland in advance of its invasion of Poland, show Hitler’s height around the same level as the other world leaders. However, considering how short Neville Chamberlain appears in the picture, the perspective is deceiving.

The below picture shows Hitler’s height next to other leaders:

Why Hitler Appeared Shorter in Pictures

Hitler was not a small individual at the time; he was of average height. So why did he occasionally appear shorter in photographs? Hitler looked dwarfed in images with his generals and the rest of the Reichsführer-SS because they were generally taller people. Even though Hitler was similar in height to Julius Caesar, Caesar’s Roman army usually consisted of individuals of average height, which is why he was never perceived as short as Alexander the Great, Joseph Stalin, or Napoleon Bonaparte.

• -> See also: How Tall Was Julius Caesar?

The below photograph of Hitler with Heinrich Himmler attests to Hitler’s height as another solid piece of evidence. Himmler was the Reichsführer of the SS, and he stood 5 ft 8.5 in (1.74 m) tall. In the picture, Himmler and Hitler are of comparable stature, but Hitler actually stands a bit taller, which again supports that his height was 5’9″ (175 cm). Taking into account the average height of Austrian soldiers in WWII, which was 5’8″ (1.73 m), Hitler’s height was perfectly normal for the time.

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Official Records on Hitler’s Height

In the below photograph of Adolf Hitler with his Fields Marshals during the German attack on Britain, Hitler appears to be the same height as Hermann Göring, 5’10” (1.78 m), despite standing in front of him. This again supports the claims regarding his height.

• -> See also: How Tall Was Napoleon?

Records from Landsberg Prison, where Hitler was imprisoned during the Beer Hall Putsch, also indicate this same height figure, with guards and those around him witnessing this measurement. Hitler was significantly shorter in comparison to his bodyguard Rochus Misch who stood at 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) tall.

In some pictures of Hitler with his partner Eva Braun, who stood at 5 ft 4.2 in (1.63 m), the height difference is less pronounced because she wore shoes with higher heels. But in other pictures, it is easy to see that Hitler was much taller.

• -> See also: Stalin’s Height: How Tall Was Stalin?

Unlike Stalin, Hitler is not known for using platform shoes to appear taller. Stalin even did that during the signing of the Hitler-Stalin non-aggression pact. Because even though Stalin stood at 5’4″ (1.62 m), he was known to wear platform shoes to appear at least 4 inches (10 cm) taller, just like Vladimir Putin does today.

Hitler’s Other Physical Characteristics

Standing at a height of 5 ft 9 in, Hitler maintained a healthy weight of 154 pounds (70 kg). He did not smoke, drank alcohol only on rare occasions, and was an ardent vegetarian. Hitler’s blood and urine tests, according to his doctor Theodor Morell, were often clean. Other than some mild colds, he generally had a robust immune system and a strong physicality due to his peasant family background. He also handled the stresses of warfare efficiently.

There are interesting stories about Hitler’s physical appearance; for example, it’s been reported that Hitler only had one testicle. Hitler was diagnosed with “right-side cryptorchidism,” a disorder in which a testicle fails to descend into the scrotum. This medical report originates from the time he was incarcerated after the failed Munich beer hall putsch in 1923.

• -> See also: How Tall Was Alexander the Great?

A Leader’s Height Does Matter

A leader’s physical traits, like height and weight, can shape a nation’s destiny. This is because it’s always hard to tell at first glance how smart or moral a leader is, but it’s usually easier to see how strong and powerful they are.

This is why symbols of authority, such as the crowns of European monarchs or the headdresses of Native American chiefs, not only signify wealth and power but also compensate for any perceived lack of height. An example of this is Louis XIV, who stood at only 5 feet 4 inches (1.62 m) tall but often wore high heels and a fluffy wig to enhance his image.

While physical strength and power may be components of the ideal leader image, the reality is much more complex. Hitler was able to successfully overthrow the much taller Paul von Hindenburg (6’6″; 1.98 m) through his skill and strategy.

But Was He Tall Enough?

According to Hitler’s doctrines, the ideal males were those with tall stature, fair skin, blue eyes, and blond hair—the Aryan race. The irony, however, is that contrary to Hitler’s own image of an Aryan, he did not meet this criterion. He was not tall in stature or superior in physique, nor did he have blonde hair. But he had blue eyes, so he was “half-Aryan” at best.

Not only that, but Hitler was also not eligible to join the SS (Schutzstaffel) organization he created. Their height requirements varied annually. In 1937, SS applicants needed to be at least 6 feet (1.83 m) tall; by 1941, that requirement had been lowered to 5 feet, 9.3 inches (1.76 m).

It is ironic that a man cannot satisfy the rules he has set for all other people. But is there a point to this? After all, rule-makers like tyrants rarely obey their own rules, preferring instead to consider themselves above the law they’ve enacted.

Adolf Hitler is one of the most infamous leaders in world history. It’s easy to find all sorts of things to discuss about this man, and he’s the subject of more anecdotes than any other World War II leader. The question of his height has been a popular one, and we tried to answer that in this article.