in the first half of 1937, preparations were underway for the "große deutsche kunstausstellung" ("great german art exhibition"), which was to showcase art approved by the nazis. an open invitation to german artists resulted in 15,000 works being submitted to the exhibition jury, which included allies of goebbels. when the works they selected for the exhibition were shown to hitler for his approval, he became enraged. hitler dismissed the jury and appointed his personal photographer heinrich hoffmann to make a new selection.