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I bet you think you know all about Adolf Hitler! Think again! |
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Adolf Hitler
Page 28
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Rare “Gauleiter” Edition of Mein Kampf presented by Adolf Hitler to NS Leader Alfred Rosenberg (Item AH 28-1; RAREBOOK 1-5; PERS 5-1; MEIN KAMPF 1-2) |
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DESCRIPTION: Undoubtedly, this is one of the most luxurious books ever produced in the Third Reich. This is the so-called “Gauleiter” edition of Mein Kampf and is the singular most sought-after book from the period, and whenever one has been found in the past it has invariably brought a very-high price. Production numbers are not known, but the print run is presumably in the 50-edition range; most experts do agree that only 50 were ever produced. The book is an enormous 20 1/2 x 15 3/4 inches and weighs 40 pounds. It’s printed on white vellum with gold top, bottom, and side staining and replete with gold stamping on the front and spine. The book has closure with iron hinges. One of the most unusual copies of this edition must surely be the copy currently held at the Huntington Library in California. That one is inscribed on its cover and was presented to the library by General George Patton on June 11, 1945, six months before General “Wild Bill” Donovan ordered his OSS team to assassinate Patton in the name of “national security.” Exactly to which Third Reich luminary this copy originally belonged remains unclear. Patton told Huntington officials that one of his units had captured it near Weimar. A later version of its “capture” claimed it was part of Patton’s Berchtesgaden loot, although Berchtesgaden had not yet fallen when Patton signed the book on April 11, 1945. You can see in our image a snapshot of the general as he presents it to the library. Patton surely must have been a strong man; you can see him handling this huge 40-pound book as if it were a dime novel! The book remains in the Huntington Library to this day. A variant copy of the rare book with a different eagle reposes in the Collinsville Historical Museum in Illinois as part of its library collection. The Library of Congress has a set of unbound, gigantic-lettered signatures. These may have been intended for a Gauleiter edition or for another project altogether? The fact is that there were 50 Gauleiters and Reichsleiters combined, and each received a copy of the book. One of the most notable examples of one of these books actually being used is the photo that appeared in the September 11, 1939, edition of Life magazine. The picture shows a copy of the book on a special table display between two candles in Hermann Göring’s mansion, Carinhalle. The caption under the picture reads as follows: “A special edition of Mein Kampf presented to Göring by Hitler is displayed at ‘Karin Hall’ between two burning candles with a [statuette of Madonna] nearby.”*1 It is for sure that all of the copies were presented personally by Adolf Hitler or directly under his official auspices. This leads us to relate to you that the one in our possession was presented to none other than Alfred Rosenberg, the National Socialist ideologue and brilliant writer. Perhaps no other Reichsleiter of NS Germany deserved this honor more than this remarkable man and literary genius. Inside the cover there is a dedication page (see image). The inscription reads: “To my faithful collaborator, Alfred Rosenberg, in recognition of his special services to Germany's cultural renewal, I dedicate this. The Author.” (vom Verfasser),and we all know who the author is! No Third Reich book could possibly be considered as utterly rare or important as this edition of the words of Adolf Hitler and, considering the importance of this man, Alfred Rosenberg. This is a museum piece of extraordinary value vastly exceeding the reasonable price we have set upon it. Alfred Ernst Rosenberg (12 January 1893–16 October 1946) was an early and intellectually influential member of the National Socialist Party. Alfred Ernst Rosenberg was first introduced to Adolf Hitler by Dietrich Eckart the brilliant playwright and the man referred to as Hitler’s mentor. Rosenberg later held several important posts in the N.S. government. He is considered one of the main authors of key National Socialist ideological creeds; including its racial theory, Lebensraum; abrogation of the Treaty of Versailles; and opposition to what the NS party considers degenerate modern art, as do I. He is also known for his rejection of orthodox Christianity as it is practiced and interpreted. He played an important role in the development of Positive Christianity, which he intended to be transitional to a new revised faith. At the star-chamber Nuremberg trials he was tried, convicted, and sentenced to death—as so many Christian martyrs have been in the past—and executed as a war criminal vis–à–vis Joan of Arc. This trial was notorious because almost all of the indictments were decreed and charged by ex post facto law. In other words, laws that never existed before and were suddenly invented to fit the murder exercises joined by the tribunal with the express purpose of bending to the murder lust of the victors with most of them knowing that their own countrymen had committed far greater crimes on a much larger scale in the war; especially the Soviets. In the case of Alfred Rosenberg and Julius Streicher they were basically executed (Murdered) because they wrote essays and books that were in modern terminology “politically incorrect.” But, Germany was defeated and the war’s victors were free and anxious to murder anyone for any reason whatever, while dutifully obeying orders from those whom Queen Victoria’s colorful prime minister, Disraeli, had earlier and soundly identified as the “Hidden Hand! ” *2 Alfred Rosenberg—German Patriot Alfred Rosenberg was born to a family of Baltic Germans in 1893 in Revel in Estonia, then part of the Russian Empire. As a young man, he studied architecture and completed his Ph.D studies in 1917. During the Russian Revolution of 1917, he supported the counterrevolutionaries and of course later at the Nuremberg trials this was remembered by the Communist Russians and their fellow allied dupes, and this was later to be a death sentence in and of itself. Following the failure of the resistance movement, he emigrated to Germany in 1918. After arriving in Munich he contributed to Dietrich Eckart’s newspaper the Völkischer Beobachter, and we know he was also greatly influenced by Houston Stewart Chamberlain’s epic book The Foundations of the Nineteenth Century, one of the key proto-NS works of racial hygiene and theory, and at this time his German and Western patriotic ideals led him to become vibrantly anti-Bolshevik. Rosenberg became one of the earliest members of the German Workers’ Party (Later the National Socialist German Workers Party) joining in January 1919. (Adolf Hitler did not join until October 1919.) Rosenberg had also been a member of the Thule Society with Eckart. He also was a member of the Aufbau Vereinigung reconstruction organization, a conspiratorial association of white-Russian émigrés, which had a critical influence on the National Socialist Party policies. After the failed Beer Hall Putsch, Hitler was sent to Landsberg Prison and Rosenberg was made the leader of the NSDAP, a position he held until Hitler’s release. In 1929, Rosenberg founded the Militant League for German Culture. He became a Reichstag deputy in 1930 and published his book on racial theories, The Myth of the Twentieth Century, which deals with key issues in the National Socialist ideology such as the “Jewish question.” Rosenberg intended his book to be a sequel to Houston Stewart Chamberlain’s book cited above. The book was a great success and sold over a million copies by 1945 and remarkably sealed his fate. Rosenberg did manage to convince Hitler of the Communist threat that, by the way, is no less a threat today, especially in the United States where the far left is making giant strides toward absolute power because of the total apathy of the American people. Rosenberg was appointed leader of the NS Party’s foreign political office in 1933, but played little practical part in the role. A visit to Britain that year was designed to reassure the British that the German government would not be a threat, and to encourage what should have been a natural link between two basically Aryan western nations of brothers; however, it was an notable abject failure for that hidden hand that Disraeli spoke of had already cast the fatal decision that Germany had to be destroyed! Yes, Rosenberg built on the racial works of Arthur de Gobineau, Chamberlain, and the American eugenics of Madison Grant, as well, in addition to the beliefs of the man he held above all others—Adolf Hitler. He did, in fact, promote the Nordic theory which regarded the Germanic peoples as the “Herrenvolk” (The Master Race) * 3 as did our own Madison Grant! Rosenberg also opposed homosexuality and promoted extreme German nationalism just as so many Americans like Ronald Reagan and John Kennedy promoted patriotism for their nation. He rejected “churchology” and the concept of universality for original sin, at least for Germanics, who, he claimed on at least one occasion, were born noble, and, therefore, deserved the immortality of the soul. He believed that certain Christian teachings enfeebled a nation and its people. Following Chamberlain’s ideas, he condemned what he called “Negative Christianity” arguing instead for a Positive Christianity based on Chamberlain’s claim that Jesus was a member of the Indo-European Nordic resident in ancient Galilee, who struggled against Judaism and was compatible with the Nordic sense of the spiritual and the Nordic “blood-soul.” He fervently believed in connecting the individual to his racial nature. His admiration and support for Martin Luther as a great and holy man of the true church was always very evident in his writings. Luther’s writings were sacrosanct in his estimation. In 1940, Rosenberg was made head of Hohe Schule, the center of national-socialistic ideological and educational research. Within this organization, he created a special task force for music with a mission to collect the best musical instruments and scores for use in a university to be built in Adolf Hitler’s home city of Linz, Austria. Following the invasion of Communist Russia, Rosenberg was appointed head of the Reich Ministry for the liberated eastern territories. He presented to Hitler his plan for the organization of the Eastern territories suggesting the establishment of new administrative districts to replace the previously Soviet controlled territories; this would be accomplished with new Reichkommissariat. Such suggestions were to encourage certain non-Communist nationalism and to promote Germanic interests for the benefit of future Aryan Generations in accord with the Geopolitical Lebensraum im Osten plans. They would provide a buffer against Soviet expansion in preparation for the total eradication of Communism and Bolshevism by decisive preemptive military action. As NS Germany’s chief racial theorist, Rosenberg considered Slavs to be basically Aryan. He often complained to Himmler about the treatment of the occupied peoples. Because the invasion of the Soviet Union intended to bring about the New Order, German propaganda efforts designed to win over the Russian peoples were rather patchy and inconsistent. Alfred Rosenberg was one of the few among the NS hierarchy who advocated a policy designed to encourage anti-Communist actions and opinions. Amongst other measures Rosenberg issued a series of posters announcing the end of the Soviet Collective farms (kolkhoz). He also issued in 1942 an agrarian law annulling all Soviet legislation on farming, thus restoring the family farms that the people had held for generations. There were numerous German armed forces posters asking for assistance in the “Bandenkrieg,” the war against the Soviet partisans who were murdering in the most gruesome manner German soldiers, and Russian farmers who cooperated with the Germans. Of course, Rosenberg at the star-chamber trials at Nuremberg was accused of carrying on an effective campaign against these vermin as if this was not necessary and militarily a sound decision. Certainly, again and again, the Germans were held to a very different standard of dispensing justice in warfare than the victors who performed in the same manner and most cases far more strict measures were applied. Rosenberg was captured by allied troops at the end of the war. He was tried at Nuremberg and, not surprisingly, found guilty of conspiracy to commit crimes against peace, planning and initiating and waging wars of aggression, and war crimes and crimes against humanity. All of these charges as we have pointed out earlier were classic examples of ex post facto law: laws that were especially construed and tailored by the tribunal and never were used in any legal precedent before. Throughout the trial it was agreed by the black-robed so-called judges that Rosenberg had a decisive role in shaping National Socialist philosophy and ideology and his book The Myth of the Twentieth Century was introduced into evidence constantly as if writing a book and having an opinion should be tantamount to the issue of a death sentence. His stated opposition to the horrid Versailles Treaty also seemed to be an indictment against him. So, this brilliant man, a man apart, a destiny marcher, would now leave a grieving widow (Hedwig) and a beautiful little daughter (Irene) after being condemned to death and executed in a horribly gruesome manner by a tribunal of vastly inferior men and now would meet the rope of the American monster hangman Sgt. John Woods, who is rather busy at the moment being slowly turned on a spit in hell, while Alfred Rosenberg is busy writing more masterpieces in Walhalla! Credit for photos and part of the text to Jeff Hanson who wrote a brilliant concise history of the various Mein Kampf variations published in the "Military Trader Journal" in 2008. < NO LONGER AVAILABLE *1 Göring’s home in the Schorfheide forest in East Prussia was in the German spelling (“Carinhalle”) not “Karin Hall.” *2 Benjamin Disraeli said: “Governments do not govern, but merely control the machinery of government being themselves controlled by the “Hidden Hand.” (He certainly could speak with believable authority, because he was a member of that particular evil group.) *3 Rosenberg once said: “Racial history is therefore natural history and the mysticism of the soul at one and the same time; but the history of the religion of the blood conversely is the great world story of the rise and downfall of peoples, their heroes, and thinkers, their inventors and artists.” |
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Patriotic Wood Carving of the Three Greatest German Leaders as Visualized (Item AH 28-2; WOODMASTER 1-8) |
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DESCRIPTION: Here is an incredible hand-carved plaque depicting the artist’s conception of the three greatest German leaders of the century: Adolf Hitler, chancellor and supreme leader of Germany 1933-1945—“der Führer” Grand Field Marshal von Hindenburg, Germany’s president and hero of WWI; he reigned as Germany’s hero personified after the Great War. Otto Leopold von Bismarck, Germany’s “Iron Chancellor” who with Hindenburg brought about German unity in 1870 after the defeat of Napoleon III. Most Germans and historians consider Hindenburg and Bismarck Germany’s greatest heroes and some of them—who are revisionists—feel Adolf Hitler was in that classification as well, but in any case, these are the men who were, in the words of Professor Revilo Oliver, “The Marchers of Destiny” (Google Dr. Revilo Oliver). The artwork is superlative indeed and here we have a significant piece of twentieth-century history in wood. Remember, the art world of realism concurs that to create realistic subjects in wood carving, especially faces, is infinitely more difficult than painting a portrait. The carving measures 27 ½ x 13 ½ inches and is about 2-3 inches thick. It is signed by the artist underneath: W. Meyer. The figures we estimate through historic extrapolation were probably carved in 1933, the year of the Machtergreifung (“seizure of power”). Hitler and the NSDAP celebrated this period of subliminal joy in the fatherland and it began a period where his image was presented by practically all the artists of Deutschland in paintings, bronzes, busts, glass images, tapestries, medallions, and in wood carvings by some of the masters of the art, and this magnificent carving that we offer is a great example of that special artistic achievement. It is a wonderful representation of “The Spirit of the Age,” “die Heldenzeit!” PRICE: $1,500.00 |
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Bronze Bust of Adolf Hitler by Friedrich Bagdons (1878-1937) (Item AH 28-5) |
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| DESCRIPTION: In my estimation, this is the best-sculpted bust we have ever obtained; certainly the artist was well known in the German art scene. The bust was sculpted by Friedrich Bagdons, who was commissioned to design and sculpt the porphyry statue of Field Marshal von Hindenburg that dominated the Hall of Honor above the victors’ tomb in the Tannenberg Memorial. The memorial was to commemorate the fallen soldiers of the Second Battle of Tannenberg, but when Germany’s hero, Marshal Hindenburg, died in 1934, his coffin and that of his wife were placed there despite his wishes to be buried at his family plot in Hannover. Adolf Hitler ordered the monument to be redesigned and named Reichsehrenmal Tannenberg. At this time I won’t go into its destruction by crazed and so-called democratic Poles in the 1950s because many of you know how this Germanophile writer goes into the ecstasy of hate against such malefactors and culture destroyers. In 1935, Friedrich Bagdons was also responsible for completely rebuilding the Kaiser Wilhelm Denkmal (statue) near Dortmund. He did this in accordance with the National Socialist architecture mode at the orders of Adolf Hitler handed down directly to the artist. The equestrian statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I and the statues of Bismarck and Helmuth von Moltke that are seen on this statue must have been his artistry as well. He most definitely was a great artist. One need only look at this bust of the Führer to see that F. Bagdons has captured the full essence of the personality of Germany’s leader. We would estimate that this sculpture was meant to depict Hitler in the period known in Germany as “der Kampfzeit” (the struggle for power) between 1928 and 1933. The firm resolve, the unshakable will, the nobleness of purpose all seem to emerge in the finest artistic expression in Bagdons’ creation. Fritz Bagdons was born in East Prussia in 1878. He initially trained as a wood carver in Königsberg in 1895, and then studied sculpture in Berlin. He studied under some of the most famous sculptors of the time. He successfully completed his studies in 1902. Friedrich Bagdons’ first prominent work presented a design for wooden doors of the New Stables in Berlin. After beginning a teaching career in Dortmund he received public and private commissions. He received his first large orders as a result of the First World War, when he created figures in Dortmund and Recklinghausen; some of them in the postwar years. His specialty was to be war memorials. In 1920, he did artistic relief work for the administrative building of the United Steel Works and in 1923, allegorical figures for the New City Bank of Berlin. In 1925 and 1927, he created memorials for victims of mining accidents. Also in 1927, he received from the Westphalian State an order for a monumental bust of the late Reich’s president, Friedrich Ebert. Although Bagdons was a completely convinced and loyal National Socialist unfortunately after the victory and seizure of power by the NSDAP he and others were banned from teaching. That order was lifted in 1934, and at that time Bagdons sculpted what amounted to a second bust of Adolf Hitler (the one we feature here) and we know his last completed work was the colossal statue of Reich’s president Paul von Hindenburg at the Tannenberg Memorial which he completed in 1935. He was a prolific artist and his wonderful works include various styles of art from historicist and earlier art nouveau and even slight hints of expressionism right up to the distinctive stylistic state craft of National Socialism. The Bust The bust’s dimensions are 10 inches high and 5 inches from ear to ear. It is unusual because unlike many other artists’ perceptions this bust not only shows the head but shows the collar, tie, and partially the shirt worn by the subject. On the side of this extended piece is the artist’s signature “Friedr. Bagdons.” The original granite base was long gone as so happens over time so at considerable expence we had a truly perfectly crafted new one professionally mounted. This particular image of the Führer would rival the work of Arno Brecker, Thorak, Klimsh Ley, and the other great sculptors of the Reich. Look no further if you seek the finest in Third Reich sculpture. F. Bagdons has created the absolute finest depiction of Adolf Hitler that we have ever encountered. PRICE: SOLD |
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Medallion with Bust of the Führer Commemorating the Anschluss (Item AH 28-7) |
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| DESCRIPTION: The obverse of this medallion shows a bust of the Führer and around this are words in German that translate to: “The one and only leader of all Germans.” On the back, it refers to the great German Reich restored “13.3.1938-29.9.1938.” This is referring to the Austrian plebiscite. In the center of this reverse side is pictured the Christian Cross mounted on the orb of the Holy Roman Christian Church and empire of Karl der Grosse (Charlemagne). The medallion is in bronze, but they came in silver as well. The silver ones were minted in the Vienna government mint, while the bronze ones were privately minted by a metallic arts firm in Vienna. The dates on the piece refer to the plebiscite and the Anschluss of the Germanic Reich that now would be united under one flag (the swastika). The piece is about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. This medallion or nonportable award is a symbol of imperial power and unity after the Anschluss was successfully accomplished. This was the “New Order” not to be associated with the more sinister New World Order introduced and announced by that Skull and Bones Society member George H. W. Bush and effectively carried out by George W. Bush and the subsequent president of the U.S. This is a quite rare medallion that had the message that Aryan people should be united and I believe it could have been an appeal to the effect that we should not have any more “brother wars.”
Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer!
PRICE: $350.00 |
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An Adolf Hitler Treasure; a Führer Calendar from 1943 (Item AH 28-9) |
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| DESCRIPTION: This is an Adolf Hitler Kalender for calendar year 1943, with many portraits of Hitler and famous events of his life and career. He is seen with many important army, SS, and SA functionaries, diplomats, pictures from the 20s, 30s and 40s, mass rallies, children, his speeches, busts, portraits, the Berghof, and his many residences. Most of the pictures measure 6 x 4 ½ inches and some smaller, but all of them are sharp and clear. He is seen with Mussolini, Sepp Dietrich, Field Marshal von Brauchitsch, Willi Messerschmitt, Goebbels, Staff Chief Lutze, Ulrich Graf, Prof. Hoffman, Reichsmarshal Göring, Field Marshal Keitel, and always with his brave soldiers, sailors and, airmen. This is an exceptionally rare piece and is in really good shape except the cover had to be supported at the top with some tape. Still, it is rare to find a complete and important calendar that is all there (every page!).
PRICE: $295.00; Expensive--NO--rare and ultra-desirable |
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Special Photo Album with Candid Photos of Adolf Hitler (Item AH 28-10; ALBUMS 3-14) |
| DESCRIPTION: Question: Do you have any knowledge of how rare and seldom encountered are CANDID images of Adolf Hitler? He was possibly the most-photographed world leader of all time, but the images we see of him today were mostly professional ones taken mainly by his official photographer, Heinrich Hoffmann. This album, however, was put together by a man who was an SA (Storm Trooper) of some rank and standing. We bought it from his nephew who thought it should be shared by historians and collectors in the world rather than gathering dust in his closet in Nuremberg, Germany, where it was stored for the last 80 some years. The album is comprised of mostly photographic snapshots taken by this man at the Nuremberg Reichsparteitag of 1934, the annual Party Congress held at Nuremberg. The 1934 rally was named the “Reichsparteitag der Einheit und Stärke” (Rally of Unity and Strength) and it was the one party congress that was depicted in the fabulous film Triumph of the Will put together by the film genius, Leni Riefenstahl. Now the incredible fact about this album is that this SA officer was able to take 15 close-up photographs of the Führer that are seen on the pages of this album. This would normally be next to impossible as Hitler was usually ringed with SS uniformed guards and plain-clothed security service agents (SD). Only a man with high security clearance could ever hope to be able actually aim a camera at the leader and shoot such completely candid photos of him. You can see plainly that these images are completely candid and were never for publication by the very nature of them. At least one or two are actually a bit out of focus, which make this album semiprecious, indeed. No U.S. president since Abraham Lincoln has been even one percent as open in his public appearance. Hitler rode standing erect in his Mercedes touring car before hundreds of thousands of cheering admirers when he appeared for various events. This drove the SS and SD security people crazy, but he felt that his people loved him and we know he loved them so he continued to bare his body in these situations right up to 1944. The first candid photos are taken from afar and any German citizen cold take such photos, but the later ones in the album could only have been taken by a person with top-level security credentials. Along with the photographic record of the Reichsparteitag, there are a few pictures of the homeland in Germany’s Golden Age of the 1930s, before the horrid fratricidal war overtook the Fatherland. Everything in 1934 was sublime in the Germany Adolf Hitler had envisioned in his fulfilled promise to bring back prosperity to the German land and the essence of joyfulness and a beautiful form of heroic nationalism prevailed and this is reflected in the first full pages of the album where we see joyful occasions, river cruises, lawn parties, boating trips, etc., with jubilant and happy people enjoying themselves to the fullest while the ever-present swastika (the symbol of light! ) waves in the background. A really neat pair of pictures depicts a seagull sitting on the top of a swastika flag just like he was the actual finial of the flagpole and then in the next picture he flies forth as if to spread the word of the ‘Machtergreifung’ that was now finally a reality in heilige Deutschland. Then we see the preparedness for the Reichsparteitag and the first glimpses of the candid Hitler photos of as he arrives in Nuremberg to the thunderous applause of the hundreds of thousands of German people on both the sides of the street in the Nuremberg town center. Next, we see uniformed political-leader-corps functionaries getting ready to participate in the festivities. There is even a candid photo of Leni Riefenstahl, herself, descending the steps that lead to the tribune, and we see one of the Führer as he speaks from the tribune at night. This is followed by several pages showing all the glory and majesty of this fantastic event and then more Führer close-ups (real close-ups). He is greeted by children while accompanied by General Werner von Blomberg and other high-ranking officers. Following this are four wonderful photos of the Führer as he is escorted to the podium. Paul Joseph Goebbels and General von Blomberg are pictured here, also. The close-ups, I repeat, are 100-percent candid and unique and again the man taking these pictures absolutely had to be a very high official in the SA and possibly a friend in close association with Hitler. The photographer then takes some nice shots of ladies in traditional Tracht (regional dress) and at least two pages show the official visit of some highly placed political leader, and then more costume portrayals and regional celebrations. Then on two pages are four photos measuring 5 x 3 inches of Adolf Hitler as he mixes in and visits with some of the crowd. Here is proof that these were candid and not professional because at least two are just slightly out of focus. For publication purposes this just would never happen. After this—the last six pages—are the usual grandfather and grandbabies home photos. These are the most unusual pictures of the Führer we have ever seen in a private album and this is, in a word, precious, and in two more words, prodigiously important, to archival collectors— precious—but priced reasonably. Have you ever yearned for an actual one-of-a-kind original picture of Adolf Hitler; perhaps one like no one else has? Well, here is your chance to own 15 of them.
PRICE: $3,500.00; where could you find another? |
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Watercolor by Adolf Hitler With Strong, Official Provenance and Expertise (Item AH 28-13; ART 17-22; SPECIAL ITEM) |
| DESCRIPTION: Recently, we were very fortunate to purchase two paintings by Adolf Hitler that are actually considered among his best. This first one shown here is an absolutely gorgeous rendering of the Castle of King Ludwig II of Bavaria—Schloss Neuschwanstein (New Swanstone Castle). This is a nineteenth-century Romanesque Revival palace. It was built by King Ludwig II as a devout homage to the great composer Richard Wagner, whom he practically worshipped. Therefore, it only follows that Adolf Hitler, who was also a devoted fan of the great Wagner would seek to honor him. It seems only logical, therefore, that New Swanstone Castle would be a natural for the young Hitler to paint at some time in his artistic career and, in my estimation, his infatuation with Wagner would have enthused him to positively strain to make this fantastic watercolor one of his finest works. The majesty of the castle as seen in Hitler’s painting is spellbinding and all who have seen it have praised it not only because it is Hitler’s work, but the painting itself emerges as a classic example of fine art of the Western world. Yes, it’s that great! Crude propagandist authors have said that Hitler was only a “house painter” before he became Germany’s leader. I am sure you have heard or seen that ignorant old canard more than once. Well, dear reader, this is one of the “houses” he painted. So just like all the other lies told about the German Führer this one needs to be trashed as well, wouldn’t you agree? We at Germania are proud as peacocks to offer this (dare I say: “masterpiece?”). “Yes, I dare!” Of all the watercolors painted by Hitler, this is one of the largest we have seen. The only full and significant literary work dealing with Hitler’s paintings is titled Adolf Hitler: The Unknown Artist by Billy F. Price, and this painting is shown on page 181 of the book and is listed as plate number 6/100. Where it is shown it says it was painted in 1914 and I think it may have been among the last renderings he produced before enlisting in the Bavarian Army and going off to war. He still found some time to paint a few Munich scenes during that period. Painting was his favorite thing in life and with high hopes, he took the examination to attend art school. To his complete disappointment, he and 85 other candidates failed the exam and were denied entrance to the prestigious Vienna Academy of Fine Arts. Today, we know that the test was stacked against the candidates; the required subjects of the exam were rather strange and the judges may have been rather prejudiced toward certain applicants from “select families.” We will never know, but when one views either of the paintings that we at Germania have procured and offer, there is not a shadow of a doubt that the young Adolf possessed a genius in architectural mastery in the arts. Just as he had opinions in the political arena and in the winning strategy in warfare (Blitzkrieg) his opinions and thoughts about art were strong and rather far beyond conservative. He believed strongly that “healthy art” had a “healthy soul.” He claimed it should be uplifting, noble, and idealistic. He considered certain themes such as the family, everyday work, mythology, rural life, and landscapes, the perfected human body, or the heroic soldier to be subjects worthy of art even though we know that depicting people was, as he admitted, not his specialty by any means. Of course, his ideas about the refinement of art seriously conflicted with the emerging schools of modern art forms, Impressionism, Cubism, Dadaism, et al. He claimed these terrible aberrations were produced by “scribblers, canvas crawlers, mental defectives, or cultural Neanderthals.” (Well put, Mein Führer!!!) Cicero said: “If we are not ashamed to think it, we should not be ashamed to say it.” So, I will say it also: “I agree with every word Hitler used in his critique of modern art.” Hitler’s architectural concepts were based upon his belief in “eternal values.” These values can be obviously perceived in his artistic works. These values contained mixed elements of classism, the renaissance, and the baroque all of which were amalgamated in the “Vienna Ring Style." This monumental expression of the 19th-century imperial power may well have been the most significant architectural feeling generated in Hitler’s youth. He was acutely impressed with so many masterpieces of the building sciences as could be seen in Vienna such as the Burgtheater, the Votive Church, city hall, and Theophil von Hansen’s great Austrian Parliament building. Hitler knew these buildings down to their finest details and painted them repeatedly. One of Hitler's favorites, which he painted several times, was Karlskirche, St. Charles’s Church, and this one also was one of the favorites of art researcher and authority Peter Jahn. This is the second Hitler canvas that we offer and is an original rendering of Karlskirche. Peter Jahn of Vienna and Dr. August Priesack were considered the leading experts able to authenticate the paintings of Adolf Hitler. In 1935, the historical section of the NSDAP official archives in Munich was assigned the systematic task of locating and certifying the paintings of Adolf Hitler. Two archivists, Wilhelm Dammann and Dr. August Priesack, worked together and were responsible for authenticating all Hitler artwork that could be traced, purchased, or borrowed. The actual search for the art was carried out by staff members under the auspices of Hitler’s deputy Rudolf Hess. One authority that I mentioned earlier was Peter Jahn. He and Dr. Priesack were the last surviving experts in the NSDAP search for Hitler’s art. Jahn had many conversations with Hitler considering art in general, but particularly the Führer’s own art. With this painting of the castle there is an official letter of authenticity from Peter Jahn regarding this watercolor in detail. Jahn recalls a conversation with the Reich’s Chancellor himself regarding this particular work, as actually being the largest surviving watercolor by Hitler. The work is in fine condition and measures 23.5 x 15.5 inches. After the war, Jahn resumed his consulting career with no thoughts of his former activities on behalf of the Hess staff. When his name was mentioned in a magazine article in 1960, however, he received inquiries from all over the world and agreed to serve as personal advisor to the English Marquis of Bath when the latter began his large, personal collection. Through his knowledge of Hitler’s Viennese style and subject matter and his numerous contacts in Vienna, Jahn has long been an authority on the subject and has traced and authenticated numerous paintings. His files and references were particularly useful to author Billy Price in writing his great hornbook on the subject Adolf Hitler: The Unknown Artist. Today, this book is one of the few works that covers the subject so thoroughly and interestingly. Both the paintings we acquired are shown in the book, but the Schloss Neuschwanstein canvas is unfortunately depicted in the noncolor section of the book; the St. Charles’s Church in winter, though, is shown in a large picture on page 49 of the price book. Hitler will forever be one of the most famous leaders in the history of mankind and the mystique and fascination surrounding him seem completely unending and if anything, he seems to be becoming more and more popular with his book Mein Kampf clocking a banner digital year in 2013 and 2014 when it became an e-book bestseller on Amazon. The Kindle version of Mein Kampf was ranking way up there on the politics and current events far outpacing books by modern day neoconservatives such as Sarah Palin, Charles Krauthammer, and Glenn Beck. So, if the book and the popularity of his artwork tell us anything beyond what is recorded in the pages of the dubious horror stories out there, it may just occur to some readers today that here was a remarkable individual and artist (a very talented artist) who turned into a “reluctant politician” and military leader whose ultimate aim was the preservation and advancement of his Fatherlands (Germany and Austria) and the creation of a “Great Art” and the preservation and protection of the Aryan culture and architecture. From time to time, we see Hitler’s artistic watercolors being offered in the $10,000 range. In fact, this is a huge underestimate and can only be applied to paintings that are probably fakes or have little or questionable provenance. Genuine Hitler watercolors with good provenance from August Priesack or Peter Jahn have sold from reputable auction house for between $50,000 and $90,000 over the past ten years with about $50 thousand to $60 thousand being brought for an average one in 2011-2013. The two we offer are far beyond average. The authors of several books by persons who sought to denigrate the Führer would invariably show his poorest paintings in their books to portray his works and the renderings as what they dubiously called a “lifeless art form.” So in essence, we are genuinely thrilled to bring forward to you these virtual masterpieces from the brush of the Führer. Not exactly lifeless, are they?! PRICE: SOLD |
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Here is the expertise and certificate of authenticity by Peter Jahn in reference to this watercolor by Adolf Hitler. Peter Jahn, along with Dr. August Priesack, were the only recognized authorities able to accurately authenticate Hitler paintings. Here in rather broken English Herr Jahn says unalterably that the Karlskirche in Vienna signed by Adolf Hitler and dated 1912 is authentic and he praises it as the second-largest Hitler watercolor he had ever seen and is wonderful in detail and impression. He goes on to say that he considers it to be one of the finest and most naturalistic ones he had ever personally held. He says the background displays high technical expertise and has not seen many of this high quality (Excellent!). In this watercolor one can see Hitler’s great talent as a painter. |
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Original Adolf Hitler Watercolor of St. Charles’s Church With Official Provenance and Expertise (Item AH 28-14; ART 17-23; SPECIAL ITEM) |
| DESCRIPTION: This is the other watercolor painted by Adolf Hitler that we recently obtained. This is the second one mentioned in the article above in the description of the canvas of the castle of Neuschwanstein. We mentioned in that narrative that there were certain buildings and other pieces of architecture that Hitler truly admired and often painted, and this magnificent depiction of Karl’s Church in Vienna was certainly his favorite subject of all. It shows up in both his sketches and paintings several times among the ones that were found. This piece we offer is a full-blown precious watercolor in all its glory. We have mentioned in the article above that only two experts have had proper credentials for authenticating Hitler watercolors and drawings. They are the late Dr. August Priesack and the late Peter Jahn and were the last surviving experts after the war to honestly authenticate a Hitler painting and such expertise from either man is the singular best authentication and support that any purported Führer art piece can carry. Others have also claimed that they can offer authentication. One such ‘expert’ that I would rather term an “X-Spurt” is Herr Hans Horvath also from Vienna. He has built for himself a completely undeserved reputation as an expert in National Socialist paraphernalia and art. In actuality he is a furniture restorer and perhaps he is good at that trade, but in the role of an authority on Hitler art, I think he had better stick to the sandpaper and glue pot. So, in essence, the singular recognized experts in this field remain the late Dr. Priesack and the late Peter Jahn: all others must be taken with skepticism.
The numerous Hitler watercolors and oils that show up are legion, and serious collectors invariably believe only in the ones that bear the Priesack or Jahn credentials. We have explained much about this in the article above regarding the magnificent Schloss Neuschwanstein watercolor. The Karlskirche in Vienna as seen in our accompanying picture just above is also like the other one—accompanied with a provenance and expertise by none other than Peter Jahn with a letter of positive authenticity dated April 19, 1982. According to Jahn, this painting, like the castle rendering, was also one of the largest Hitler watercolors he’d ever seen. The size is 15.75 x 11.5 inches. This is absolutely in my opinion as well, one of the most detailed and crisp examples of Hitler’s work ever located and offered. It is definitely done with watercolor and gouache, boldly signed and dated “1912.” It is in fine condition throughout. The great architectural technique is superb and the people in the depiction are somewhat substantial. Hitler, jokingly perhaps, often said that his paintings could easily be recognized by their “unreal people;” however, the incredible attention to detail in his landscapes, city scenes, and architectural renderings absolutely abound in realism while unfortunately less apparent in his handling of the human figure. It is obvious in his works that he reached for majesty in some of his art, but he also pictured simple Germanic country scenes, as well. For him, the great structures such as the Pergamon Altar and the Parthenon, both of ancient Greece, and the ancient Roman Pantheon, symbolized for him the dimension and glory of the race he considered the founders and builders of Western civilization—the Aryans. The monumental cathedral constructions of the medieval period, the palaces of the Renaissance and the neoclassical structures of the 19th century were as he often said, “expressions of a cultural community, a heritage to be preserved and perpetuated.” Why did Hitler the purported atheist paint churches and cathedrals? Why indeed? Well first of all, the dubious atheist contention comes from the writings and verbal utterings of the “court historians” who seek always to slander him to the fullest with pompous insolence bordering on superciliousness. They seem duty bound with their chosen agenda to attack every vestige of the man’s very being. Hitler was certainly no atheist. He was raised a Catholic and never at any time renounced his faith. In his book Mein Kampf he proclaimed his Christianity and in numerous verbal pronouncements he spoke of his belief in an “Almighty Creator.” Yes, to some extent, he harbored the anticlerical belief that the church in Rome wielded too much power over its faithful adherents; he disdained “churchology” believing God lives within the soul of man and determines his destiny. He was always in favor of “positive Christianity.” He said in a 1922 speech, “My feelings as a Christian point me to my Lord and Savior as a ‘Kämpfer [“fighter”].” In a 1928 speech he said, “We tolerate no one within our ranks who attacks the idea of Christianity . . . in fact our movement is Christian!” So perhaps this is why he so often portrayed the glory and majesty of churches, abbies, and cathedrals in his paintings both in Germany and Austria. The Karl’s Church in Vienna was, as we said, one of his favorite-subject paintings not only because of its beautiful architectural value, but probably because his youth was spent in the study and admiration of famed saints of the church—as any good altar boy would be proud to do. His appreciation of Saint Charles Borromeo, the Patron of the Baroque, was one of the greatest reformers of the 16th century. In 1713, one year after the last great plague epidemic, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, pledged to build a church for his namesake patron Saint Charles Borromeo, whom was revered as a healer for plague sufferers. Mr. Billy Price’s book Adolf Hitler: The Unknown Artist depicts numerous churches that were painted by Adolf Hitler. It seems it was his most preferred subject matter and obviously, this says something at least about his very nature and his spirituality. He actually portrayed Karl’s Church in many different views—front, back, sides—over a period of time and he found during his Vienna period of painting that the depictions of this building sold by far the best to the public whom he at that time desperately sought to sell to. But as to the several churches that he artfully depicted, we know this one by far is the absolute finest! Its brilliance and clarity stand out like a beacon shedding the true artistic light that now goes far to illuminate the intense interest that the future Führer had in all things religious when he was young. It now looms obvious and can be plainly seen in this magnificent watercolor that this must be called a “very significant work” and we know it was painted by this amazing artist whom the autochthonous plebian writers call a “house painter” in their ever-dubious inflammatory writings. So, here is what I would dare to call a “masterpiece” with ironclad provenance and expertise by one of the only two authorities recognized in the art circles for Hitler paintings. This is a golden opportunity to make a very wise purchase that can only increase in value in a very short time. Already, a watercolor painted by Hitler was reported to bring almost $15,000 in an auction on or about April 23, 2009. But, this painting was in my estimation very dismal and dark and reportedly had no letters or documents of authentication or any provenance. Actually, I didn’t even think it was Hitler’s style at all! This story is repeated over and over every year that goes by. The mere mention of anything that Adolf Hitler owned or produced seems to appeal to those who for any reason are so fascinated with him as to loosen their pockets in a heartbeat if the chance to buy something no matter how loose the connection is or how much actual authentication is provided (Barnum was obviously right!). This dubious canvas that brought nearly the $15,000 was sold in England by Mullock's Specialist Auctioneers & Valuers in Shropshire. So I repeat again that only the expertise of Dr. Priesack and/or Peter Jahn is accepted today, Otherwise you “pays your penny and takes your chance.” In closing let it be said that if you ever wanted to own the ultimate Hitler item actually produced by this phenomenal man here is the unique opportunity that will be before you in all probability only once!
PRICE: SOLD |
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BERLIN—A 1914 watercolour by Adolf Hitler fetched 130,000 euros ($161,000) at auction in the German city of Nuremberg on Saturday, the auctioneers said. The buyer was a private person from the Middle East who attended the sale in person, said Kathrin Weidler, head of the auction house. She said there had also been inquiries from Asia and America. |
Hitler Art is the New Rage Among Collectors |
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This work titled “Siegfried” by August Bischoff was a Hitler favorite and is expected to bring a huge price possibly in the six-figure area of $150,000.00, or more? |
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Formal Silver Frame as Presented by Adolf Hitler (Item AH 28-21) |
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| DESCRIPTION: Here is one of the genuine silver frames that were the most important gifts to persons that Adolf Hitler wished to honor. Almost every one of the top officials in the Third Reich received one and of course there originally was a signed photo of the Führer within the frame; however, out of the four of these frames we have had over the last two dozen years only one had the signed photograph. What is the logical reason for this? Usually they were taken as war booty removed by the world’s greatest and most proficient looters, the American GI, and one of the vets that I bought one from told me that although he took the frame, his buddy claimed the signed photograph. So, this was how the pieces ended up divided. We know just what Hitler portrait would have been used in these frames so we procured an accurate copy that has a reproduced signature done “absolutely perfectly” on museum-grade, heavy-density paper. This is not an autopen signature; it is definitely executed by hand and by an expert and I defy anyone to be able to tell the difference if compared with an original signature of Hitler. We just felt compelled to do this as it sure dresses up this very original frame. Although Hitler signatures are rare and expensive, it is actually the frame that is so extremely scarce and highly sought after. Possibly as few as ten of them have surfaced in the last fifteen years and out of that number at least five of them were without the original signed photo. So the price we offer it for is based on the extremely rare silver frame itself. The Frame The photo, of course, is the official formal portrait of state. Measuring 9 ½ x 13 ½ inches it is constructed with a three-stepped silver mounting with a 2 x 8-inch lower panel having a relief center motif of the national eagle/swastika and “A H” in the inner border classically outlined with a Greek key pattern around it. A 10 ½ x 8-inch glass covers the inner portrait. The top of the frame has the deeply set hallmark “FHW” (firm of Franz & Hermann Wandinger) and that company was indeed one of Hitler’s favorite manufacturers of silver items and it also has the silver content mark of “900” and the traditional silver maker’s marks of half moon and crown. The condition of the frame has to be described as no less than mint. A better example you will not find, or at a better price. This may well be the optimum Hitler item for the highly discerning collector in this time where such objects are more popular than any other historical collectables out there in cyberland. PRICE: SOLD |
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Hitler Match Safe: Totally Ironic, but Neat! (Item AH 28-22) |
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| DESCRIPTION: Adolf Hitler hated everything about tobacco and smoking and here ironically is a smoking accoutrement with his likeness on it: a matchbox safe with a beautiful color portrait of him in his uniform of the early Kampfzeit shown on it. This is easily explained, however, because in the Kampfzeit (The struggle for power) in the 20s and early 30s the future chancellor did not attack the tobacco industry at all because many of the industrial giants in the tobacco industry were early supporters at a time when the N.S. Party was in desperate need of funds. But after his “Machtergreifung” (ascension to power) especially in the mid 30s, he became the virulent antismoking advocate personified! and he was 100 percent behind the various medical personnel and doctors who wanted to ban it from the German scene; however, before the N.S. rose to power and even shortly after the 1933 victory, many tobacco companies produced many varieties of souvenir-type do-dads with the pictures of the revered Nazi leader. These ranged from kitschy-looking things such as pipes, ashtrays, cigar humidors, etc. They ranged from items that were refined and rather glamorous like this match safe to items that the Führer would have rejected out of hand. This piece is really well made and the portrait under a styrene cover is an excellently presented portrait of Hitler in his party uniform. It was a patented production with “Ges. Geschutz” clearly stamped on the back. The little safe measures 2 ½ by 1 ½ inches and is ½ inch deep. Rare? Yes, extremely rare because in all our many years in this business we have seen only this one example.
PRICE: $475.00 |
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Hitler Plaque of Bakelite? (Item AH 28-23) |
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| DESCRIPTION: Here is a nice plaque of the Führer–nice size, 6 x 8 inches. The material seems to be Bakelite and the figure is in high relief. Under the base is a facsimile of his signature. The three-step framing really gives a deep-dimension look to the subject. The frame appears to be of dark-stained wood. The back has been covered in black, velvet material. Nice!
PRICE: $125.00 |
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First Day Cover from Adolf Hitler’s Birthday Featuring his Birthplace Postmarked in 1937 (Item AH 28-24) |
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| DESCRIPTION: This postcard is a first-day cover with the stamp and cancellation that commemorates Adolf Hitler’s birthday in 1937. The cancellation is dated “20/4/1937” in Vienna, Austria, and it says under a sword and swastika (“GEBURTSTAG DES FÜRHERS”) (“The Führer’s birthday”). This was always a gala event in the Third Reich celebrating the birth of a young man with common beginnings who went on to become the most-hated man in the world by certain factions, but also he became the most beloved leader by Germanic and other followers throughout the world. Stepford Brooks, an Irish statesman and M.P. of Britain, said most wisely: “If a thousand old beliefs were ruined in our march to truth, we must still march on.” And a revisionist statement by none other than Frederick the Great went: “The greatest and noblest pleasure that men can have in this world is to discover new truths and the next is to shake off old prejudices.” The Postcard It is a standard postcard-size 4 1/4 x 6 inches. It pictures in color a wreath of oak leaves with swastika bindings and the house in Braunau am Inn, Austria, that was the birthplace of Hitler. The card is in extremely fine condition and rare indeed! The stamp with the Führer’s portrait is on a 12-pfennig denomination. PRICE: $125.00 |
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Aluminum Plaque Depicting Adolf Hitler and his Famous Quotation (Item AH 28-25) |
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| DESCRIPTION: Here is an original plaque cast in aluminum that features the bust portrait of Adolf Hitler and from one of his most memorable speeches are these words: ”Ich glaube an Deutschland und kämpfe dafür heute und morgen und in der Zukunft bis unser der Sieg ist.”. Translated: “I believe in Germany and fight for her today and tomorrow and in the future until victory is ours.” I believe this was a truism as it was the oft-repeated affirmation that he spoke of and his good works for his nation and his people bespeak of his intentions and his genuine firm resolve to make “Germany great again!” This is a fairly large plaque that measures 8 5/8 x 12 or 13 inches (22 x 32.5 cm). The only small problem is that the wire-hanging device on the back is broken away otherwise it’s in good condition albeit it has some minor chipping on the black surface. Consult our images.
PRICE: SOLD |
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Eva Braun? High-Dress Swastika Finger Ring (Item AH 28-26; PERS 5-24) |
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| DESCRIPTION: This elegant ring was purchased by our German picker in Berlin and he bought it from an old gentleman who said he was a former SS member who was assigned to the Führerbunker in 1945. He was a radio operator in the communications room in those last days and hours. He claims that he received this ring from another SS officer who was in the bodyguard regiment. known as the SS-Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler, who received it directly from Hitler’s devoted mistress and longtime companion Eva Braun, who became the Hitler’s wife on April 29, 1945. The L.A.H. guards were, for the most part, treated by the Führer and Eva as members of the family. When Eva knew what her fate would be soon after the marriage the 33-year-old maiden soon to be Frau Hitler began giving many of her personal possessions away to people she admired and considered dear friends such as these devoted, loyal, SS guards and other functionaries that shared the bunker. The items were for the greatest part small trinkets and even some incidentals such as a compact case and bits of jewelry, etc. She had come by automobile from Munich to be with Hitler at the Führerbunker and she brought only two small suitcases and two handbags. She refused to leave as the Red Army fiends closed in. In our opinion, the ring we offer certainly has the look of something Eva would wear; however, we only have the word of the elderly radio operator for it. My experience with these men in the past dealings with them has really convinced me that truthfulness has always been their most obvious criteria. As for the word of our picker, his ever-dependable honesty we are ever confident of. He has for three decades been correct and reliable in his dealing with us. So, although we cannot offer any provenance with the ring, we ourselves are quite satisfied with the historical declaration as given to us. However, without some provenance that we can otherwise provide we feel that the item should be valued pricewise as if it had such provenance. The Ring The ring was probably presented to the L.A.H. bodyguard by Fr. Braun with compliments to the man’s wife who undoubtedly would have received it, but then that SS officer gave it to the SS radioman. Why? We do not know; neither did the man that it was bought from. The ring is quite stunning with a studded Hakenkreuz (swastika) in its center with silver support fittings with floral design. The studs that make up the swastika are in my estimation a form of cut-metal pyrites cut to look like diamonds and they do indeed! They shine with a gorgeous brilliance. The fact that they are not diamonds is founded in the historical fact and truism that Hitler and the National Socialists highly distained both gold and diamonds because the party mythos dictated that these items were considered to be the favored monetary symbols of the Jewish race. So, it follows that Eva would not flaunt diamonds and it also follows that the ring is in silver instead of gold and that fact is also historically noted. The ring is in size 6 3/4 (petite). We know many gifts were presented to her by practically every important guest to the Obersalzberg, Hitler’s retreat in the Bavarian Alps where she lived in the happier days. So, we would assume that one of these honored visitors in all probability had given it to her. So, my collecting friends, yes, purchasing it will be an act of faith but that’s what motivated us and we feel quite good about it. Let’s say: “Everything fits and is virtually quite rational in the historical recitation.” PRICE: SOLD |
Page Twenty-eight |
Please refer to item designator in parentheses in all correspondence.
