February 2014 Auction Ends Thursday, February 27th, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/27/2014
Black leather custom-made overcoat personally owned by one of Hitler's favorite subordinates, Albert Speer. Called ''the Nazi who said sorry'', Speer was found guilty of war crimes at the Nuremberg trials and subsequently imprisoned for over 20 years until his release in 1966. His weighty full-length single-breasted overcoat has labels sewn within bearing his name, brand name of W. Fliegner and that of the RZM, the German regulatory office for quality control in manufacturing. RZM label also shows the NSDAP eagle emblem denoting Nazi elite. Accompanied by the original invoice for the coat with Speer's name printed on it, found stored in the pocket of the coat. Fascinating provenance begins with the coat's theft from Speer's home in the Obersalzberg complex in May of 1945 following its bombing by the Royal Air Force. Also accompanied by an Allied soldier autograph letter signed simply ''Ralph'', stating that he had taken Albert Speer's coat. Written in English and dated 6 May 1945, letter addressed to Ralph's mother reads in part, ''I looked around today in a huge chalet of a high-ranking Nazi...For you I have a gold necklace...And for Dad, I have a great leather jacket...I took a coat with no Nazi symbols on the outside...Unfortunately, the name of Nazi Albert Speer is stamped in the jacket...'' Fully lined coat features a back slit and thick outer self-belt and thin interior self-belt that can be switched so the coat closes left over right or vice versa. Measures 50'' around the chest, with 16'' sleeves, measuring 25.25'' from shoulder to cuff. Small pink stain roughly the size of a pencil eraser on the back and scattered edge wear especially to belt. Very good overall. Speer is well-documented in WWII period photos and videos wearing this or a very similar coat. A written record also exists of his last meeting with Hitler on 23 April 1945 that describes Speer as wearing a suit and leather coat, possibly this same garment.
Albert Speer's Personally Owned Black Leather Jacket -- Possibly Worn by Speer When He Last Visited Hitler on 23 April 1945
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