June 2013 Auction Ends Thursday, June 27th, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/27/2013
Lot of six documents related to the deaths of Nazi soldiers; one printed death announcement and five typed letters signed by Nazi officials, sent to break the news of fellow Nazi soldiers' deaths to their families. Each such letter is written in German, bears a Nazi insignia rubber stamp and closes, ''Heil Hitler!'' before the signature. Includes: (1) Letter dated 28 February 1944 translating in part, ''Madam Kohnhauser! I am responsible...for informing you that on 01.30.44 at 2 o'clock in the afternoon your husband, our good friend...was killed in a regrettable accident...His sacrifice renews our commitment to eradicate Bolshevism for a better future...'' (2) Letter, dated 23 September 1944 informs the Kunstner family that their son, Michael, ''...died in combat east of Ciocanesti, Bukovina, shot through the head...one of the best fighters I had in the company...One of the first who made it to the enemy dugout where he received the deadly wound...an honest German soldier...resolution to defeat the enemy so his death will not be in vain...The grave of your son is in the heroes' cemetery Jacobeni, Bukovina, grave No. 36, Row 4...With all military honors...Buried 22 September...Unfortunately I cannot send his effects to you because the place where your son had fallen was occupied by the Russians and only the next day in our counterattack were we able to secure the location...'' (3) Letter drops a certainly most unexpected bomb: ''I inform you that your husband Ludwig Ranschl, at 8:00 p.m. on the evening of 14 March 1943 committed suicide by hanging...my deepest sympathy to you and your 3 children...'' (4) Typed letter signed, 12 December 1943, sending warm Christmas greetings to the family of a recently deceased soldier; (5) Partially-printed half-sheet form bearing an official signature is a ''Notification for the Local Group Leader'' that ''Adolf Prommer, Corporal of Unit Fp. Nr. 31501 A, born on 28 April 1923...on 9 November 1944 [had been] fatally injured by falling from a cliff...'' (6) Death announcement sent out by the family of Corporal Pepperl Hartner with the details of his funeral. On a single sheet of mourning stationery, it reads in part that he ''...has suffered a hero's death at the age of 24 while riding in Scandinavia...'' Each document shows expected toning and minor creasing, else near fine.
Lot of Six Nazi Documents -- Includes Letters From the Military to Families of Nazi Soldiers Who Died, Including One Who Hanged Himself & Another ''...fatally injured by falling from a cliff...''
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