The Collector’s Encyclopaedia · Signatories · Government & Party
Hans Heinrich Lammers (1879–1962): Signature, Documents and Historical Profile
| Born | 27 May 1879, Lublinitz (Upper Silesia) |
|---|---|
| Died | 4 January 1962, Düsseldorf |
| Key offices | State Secretary in the Reich Chancellery (30 January 1933); Reich Minister and Chief of the Reich Chancellery (26 November 1937) |
| Documents bearing his name | Countersignatures on laws, decrees and appointments; Reich Chancellery correspondence |
| In the collection | No pieces currently available |
Hans Heinrich Lammers was the senior civil servant at the centre of Hitler’s government. From 1937 he attested laws and decrees with his countersignature, which means his name stands beside Hitler’s on many official documents. Speer called him the “notary of the Reich”.
Who Was Hans Heinrich Lammers?
Lammers was born in Lublinitz in 1879. On 30 January 1933 Hitler appointed him State Secretary in the Reich Chancellery, and on 26 November 1937 Reich Minister and Chief of the Reich Chancellery. His influence declined during the war, and from late 1944 he was no longer admitted to Hitler’s briefings.
What Documents Bear Lammers’s Signature?
His countersignature appears on laws, decrees and appointment documents, and his signature on Reich Chancellery correspondence. Because his role was formal, his name is a useful check on the coherence of documents signed by Hitler. See appointment certificates and original signature or facsimile.
What Should Collectors Watch For?
- Countersignatures as Reich Minister date from November 1937.
- Check that his title fits the date.
- Typed copies of decrees are common.
Responsibility and Fate
In the Ministries Trial at Nuremberg he was sentenced in 1949 to 20 years; the sentence was reduced to ten years in 1951, and he was released in 1952.
Collector’s Note
When I see Lammers’s name on a document signed by Hitler, I treat it as a second witness. Its title, date and handwriting must agree with the main signature.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What did Lammers do?
He headed the Reich Chancellery and countersigned laws and decrees.
Was Lammers tried?
Yes, in the Ministries Trial at Nuremberg; he was sentenced in 1949 and released in 1952.
Why is Lammers useful to collectors?
His countersignature helps check the coherence of Hitler documents.
Historical Responsibility Notice: this entry documents historical figures and artefacts of the National Socialist period for collecting, preservation, education and research. It does not endorse or glorify any ideology, and it is written in memory of the victims of the regime.
References & Further Reading
- Rebentisch, D. (1982) ‘Lammers, Hans Heinrich’, Neue Deutsche Biographie, 13, pp. 449–450.