Historical Collection

Archive of more than 40 original French military and administrative papers, mainly 1939–1943, centred on the fighting at Bailleul-le-Soc on 8–9 June 1940: a 44th Infantry Regiment journal, reports and the 1943 narrative of Reserve Lieutenant René Kiger, his Croix de Guerre citation, an occupied-zone map and a 1946 mission order.

Named group of papers of August Kuhlmann, born 1896, of the Herford area: his Wehrpass, a Führerschein (driving licence) with photograph, a Reichspost Rundfunkgenehmigung (radio licence) and a typed letter addressing him as Wachtmeister der Feuerwehr.

Three original bilingual German-Polish police registration forms, “Anmeldung zur polizeilichen Einwohnererfassung”, from occupied Poland, each completed for a different person, with handwritten entries, signatures, fingerprints and official stamps.

Original Wehrmacht Soldbuch belonging to Albert Wilhelm Rattey, later promoted to Gefreiter, with photograph, unit entries, equipment records and post-war German refugee/displaced person ID issued in Offenburg in 1956.

Original typed letter signed by Albert Speer in blue ink, dated Heidelberg, 9 October 1969, on his personal letterhead. It gives his opinion on a handwriting sample connected with Adolf Hitler and mentions sending a copy of his memoirs, “Erinnerungen”, for 25 Deutsche Mark.

Original black-and-white photograph, approx. 9 × 13 cm with scalloped edges, showing Adolf Wagner greeting several men at a public gathering, signed in full in dark ink in the lower white margin.

Original early-type Adam Opel Arbeitsbuch belonging to Peter Fellner, with multiple Adam Opel A.G. Rüsselsheim stamps and employment records documenting welding and skilled metalwork during the 1930s.

Original 1943 promotion certificate for Major der Schutzpolizei a.D. Oskar Lehmann, with the printed facsimile signature of Adolf Hitler and the handwritten signature of Heinrich Himmler. Issued from the Führer Headquarters on 12 July 1943, with large embossed seal.

Original bilingual Arbeitskarte / Karta Pracy (work card) of the Generalgouvernement, issued by the Arbeitsamt Tschenstochau (Częstochowa) on 15 August 1942, with dark card cover, handwritten holder details and office stamp.

Original award certificate dated Berlin, 21 May 1939, conferring the Ehrenkreuz der Deutschen Mutter, 3rd Class, on Babette Koch, née Ott, of Vorbach. It bears the period facsimile signature of Adolf Hitler beneath “Der Führer und Reichskanzler” and a handwritten countersignature at lower right. An early Mother’s Cross document.