Historical Collection

Original pre-WWII German political propaganda group comprising a marked 1936 Adolf Hitler Reichstag ballot paper, a 1933 “Deutschland wählt Hitler!” election pencil, an “Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Führer” Hitler portrait badge and a dated “Ja – 12.11.1933” referendum badge. A visually impressive historical set documenting the political consolidation of the Third Reich before the Second World War.

Original period cut signature of Viktor Lutze, successor to Ernst Röhm as Chief of Staff of the SA. The autograph is executed in dark ink on a small paper fragment, framed with black card and mounted on a torn vintage album leaf. The reverse retains handwritten collector identification linking the signature to Lutze. A scarce German political autograph from the pre-1945 period.

Original Völkischer Beobachter, Berlin edition, Wednesday 3 December 1941, headlined “Überall fühlbare Schläge der britischen Prestige-Kriegführung”, with “Britenkreuzer vor Tobruk versenkt”, Roosevelt, new Knight’s Cross recipients and a photographic page “Auf der Krim”.

Original Völkischer Beobachter, Berlin edition, Thursday 6 November 1941, headlined “112 britische Zerstörer wurden bisher versenkt”, with Crimea coverage including the breakthrough at Perekop with a map, Knight’s Cross portraits and reports on Leningrad, the Channel and Finland.

Original Völkischer Beobachter, Berlin edition, Monday 20 October 1941, headlined “Schlotternde englische Angst vor den deutschen Schlägen”, reporting the capture of Taganrog on the Sea of Azov and the Oak Leaves for Oberfeldwebel Hoffmann. Offered as the pages shown; at least one page is dated 14 February 1942.

Original Völkischer Beobachter, Berlin edition, Thursday 30 October 1941, headlined “Eiserne Sparkonten steuerfrei”, with “Durchbruch zur Halbinsel Krim” and front-page photographs of Soviet trenches in the Crimea, U-boat reports, the illustrated feature “Mit ‘Achmed’ über Leningrad” and Knight’s Cross recipients.

Original German military appointment document dated 22 November 1934 and personally signed by Defence Minister Werner von Blomberg. Issued on official “Der Reichswehrminister” stationery, it assigns army chemist Dr.-Ing. Richard Scholle to the German Army administration and places him with military gas-protection training courses. A significant pre-WWII document from the final months of the Reichswehr.

Original and coherent German personal archive belonging to Wilhelm Ludwig Kappler of Karlsruhe, born in 1897. The group includes his photograph-bearing Wehrpass and Arbeitsbuch, a filled-in Ahnenpass, two 1944 air-raid victim identification cards, civil and church certificates, genealogical records, official stamps and handwritten entries. A substantial WWII German document group tracing one civilian’s military registration, technical employment, ancestry and experience of the bombing war.

Original Imperial German Württemberg Silver Military Merit Medal from the reign of King Wilhelm II, bearing the inscription “Für Tapferkeit und Treue” – “For Bravery and Loyalty” – and the signed portrait of Wilhelm II by court medallist Karl Schwenzer.

Original WWII German press photograph associated with Luftwaffe Generaloberst Alexander Löhr. The reverse carries period editorial markings, a “Mil. u. pol. nicht zensiert” press-control stamp and a faint pencil signature attributed to Löhr. A scarce historical photograph connected with Luftflotte 4, the Balkan campaign and German military operations in Southeastern Europe.

Three original double-sided propaganda leaflets from the Eastern Front, 1943: two Soviet leaflets in German aimed at German soldiers, one referring to Stalingrad, and one German-produced leaflet in Russian aimed at Red Army troops, with safe-conduct passes. Propaganda from both sides of the same front.

Original WWII German 25 Year Faithful Service Medal (Treudienst-Ehrenzeichen für 25 Jahre) in silver, complete with blue ribbon, suspension pin and red presentation case. The interior of the case retains its C.F. Zimmermann, Pforzheim maker label, making this a particularly attractive complete set for collectors of German WWII decorations.

Original WWII German Arbeitsbuch with period employment entries, handwritten annotations, signatures and official stamps. A genuine civilian employment record from 1930s–40s Germany.

Original German historical grouping of badges, tinnies, cloth insignia and a miniature wartime donation booklet, including an Ost-Hannover 1925–1934 NSDAP anniversary badge, 1935 Seefahrt ist Not maritime tinnie, Saar 1935 badge, 1937 DJH youth-hostel badge and WWII signals sleeve insignia.

Lot of German badges of the 1930s and wartime period: a large Deutsches Rotes Kreuz Wasserrettungsdienst (water rescue) badge, a fire brigade emblem, a badge dated 12–14.1.1933, a silver-coloured badge apparently inscribed “Thüringisch” and a small enamelled flag badge. Civil, rescue and organisational insignia in one group.

Original WWII German Heer metal visor cap eagle, manufactured in lightweight silver-coloured metal with detailed Wehrmacht eagle and wreathed swastika. Two original attachment prongs remain on the reverse.

Rare WWII German Luftschutz-Ehrenzeichen 1. Stufe, the gold-grade Air Defence Honour Decoration dated 1938, with distinctive cross design, “Für Verdienste im Luftschutz” inscription and purple ribbon with black-white-red borders.

Original Iron Cross 2nd Class, model 1939 (Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse), with magnetic iron core and intact suspension ring. Good overall condition with natural patina. Ribbon included.

Original Iron Cross 2nd Class 1939 (Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse). Three-piece construction with iron core and silvered frame, marked 1939 and 1813. Includes original ribbon. Honest period wear.

Iron Cross 2nd Class 1939 (Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse, EK2) with its black, white and red ribbon. Dark core, silver-coloured frame with beaded inner border, 1939 obverse and 1813 reverse, natural patina. Ribbon worn and frayed.

Original WWII-era German private scrapbook containing numerous mounted wartime newspaper and magazine clippings, period photographic images, portraits and handwritten biographical notes focused on Luftwaffe personalities and the North African campaign, including material naming Werner Mölders, Erwin Rommel and Herbert Ihlefeld.

Varied lot of period German insignia: RLB and DAF stickpins, ribbon bars with miniature devices, button-mounted ribbons, a veterans’ or association badge, a miniature combination stickpin and a WHW “Das Deutsche Lied” miniature song booklet. A cross-section of the small badges worn in German civilian and veteran life in the 1930s and 1940s.

Original WWII German Ehrenkreuz der Deutschen Mutter 3rd Class in Bronze, commonly known as the Mother’s Cross or Mutterkreuz. Second-pattern example with blue and white enamel, period blue-white ribbon and the 16 December 1938 reverse with facsimile signature.

Two original WWII German newspapers dated 1939 and 1941: a Völkischer Beobachter Norddeutsche Ausgabe and Chemnitzer Tageszeitung. Period wartime press with front-page headlines, photographs, advertisements and extensive original content.

NSDAP political armband (Armbinde) of multi-piece textile construction: red band with a separately applied white roundel and black central emblem. Stitching visible on the reverse. Period wear, creasing and tonal variation to the red cloth.

Original WWII-era German “Meine Dienstzeit” military photo album containing approximately 160 period black-and-white photographs, including around 88 military images related to the Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe, uniforms, winter service, military groups, technical subjects and wartime graves, together with numerous private photographs.

Dark brown album with silver Meine Dienstzeit lettering and applied metal Stahlhelm decoration. An extensive visual archive documenting German military and everyday life around the Second World War.

Six German insignia of the 1930s and war years: a large silver-coloured visor-cap wreath and cockade of Luftwaffe form, two enamelled veterans’ association badges marked 25 and 40, a 1934 Tag der Arbeit commemorative badge, an eagle badge and a small circular insignia.

Seven German badges and tinnies of the 1930s, including a large Reichsparteitag 1936 badge, a 1933 badge with stylised eagle, smaller eagle and geometric designs and a miniature axe-shaped badge. Visible age, patina and a variety of pin systems.

War Merit Cross 2nd Class without Swords (Kriegsverdienstkreuz 1939 2. Klasse ohne Schwerter) with bronze-toned finish, clear 1939 reverse and a good length of red, white and black ribbon fitted with a pin.

Original WWII German War Merit Cross 2nd Class Without Swords, dated 1939. Period German decoration featuring the central swastika on the obverse and 1939 date on the reverse. Well-preserved textured surfaces with visible age, patina and wear, offered exactly as photographed.

War Merit Cross 2nd Class without Swords (Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse ohne Schwerter), dated 1939, with its red, white and black ribbon. Distinctive dark grey-brown patina with strong surviving detail; untouched.

War Merit Cross 2nd Class without Swords (Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse ohne Schwerter), dated 1939, with a good length of its red, white and black ribbon. Bronze-toned finish with attractive natural patina and clear details.

Original award certificate dated Berlin, 1 September 1941, conferring the Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse on Franz Plschockt of Hamburg, recorded as an Aushilfsheizer. It bears the period facsimile signature of Adolf Hitler beneath “Der Führer” and further period countersignatures.

Original award certificate dated Berlin, 30 January 1944, conferring the Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse on Reichsbahnsekretär Eduard Weber of Oebisfelde. It bears the period facsimile signature of Adolf Hitler beneath “Der Führer” and a handwritten countersignature at lower right. A named railway-administration award document.

Original Second World War Italian-German Africa Campaign Medal with its period ribbon. A commemorative decoration of the joint campaign in North Africa between 1941 and 1943, associated with the Afrika Korps and the desert war. Attractive aged patina.

Original Second World War Italian-German Africa Campaign Medal with its period ribbon. A commemorative decoration of the joint campaign in North Africa, associated with the Afrika Korps and the desert war. Darkened patina and aged ribbon.

Original 1942 Kriegsmarine promotion patent issued to Korvettenkapitän Johannes Schur, promoting him to Fregattenkapitän effective 1 April 1942. The document is dated Führerhauptquartier, 15 April 1942, bears a facsimile signature of Adolf Hitler and an original handwritten signature of Großadmiral Erich Raeder. Accompanied by its official presentation folder and an original August 1942 forwarding letter from the Küstenschutzflottille Ostland.

Matched pair of original WWII psychological-warfare leaflets: an Allied Passierschein / Safe Conduct pass coded US/GB-ZG61A.1944, with the printed facsimile signature of General Eisenhower, and the German “Dear Friends” counter-propaganda version that imitated it and rewrote its message.

Original 1941 Wehrmacht booklet, Tornisterschrift Heft 53, “Schlag nach über die Sowjetunion”, marked “Nur für den Gebrauch innerhalb der Wehrmacht”. A compact reference on the Soviet Union’s territory, population, state, armed forces, economy and history, as presented to German soldiers in 1941.

Original German wartime letter dated 5 February 1941 from Dr. Ing. Otto Reuleaux of Vereinigte Leichtmetall-Werke, Hannover-Linden, to Obermeister J. Vaassen at the Leichtmetall-Büro Paris. The letter concerns the award and dispatch of a Kriegsverdienstkreuz, refers to a Luftwaffe presentation by Major von Unger and remarkably mentions a separate award certificate “signed by the Führer.” Hand-signed in ink by Reuleaux.

Original three-page typed document signed by Otto Skorzeny, dated Madrid, 2 November 1972, containing his personal corrections to passages dealing directly with his experiences during the Second World War.

Headed “Corrections of My Memoirs”, the pages reference the Waffen-SS, Abwehr, RSHA, Walter Schellenberg, Skorzeny’s wartime promotion, his special battalion and his Knight’s Cross. The final page bears a large handwritten Otto Skorzeny signature. Includes original airmail envelope addressed to R. James Bender Publishing in California.

Pair of original German Festpostkarten produced for the 1935 Nuremberg Rally, held from 10 to 16 September. Both cards are postally used and retain period handwritten messages, commemorative postage stamps and special event cancellations. One example bears the complete 6 and 12 Pfennig stamp set, while the second carries the 6 Pfennig issue.