The Collector’s Encyclopaedia · Signatories · Government & Party

Viktor Lutze (1890–1943): Signature, Documents and Historical Profile

Viktor Lutze (1890–1943) – archive portrait photograph
Photo: Bundesarchiv, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons
Born 28 December 1890, Bevergern
Died 2 May 1943, Potsdam (car accident)
Key offices Oberpräsident of the Province of Hanover (1933–1941); Chief of Staff of the SA (1934–1943)
Documents bearing his name SA documents and certificates, Hanover provincial papers, correspondence
In the collection No pieces currently available

Viktor Lutze took over the SA after Ernst Röhm was murdered in 1934 and led it, much reduced in power, until his death in 1943. His name appears on SA documents and award papers, and on the administration of the Prussian province of Hanover.

Who Was Viktor Lutze?

Lutze was born in Bevergern in 1890. He joined the Nazi Party in 1925 and led the SA in the Ruhr from 1926 to 1930. He was Oberpräsident of the Province of Hanover from 1933 to 1941 and succeeded Röhm as SA Chief of Staff in 1934.

What Documents Bear Lutze’s Signature?

His signature appears on SA correspondence, appointment papers and certificates, and on provincial documents from Hanover. As with other leaders of mass organisations, printed facsimiles are common on certificates. See original signature or facsimile.

What Should Collectors Watch For?

  • SA Chief of Staff documents fall between 1934 and May 1943.
  • Check for printed facsimiles on certificates.
  • Cut signatures need careful comparison with dated exemplars.

Responsibility and Fate

Under Lutze the SA lost its political weight but remained part of the regime’s apparatus, including during the November pogrom of 1938. He died in a car accident on 2 May 1943.

Collector’s Note

Lutze’s cut signatures appear regularly. As with any cut signature, I can only rely on the handwriting and the paper, so the comparison with authenticated exemplars has to be thorough.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When did Lutze lead the SA?

From 1934, after Röhm’s murder, until his death in May 1943.

How did Lutze die?

In a car accident on 2 May 1943.

Are Lutze signatures on SA certificates original?

Many are printed; each must be examined.

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