Original WWII Alexander Löhr signed Photograph with Reverse

Description

Original WWII Alexander Löhr signed Press Photograph

This original WWII Alexander Löhr photograph is a period black-and-white press image showing the named German Luftwaffe commander in uniform among a gathering of military personnel.

The photograph presents a candid rather than formal portrait composition. The central uniformed officer is shown facing the camera while other figures partially surround him, suggesting an official visit, military conference, inspection or public event.

The exact location and date have not been established from the surviving markings. The image can nevertheless be placed within the Second World War period from its photographic format, military setting, uniform details and reverse press-control stamp.

The photograph is an original physical period print and not a modern digital reproduction.

Signature Attributed to Alexander Löhr

The reverse contains a light pencil inscription that appears to read:

“Löhr”

This inscription is positioned beneath the later, darker identification:

“LÖHR-46”

The two markings should not be confused. The dark capital-letter inscription is evidently an archival, collector or editorial identification. The paler cursive name beneath it may be a personal signature.

Its general structure is visually comparable with published examples of Alexander Löhr’s autograph, including the high initial movement and the compact execution of the surname. A surviving reference signature is held in the Wikimedia Commons collection, while specialist auction houses have sold original signed portrait photographs of Löhr.

However, the reverse also contains several additional handwritten marks in black, green and red. Without the original circumstances of signing, the most responsible description is:

“Pencil signature attributed to Alexander Löhr.”

It should not be described as a front-signed photograph because the handwritten name is on the reverse.

Period Press and Censorship Marking

A rectangular purple stamp on the reverse reads:

“Mil. u. pol. nicht zensiert”

The wording is an abbreviation of a phrase meaning approximately:

“Not censored militarily or politically.”

Comparable marks are documented on German wartime press and military photographs. They formed part of the editorial, censorship or release process surrounding photographs intended for publication or circulation.

This stamp is an important physical feature because it supports the photograph’s identification as wartime press material rather than an ordinary private snapshot.

Other reverse markings appear to represent archive references, ownership notes, cataloguing numbers or editorial instructions. These include:

• “LÖHR-46” in dark ink.
• A faint pencil name reading “Löhr”.
• A green handwritten word or name.
• Several large black editorial signs.
• A red notation reading approximately “A. Löhr 1996”.
• The number “65” near the lower-right corner.

The meaning and date of every later notation cannot be established with certainty.

Alexander Löhr

Alexander Löhr was born in 1885 and served first as an Austro-Hungarian and Austrian military officer. Following the incorporation of Austria into Germany, he entered the Luftwaffe and rose to the rank of Generaloberst, or colonel general.

He commanded Luftflotte 4, which participated in operations over Poland, the Balkans and the Eastern Front. He later commanded the German 12th Army, Army Group E and German forces in Southeastern Europe.

A German Federal Archives description identifies a known portrait of Löhr as General der Flieger and dates it between March and September 1939. The archive also preserves several additional photographs showing him during military operations and conferences.

The Bombing of Belgrade and Southeastern Europe

Löhr’s military career is closely associated with the German air attack on Belgrade in April 1941 and later operations throughout Yugoslavia, Greece and the Balkans.

As commander in Southeastern Europe, he held responsibility for major conventional operations as well as anti-partisan warfare and occupation measures. At the end of the war, he was captured by Yugoslav Partisans.

He was subsequently prosecuted in Yugoslavia, convicted of war crimes and executed in Belgrade on 26 February 1947.

These events make original Löhr photographs and autographs relevant not only to Luftwaffe collecting but also to the study of the Balkan campaign, occupation policy, war crimes trials and post-war military justice.

Photograph Versus Signed Portrait

This item differs from a formal signed portrait.

The autograph attribution appears on the reverse of a candid press photograph rather than across the image itself. This preserves the visual surface of the photograph but makes the signature less immediately visible when displayed.

Specialist comparisons include:

• A period Löhr portrait photograph with an original ink autograph, measuring 8.3 × 12.3 cm, which sold for €165 in 2022.
• A rare wartime signed photograph dated 7 November 1941 that received an auction estimate of $300–$400.
• A currently offered signed vintage photograph priced at $750, although an asking price should not be treated as a confirmed market result.

The present example is particularly interesting as a press photograph retaining its reverse editorial markings, but its value should remain below that of a clearly front-signed and independently catalogued portrait.

Condition

The photograph displays substantial age and handling wear.

Visible condition characteristics include:

• Numerous surface scratches.
• Small white marks and abrasions.
• General contrast loss.
• Light silvering or reflective areas.
• Minor edge and corner wear.
• Surface dirt and scattered marks.
• Natural age toning.

The principal image remains identifiable and the uniform details are still visible.

The reverse presents age toning, scattered spots, surface wear and several period or later handwritten annotations. The purple press-control stamp remains readable.

The pencil inscription attributed to Löhr is faint but visible under angled lighting. All photographs form an essential part of the condition description.

This item is offered strictly as a historical collectable for preservation, documentation, research and education. Its sale does not endorse the ideology, military actions or crimes associated with the historical regime or individuals represented.