Adolf Hitler Metal Profile Relief – Hollow Wall Portrait, Reverse Marked GES. GESCH.

Description

This Hitler metal relief is a large hollow profile portrait of Adolf Hitler, facing left, in civilian jacket, shirt and tie, made to be hung on a wall. It is formed from thin metal with a silver-grey finish and a darkened, oxidised reverse. The inside of the head is stamped “GES. GESCH.” with the number “950”.

How Is This Hitler Metal Relief Made?

Rather than a solid cast bust, the relief is pressed or formed from thin sheet metal, so the reverse shows the hollow negative of the portrait. The edges are turned, and there are fixing points on the reverse for mounting. This construction made it possible to produce a large, eye-catching portrait that was still light enough to hang on a wall.

What Does the Reverse Marking Mean?

“GES. GESCH.” is the usual German abbreviation of gesetzlich geschützt (“legally protected”), indicating a registered design. The number 950 may be a design or model number. Neither the marking nor the number identifies a specific maker or year, so no attribution is made.

Why Were Portraits Like This Produced?

Images of Hitler were reproduced on an enormous scale in Germany in the 1930s and 1940s, as photographs, postcards, busts, plaques and reliefs. They were displayed in offices, schools, associations, shops and homes, and they formed a central part of the personality cult surrounding him. Objects such as this Hitler metal relief are today primary evidence of that visual propaganda.

Collector’s Note

With portrait reliefs of this kind, I always look closely at construction, wear and marking, because later copies exist. This piece shows a consistent pattern of age: honest surface wear and patina on the front, heavier oxidation on the reverse and a stamped marking whose wear matches the surrounding surface. I describe it carefully, without attributing a maker or exact date, and I encourage buyers to study all four photographs. For our approach to this kind of material, see collecting Third Reich material responsibly, and for related portrait material, our Third Reich publications lot with its 1930s portrait order sheet.

Condition

• Silver-grey front with scratches, rubbing, darkened areas and spotting.
• Minor dents and slight deformation; wear along the edges.
• Reverse with substantial oxidation and surface deterioration.
• Not polished or restored.

Please study all four photographs of this Hitler metal relief, which form an essential part of this condition description. Sold exactly as shown.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the reverse marking?

“GES. GESCH.” (gesetzlich geschützt, a registered design) and the number 950.

Is the maker known?

No maker or sculptor is attributed.

Is it solid?

No. It is a hollow relief formed from thin metal.

Can it be shipped to any country?

Some countries, including Germany and Austria, restrict the trade and display of National Socialist imagery. Buyers are responsible for complying with the laws of their own country.

Historical Responsibility Notice

This Hitler metal relief is offered strictly as a historical artefact for collecting, preservation, education and research. It is a product of the propaganda and personality cult of a dictatorship responsible for war and genocide. Autographs & Militaria does not endorse or glorify National Socialist ideology or its leaders.

References & Further Reading

• Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds, Museen der Stadt Nürnberg, Photograph of Hitler with a young girl (on the construction of Hitler’s public image).
• Autographs & Militaria, Collecting Third Reich material responsibly.