Original Martin Bormann Signed Document 1938 – Deputy Führer’s Office

Description

Original Martin Bormann Signed Document Dated 1938

This Martin Bormann signed document is an original German political letter issued in Munich on 24 September 1938, during the final year before the outbreak of the Second World War.

The one-page document is typed on official stationery headed:

“Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei”

and:

“Der Stellvertreter des Führers – Stabsleiter”

It was produced within the office of Rudolf Hess, who at that time formally held the position of Deputy Führer. Martin Bormann served as Hess’s chief of staff and increasingly controlled the extensive administrative work handled by the office.

A large handwritten Bormann signature appears in dark ink beneath the typed closing:

“M. Bormann”

The document combines an original signature with complete official context, including the issuing authority, date, internal reference, recipient, subject, political content and embossed institutional seal.

Addressed to the NSDAP Reichstag Parliamentary Group

The letter was sent to:

“Reichstagsfraktion der NSDAP”

at:

Königsplatz 6, Berlin NW 40

The subject identifies the person under consideration as:

“Den früheren Abgeordneten Pg. Otto Hergt”

or:

“The former deputy and Party Member Otto Hergt.”

Otto Hergt had represented the NSDAP in the Reichstag from 1930 to 1933. His status as a former Reichstag deputy is independently recorded in the German Bundestag’s historical register of parliamentarians.

The address given for Hergt is:

Platanenallee 37, Berlin-Neuenhagen

The document also refers to an earlier letter dated 31 July 1936. This earlier date has apparently caused the document to be incorrectly described as a 1936 letter in some previous cataloguing. The date visibly typed at the top of the present sheet is, however, 24 September 1938.

Translation of the Martin Bormann Letter

The principal German text reads:

“In abschliessender Beantwortung Ihrer Anfrage teile ich Ihnen mit, daß über den Pg. Hergt weder in politischer noch in sonstiger Hinsicht Nachteiliges bekannt geworden ist. Gleichzeitig übersende ich Ihnen in Fotokopie inzwischen hier eingegangener Schreiben des Pg. Otto Hergt vom 23. Juli 36 mit der Bitte um Kenntnisnahme.”

English translation:

“In final reply to your enquiry, I inform you that nothing detrimental has become known about Party Member Hergt, either politically or in any other respect. At the same time, I am forwarding to you, in photocopy, the letter from Party Member Otto Hergt dated 23 July 1936 that has since been received here, for your information.”

The sheet concludes with the political salutation commonly used in official correspondence of the period, followed by Bormann’s handwritten signature.

The lower-left section states:

“2 Anlagen!”

meaning:

“Two enclosures.”

This indicates that two additional papers originally accompanied the principal letter. The present listing describes the signed main document visible in the supplied photograph.

Martin Bormann in 1938

Martin Bormann had been appointed chief of staff to Rudolf Hess in July 1933. From that position, he helped transform Hess’s office into a central administrative authority within the party and increasingly assumed responsibility for its bureaucratic activity. He had also become a Reichsleiter and member of the Reichstag.

The letterhead is therefore historically accurate for Bormann’s position in September 1938:

“Der Stellvertreter des Führers – Stabsleiter.”

It should not technically be described as a Party Chancellery document because that title was only adopted in May 1941, following Hess’s flight to Britain. Bormann then assumed control of the renamed office, which was placed directly under Hitler.

This distinction makes the document particularly useful for illustrating the earlier stage of Bormann’s rise, when he exercised considerable administrative influence from within Hess’s organisation but had not yet received his better-known wartime title.

Connection with the Second World War

Although this Martin Bormann signed document predates the German invasion of Poland, it was written at a decisive moment in European history.

Its date, 24 September 1938, places it during the Sudeten crisis and only days before the Munich Agreement. The document itself does not discuss foreign policy or Czechoslovakia; its content is an internal assessment of a former parliamentary deputy.

Nevertheless, it originates from the senior party apparatus that played an important role in coordinating political administration, personnel decisions and relations between party and state institutions.

After Hess’s departure in 1941, Bormann’s power expanded considerably. As head of the Party Chancellery and later Hitler’s secretary, he controlled access to Hitler and exercised significant influence over appointments, correspondence and political decisions.

Official Letterhead and Embossed Seal

The visual presentation of the document is especially strong.

Across the top appears the full printed name of the political party in large Gothic lettering. The left side identifies the issuing office and Bormann’s position, while the right side records Munich, the date and the Braunes Haus, the party headquarters.

The lower-left section retains a circular embossed seal. Its details are lightly impressed but visible when viewed under angled lighting.

Bormann’s signature occupies a prominent position in the lower-right portion. The signature is broad and clearly separated from the typed text, making the document suitable for framed presentation while preserving its complete historical context.

Condition

The document displays general age toning, scattered stains, small brown marks, surface dirt and normal handling wear.

Several horizontal archival folds cross the sheet. Two filing perforations are visible along the left margin, and the paper shows soft creasing and localised wrinkling, particularly around the folds and margins.

The official heading, date, address, subject, typed text and signature remain complete and clearly legible. The embossed seal remains visible in the lower-left area.

No major paper loss affecting the principal text or autograph can be seen in the supplied photograph. The image forms an essential part of the condition description.

Collectable Martin Bormann Autograph

This original document would be particularly relevant to collections focused on:

• Martin Bormann autographs
• Original German political documents
• Rudolf Hess and the Deputy Führer’s Office
• Reichstag parliamentary history
• Pre-WWII German administration
• Third Reich political correspondence
• Second World War personalities
• Original signed manuscripts
• German historical paper ephemera
• Political and military autograph collections

The item is offered strictly as a historical collectable for preservation, documentation, education and research. Its sale does not endorse the political ideology, dictatorship, racial policies or crimes associated with the regime.

Further Reading

For historical background, see Deutsches Historisches Museum, LeMO: “Das NS-Regime”.

Before buying, read my Autograph Value Guide.