Reference Topic Autographs of the German Resistance & July 20 plot

[ColinRF]

I already had a postcard signed by Abwehr Oberstleutnant Ulrich Freiherr von Sell (see #39 above) but at the very inexpensive price, I  couldn't resist this Soldbuch to a Major who served in the Abwehr Group III N under von Sell.

The Soldbuch is signed twice by von Sell, who was Stauffenberg's liaison to Wehrkreis IX (Kassel) for Operation Valkyrie on July 20, 1944. The bio of von Sell can be found at the earlier post under this thread.

Interestingly, the Major to whom the book belonged, also served at the infamous transit camp Dulag 121, in Gomel, where many Soviet POWs perished under inhuman conditions.

 

Edited February 15, 2017 by ColinRF

[hucks216]

I saw this listed. Very nice item with a historical significance both for the signature and the man's postings.

[ColinRF]

I thought it a good buy once I saw it had Sell's signature. I haven't seen many IDs with an Abwehr Wehrkreis III stamp. I notified the seller about the July 20 link but he deep discounted it anyway, so in I went. Thanks.

Edited February 16, 2017 by ColinRF

[hucks216]

I must admit that I was surprised that he still discounted it after learning of the signature but fair play to him for doing so.

I wonder if this particular man was aware of the conspiracy overtones in the Abwehr and considering the signature he obviously had contact with certain members of it, and if so what were his feelings towards it and were those feelings reinforced after seeing what happened at Dulag 121 or was he completely in the dark about everything (maybe he was viewed as untrustworthy by the conspirators) and Dulag 121 just strengthened his beliefs in favour of the regime?

[ColinRF]

My reading on Dulag 121 and the general treatment of Soviet POWs highlights the crimes of some conspirators (for example General Quartermaster Wagner, who constantly reduced POW rations and declared "let them starve"). I didn't know that as many as 3.3 million of the Russian losses in WWII were POWs who died. Makes the mistreatment of German Stalingrad POWs more understandable. 

I don't expect that the Soldbuch holder had more than influential contact with the conspirators in the Abwehr. There were many pro-Nazi and neutral officers in Canaris' organization. I expect, being in Group III N, that he didn't have close contact with the heavy resisters as they were in Abteilung Z, the central admin group. I expect the treatment of Soviet POWs was an open secret in the overall organization. Malende was in the postal censorship group so he would know of the content of soldiers' communications from the front, for example.

I expect the holder of the soldbuch was sent to Dulag 121 as he was an officer in a Landschutzen battalion attached to Abwehr III N. 

Edited February 17, 2017 by ColinRF

[Jim Pool]

What a wonderful thread. I'll echo the call of others by saying you should write a book. Its rare to see actual artifacts that can be attributed to the Resistance against Hitler.

Recently I was able to acquire a Soldbuch that belonged to a conspirator Urban Thiersch. While he did join the plot late in the game he was able to associate with some of the key players in the assassination attempt, including Colonel Stauffenberg himself. LT. Thiersch did survive and was a successful sculpture. He is mentioned in many of the key works on the July 20th plot. Even though he survived he seemed to have avoided publicity after the war. I only found one postwar picture of him. He was interrogated/interviewed shortly after the war, but so far finding a copy of the transcripts has alluded me.   Anyway having an artifact in my collection that was actually carried by someone who actually met with Stauffenberg and von Haeften, was something I never dreamed of.

 

Urban Thiersch and the July 20, 1944 Plot:  Urban Thiersch did not become an active member of the resistance until 1944. The circumstances that resulted in him joining the resistance were tied to another conspirator Colonel Georg Alexander Hansen (July 5, 1904 to September 8, 1944).

 

 

“Colonel Georg Alexander Hansen joined the military in 1924. In 1935, Colonel Hansen met the head of the General Staff  Ludwig Beck and Colonel Claus Schenk Count von Stauffenberg at the War Academy in Berlin-Moabit. In 1937 he was transferred to the Department of Counterintelligence and Foreign Intelligence (Department of Foreign Armies East) of the Reich War Ministry, headed by Konteradmiral Canaris. In 1939, this office was named the Abwehr. From 1943 onward; Hansen used his position within the Abwehr to support the resistance. Colonel Hansen became opposed to Hitler’s regime in 1938 and was one of most important participants of the resistance, alongside Generalmajor Henning von Tresckow and Colonel Claus Schenk Count von Stauffenberg.

In 1944 he participated in most of the important meetings to overthrow Hitler. He organized transportation and security for his fellow conspirators. His house in Ransdorf often served as a meeting place. In the event the plot to overthrow Hitler succeeded Hansen would play a prominent role in the new regime.

After Canaris, resigned in February 1944, plans to reorganize the Abwehr were set into motion. Two months later, in May 1944, Colonel Hansen and most of his staff were transferred to the Reichssicherheitshauptamt (RSHA), where he served as the deputy under his immediate superior, SS General Schellenberg.

This change in leadership left Colonel Hansen surrounded by people he could not trust. This situation was a problem for Claus Stauffenberg, since he needed a reliable officer within the intelligence apparatus. Stauffenberg asked Rudolph Fahrner if he could recommend someone to act as a liaison between himself and Col. Hanson. Rudolph Fahrner gave him Urban Thiersch’s name. At the end of June 1944 Stauffenberg ordered Thiersch by telegram to Berlin. Urban Thiersch met with Stauffenberg on the 1st of July. Stauffenberg greeted him by saying ‘Let us come straight to the point: I am engaged in high treason with all the means available to me.’

Thiersch's function within the circle of the conspirators was to act as a liaison between Stauffenberg and Georg Hansen. He was assigned to Colonel Hansen as an ordnance officer, in order to carry out this function.

Thiersch would meet with 1st Lieutenant Werner Karl von Haeften (Oct. 9, 1908 - July 20/21, 1944), Stauffenberg’s adjutant on 8 July, 1944.  Thiersch also briefly met with Stauffenberg on the same day.  According to Urban Thiersch's adopted son Paul Thiersch, his father was to serve as a persona ladjutant to Stauffenberg in the days prior to the assassination attempt.

 

After the plot failed LT. Thiersch was able to go into hiding until the end of the war. I have posted more information as well as a page by page look at the Soldbuch on the WAF.

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?t=925492

Thank you for your time: If I can figure this out I will attach a picture of the Soldbuch and how I'm displaying it.

Warm regards Jim

 

Edited August 19, 2017 by Jim Pool

[ColinRF]

Jim - thanks for posting this. Lucky you in acquiring such a great piece. I agree with you that holding such a piece of historical paper has the ability to transport one to another place and time. I often wonder what was going on in the room when my various pieces were written or signed. 

I particularly like the connection to Hansen. I am sure you have seen the Hansen piece I recently picked up. Its a hard signature to find. 

Cngrats and thanks

Colin

[Jim Pool]

1 hour ago, ColinRF said:

Jim - thanks for posting this. Lucky you in acquiring such a great piece. I agree with you that holding such a piece of historical paper has the ability to transport one to another place and time. I often wonder what was going on in the room when my various pieces were written or signed. 

I particularly like the connection to Hansen. I am sure you have seen the Hansen piece I recently picked up. Its a hard signature to find. 

Cngrats and thanks

Colin

Thank you Colin,

I saw the Hansen piece, fantastic. I know Urban was a bit player but he hung around with some of the key players like Hansen, von Haeften, and of course Stauffenburg. He had to have met with Hansen too. Did he know Hansen was leaving? Was he in Berlin on 20 July ? I believe some of the answers are in a file somewhere. 

I was also fascinated by your GD docement. I also have a similar Document signed by members of the Replacement Bn commanded by Col. Bandelow, when Von Schumacher visited the unit. I haven't deciphered all the signatures yet so I haven't checked them for a 20 July connection. I downloaded your document so I can sort out the signatures better. Jim

[ColinRF]

Jim - I got the GD. doc from Huesken and he has the rest of the visiting book first sale, page by page. If you are in the mood gor a challenge. I shall try to get to my books this week to see if I can add anything on your guy.

Colin

[Jim Pool]

13 hours ago, ColinRF said:

Jim - I got the GD. doc from Huesken and he has the rest of the visiting book first sale, page by page. If you are in the mood gor a challenge. I shall try to get to my books this week to see if I can add anything on your guy.

Colin

I tied to find the book but so far no luck. You wouldn't happen to know where its located on his site? If not I'll continue to search.

I appreciate all your help.  Warm Regards Jim

 

[ColinRF]

Sadly he broke the book up and listed the pages individually or in groups. Do a word search under the key word "stockhausen."

[ostprussenmann_new]

This is amazing

[Jim Pool]

On 8/20/2017 at 16:17, ColinRF said:

Jim - thanks for posting this. Lucky you in acquiring such a great piece. I agree with you that holding such a piece of historical paper has the ability to transport one to another place and time. I often wonder what was going on in the room when my various pieces were written or signed. 

I particularly like the connection to Hansen. I am sure you have seen the Hansen piece I recently picked up. Its a hard signature to find. 

Cngrats and thanks

Colin

I have been trying to locate as much information about the life of Urban Thiersch especially his wartime exploits. The National Archives are backlogged but may yield some records. I reached out to Professor Peter Hoffmann who is widely considered to be one of the world’s leading authorities on the Stauffenberg plot. To my surprise he took the time to respond to my request for help and provided me copies referenced in his book on Stauffenberg.  I translated (as best I can) one of the documents which is shown below along with the translation.

 

Peter C.W. Hoffmann, was born 13 August 1930, in Dresden is a professor of history at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. His principal area of research deals with the German Resistance against National Socialism and in particular, the resistance efforts of Claus von Stauffenberg.  His works include:

 

Widerstand, Staatsstreich, Attentat - Der Kampf der Opposition gegen Hitler;

German Resistance to Hitler; Stauffenberg und der 20. Juli 1944;

Hitler's Personal Security;

Stauffenbergs Freund. Die tragische Geschichte des Widerstandskämpfers Joachim Kuhn;

 Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg. Die Biographie;

Carl Goerdeler and the Jewish Question,

 1933–1942; Behind Valkyrie. German Resistance to Hitler. Documents.

 

So it’s not surprising the writers of Valkyrie (Tom Cruise version) relied heavily on his massive 1969 history of the assassination attempt and his later, equally massive biography of Stauffenberg for background material for the movie.

 

Here is my attempt at translating the attached document.

 

After suffering a bullet wound in September 1942 I spent over a year in hospitals recovering. In the autumn of 1943 Professor Rudolph Fahrner visited me for a few days in Überlingen (City on the North shore of Lake Constance).  I met him through my late father Professor Paul   Thiersch.  (The rest is almost impossible to read but appears to discuss how his relationship with Rudolph Fahrner grew over time).

 

At the end of June 1944 (I was the Commander of an Artillery Replacement Battery in Regensburg), my adjutant Dr. Klimm now a teacher in (unreadable), informed that a message arrived informing me to immediately report to Chief of Staff in Bendlerstrasse. I reported to Stauffenberg on the 2nd or 3rd of July (most books give the date as 1 July). Stauffenberg told me that it he requested me based on the recommendation of Rudolph Fahrner. He explained to me his plans for a (regime) change and asked me if I was ready to participate. On my request, he informed me of my part and told me to come back the next morning to meet with Rudolph Fahrner.

 

Rudolph Fahrner and I met the next day in the OKH and scheduled another meeting the following morning in Wannsee (SW Berlin). We met Berthold Graf Stauffenberg at the train station and we all went to the Stauffenberg apartment in the Tristanstrasse (No. 8 Tristanstrasse in Wansee-Berlin, residence of Berthold von Stauffenberg and temporary-September 1943-July 1944, residence of Claus von Stauffenberg ) for further discussions. Rudolph Fahrner slept.

 

At noon we took Berthold Graf Stauffenberg to the train station and returned to the apartment, where Rudolph Fahrner told me about his talks with the brothers Stauffenberg. Particularly urgent was the question whether Claus Stauffenberg should carry out the assassination.

 

In the evening I took the overnight express train with Rudolph Fahrner in the direction of Munich, Berchtesgaden. I got out in Regensburg while he continued on his way. I was particularly concerned that the cars for the Führer headquarters were part of the train along with the accompanying security agencies. Rudolph Fahrner was concerned that his briefcase in which he had the details of the plot would be discovered.

 

I have determined that the events surrounding my subsequent return to Berlin, my part within the plot, as well as the circumstances which prevented my discovery, as being inconsequential in regards to this accounting.

 

After the 20th of July, I took the first opportunity to get into personal contact with Rudolph Fahrner (August 44), and visited him in Überlingen, where we destroyed our correspondence. Numerous letters from the Stauffenberg brothers to Rudolph Fahrner were burned. I took some letters of a personal nature with me and gave them to my friend Dr. Max Weather in München-Selln for safe keeping.

 

Certified statement of Urban Thiersch April 27, 1953

 

[ColinRF]

Well done reaching out to Professor Hoffmann. I have always found him more than happy to assist and advise someone with a legitimate interest. As you note, his history was relied on for Valkyrie. In addition, he served as voluntary historical advisor (at his own request) to ensure that the film was as accurate as possible. It was.

You have a lot more here  than I found in Professor Hoffmann's works and in a book on Stephen George's "Secret Germany" circle. 

What a shame Fahrner and your man burned that correspondance. One can only imagine what important historical documents were lost post-July 20. Kramarz and Hoffmann note in their prefaces that very few documents survived the coup artempt as the Gestapo confiscated everything they could find for evidence and others burned letters to avoid association with Stauffenberg.

One wonders how many other survivors were associated with the coup but don't appear in the texts and memoirs.

Colin

[Jim Pool]

5 hours ago, ColinRF said:

Well done reaching out to Professor Hoffmann. I have always found him more than happy to assist and advise someone with a legitimate interest. As you note, his history was relied on for Valkyrie. In addition, he served as voluntary historical advisor (at his own request) to ensure that the film was as accurate as possible. It was.

You have a lot more here  than I found in Professor Hoffmann's works and in a book on Stephen George's "Secret Germany" circle. 

What a shame Fahrner and your man burned that correspondance. One can only imagine what important historical documents were lost post-July 20. Kramarz and Hoffmann note in their prefaces that very few documents survived the coup artempt as the Gestapo confiscated everything they could find for evidence and others burned letters to avoid association with Stauffenberg.

One wonders how many other survivors were associated with the coup but don't appear in the texts and memoirs.

Colin

Hi Colin,

I'm actually surprised that Professor Hoffmann took the time to respond and I never expected him to scan his files for me. Hes still teaching and working on another book on  Henning von Tresckow.  He also interviewed Urban in 1978 and gave me a copy of his handwritten notes. I'm not sure I will be able to decipher them though. They are in German and I'm not sure of the context. I also sent the Professor a copy of Urbans Soldbuch for his files.

I absolutely loved the Cruise version of Valkyrie. I just found out Stauffenbergs grandson had a bit part in the movie.

I just watched the TV version of the plot and it was okay. I also bought the German movie on the plot and will need to make some time to watch it. 

While the loss of those documents is sad from a historical perspective, their destruction may have saved a few folks. Finding the Canaris diary was certainly a blow to many plotters.

The more I find out about LT. Thriesch the more thrilled I get. The fact this Soldbuch had to have been on him, as he met with so many of the plotters in the few weeks prior to the assassination attempt, is amazing.

Jim

PS Professor Hoffmann is looking for anything related to Henning von Tresckow . His contact info is located at this site:

https://www.mcgill.ca/history/peter-hoffmann

 

[ColinRF]

Another happy pick up. I am not aquiring many new pieces these days but I will leap when the opportunity presents. I have been looking for an example of the signature of Axel von dem Bussche for a long time and have now found one. His autograph is first on a page from a guest book for a 1956 reception for Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands. At this time, von dem Bussche was posted with the West German embassy in Washington DC.

Catalogue Entry: 

--------------------
Title:19 AUTOGRAPHS of EMINENT GUESTS attending a party in honor of PRINCE BERNHARD OF THE NETHERLANDS at the Dakota in NYC. Included among the autographs are those of PRINCE BERNHARD, as well as those of the American magazine magnate HENRY LUCE and the notorious CIA OPERATIVE ENNO HOBBING who, as Bureau Chief of TIME MAGAZINE, led the COUP D'ETAT in GUATEMALA.
Author:(Hobbing, Enno [CIA operative]; HRH Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands; Prince Aschwin; Axel Bussche-Streithorst; Hamilton Fish Armstrong; Brooke Astor; Henry R. Luce; et al.)
Your Inventory Number: 
Price: 

[New York]: October 30th, 1956., 1956.. Fine. - Nineteen autographs penned on a gilt-edged, cream-colored page, 10-3/4 inches high by 8-3/4 inches wide, removed from the guest book of Grace Bristed Jackson and C. D. Jackson at the Dakota. Dated "Oct. 30th 1956", the signatures are identified along the top as those of guests present at a "Party in Honour of Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands. 14 signatures are penned in a column along the left and another 5 signatures, including that of Prince Bernhard, are penned in a column at right. Near fine. 

Charles Douglas Jackson [known as "C.D."] and his wife Grace Bristed Jackson hosted parties and events at their apartment in the Dakota. Jackson worked on and off at Time magazine in an administrative capacity for many years and was made vice president of Time, Inc. in 1940. He was periodically sent on various diplomatic missions by Eisenhower. He also found time to serve on the boards of several organizations, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Free Europe Committee and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

The signatures along the left include those of:

1) Axel Bussche-Streithorst [Axel von dem Bussche] (1919-1993). A World War II German officer who, as part of the German Resistance, planned to assassinate Adolf Hitler in 1943. Stationed on the Eastern front, Bussche had witnessed the massacre of over 3,000 Jewish civilians by the SS at the Dubno airport in Poland in 1942. Traumatized by the experience, he joined a resistance group within the army led by Count Stauffenberg. Selected to model new uniforms when Hitler was due to inspect these at his Fuhrerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze in November 1943, Bussche undertook to carry out a suicide bombing to kill the Fuhrer. His plans were thwarted when, the night before the event, an Allied air raid on Berlin destroyed the railway truck transporting the new uniforms. He volunteered to try again but was seriously wounded on the Eastern front in January of 1944, losing one of his legs. He was one of the very few who was not betrayed and thus survived the war.

I still recall seeing Freiherr von dem Bussche being interviewed in the Oscar nominated film "The Restless Conscience." He spoke of witnessing the massacre at Dubno and wishing he had thought to remove his uniform and join the ranks of the Jews being executed. Truly a haunted individual.

Edited January 9, 2018 by ColinRF

[hucks216]

Thanks to everyone who has posted in this thread, especially Colin for his efforts in sharing his collection, as this is currently the second most viewed thread in the entire Third Reich Paperwork section sitting at 34,732 views. As the current leader (at 47,862) hasn't had a reply since 2010 this is the most viewed 'live' thread - although Kriegsmarine Cap Tallies sits just 7 views behind so the lead can change on any given day.

But well done for everything done in this thread.

[Jim Pool]

I just picked up what I believe is an original wartime photo and signature of Hans Speidel.  I am no expert on signatures so any comments positive or negative are welcome.  A more detailed description and discussion was posted here: 

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?p=8160708#post8160708

[ColinRF]

Thanks Kevin. I am glad it's been of interest. My postings have slowed with my collecting but I am still picking up the odd hard to find item. I will keep posting.

Jim that does looks like Speidel's signature to me. I don't think he has been heavily faked. My initial thought was that it looks post-war but I did read somewhere that Speidel preferred not to sign in WWII uniform after hostilities had ceased.

Other opinions?

Colin

Edited May 7, 2018 by ColinRF

[hucks216]

Not an autograph but I found this while going through my files - it is the Kartei for Henning von Tresckow.

 

 

Edited May 8, 2018 by hucks216

[ColinRF]

Very interesting. Thanks Kevin. I think Prof. Peter Hoffmann's new bio of Tresckow will be ready this year. It will address some of the recent revisionist slurs against him. First to be published in German, it is hoped that an English version will follow.

Colin

[Jim Pool]

On 06/05/2018 at 19:28, ColinRF said:

Thanks Kevin. I am glad it's been of interest. My postings have slowed with my collecting but I am still picking up the odd hard to find item. I will keep posting.

Jim that does looks like Speidel's signature to me. I don't think he has been heavily faked. My initial thought was that it looks post-war but I did read somewhere that Speidel preferred not to sign in WWII uniform after hostilities had ceased.

Other opinions?

Colin

Thanks Colin, 

I confirmed that the dedication was to senior band master Tietzel of the 7th Panzer Division.  It applauds him for his rendition of various songs. The 7th Pz Div was attached to 8th Army for a short period of time.  It wouldn't make sense to do it postwar.  Jim

[Ian Sayer]

I agree with you Colin. The Speidel looks OK to me.

[ColinRF]

An infrequent addition.

GL KARL FREIHERR VON THÜNGEN

June 26, 1893 - October 24, 1944

Karl Freiherr von Thüngen 

 

 

Karl Freiherr von Thüngen was inspector of the Selective Service in Berlin in the summer of 1944. On July 20, 1944 the conspirators appointed him as military commander for military district III (Berlin) after they had arrested the previous commander, General von Kortzfleisch. However, Thüngen did not arrive at the Army Command building until evening, too late to prevent the failure of the coup attempt. He revoked the conspirators’ orders and even participated in Kortzfleisch’s interrogation of Hans-Ulrich von Oertzen, which Oertzen finally escaped by committing suicide. Karl Freiherr von Thüngen was arrested by the Gestapo shortly afterwards, and sentenced to death by the People’s Court on October 5, 1944. By order of the Reich Minister of Justice, Otto Thierack, the sentence was carried out by execution by firing squad in Brandenburg-Görden.

Note: In the photo below of defendants in the Volksgeruchtshof, the captions for von Theungen and Meichssner are reversed.

Edited December 21, 2018 by ColinRF

[hucks216]

Here is his Kartei:

 

And this is the Kartei for Friedrich Olbricht:

Edited December 26, 2018 by hucks216