Reichmaster of the Lie

[Hauptmann]

Hi all,

Just pulled this off the shelf while looking for other goodies to post and though... why not?

[attachmentid=51846]

Dan

[Avitas]

Just finished reading the diaries of this yappy little brownnoser (read the diary if you disagree) and couldn't help but post on this pic. The ability to lie to millions of people with a straight face and write the truth later in a book is something else...anyways, can you post a pic of the reverse as well Dan? It must be hard to authenticate a signature like this, as it is even hard to authenticate modern sports autographs. I guess you have to rely on the source and maybe an expert opinion or two. Any tips on authentic autographs and how to spot one are welcome as I'm sure it is not an easy thing to do, and thanks for posting Dan

Pat

[Hauptmann]

Just finished reading the diaries of this yappy little brownnoser (read the diary if you disagree) and couldn't help but post on this pic. The ability to lie to millions of people with a straight face and write the truth later in a book is something else...anyways, can you post a pic of the reverse as well Dan? It must be hard to authenticate a signature like this, as it is even hard to authenticate modern sports autographs. I guess you have to rely on the source and maybe an expert opinion or two. Any tips on authentic autographs and how to spot one are welcome as I'm sure it is not an easy thing to do, and thanks for posting Dan

Pat

Hi Pat,

Actually I think the back is blank. I've been trying to post pics of the reverse of anything I post... unless it's blank and I don't feel it would add anything. If you really want to see it I'll be glad to do a scan and post it later today as I'm getting ready to hit the bed now.

On signatures... basically there is generally a look that the paper has been compressed under the pen or pencil or whatever was used. You'll be able to feel the impression left by the writing instrument. And depending on the thickness of the medium (paper, cardstock, etc.) you can often see the reverse of the impression on the back.

Also edges under magnification will be a bit rough in places. And you'll see different shades of ink, etc. whenever lines in a signature or any writing cross over other parts of the letter or number that's been written.

Autopen signatures tend to be very even, crisp and just don't have the tell tale marks of something written by hand.

Next time you get a paycheck if you work for a company that uses autopen signatures on their checks... compare it under magnification to a check you've written or one from another individual. You'll begin to see many differences between the two.

Generally when you write to say, politicians... like the President of the U.S., etc., you'll receive an autopen reply. When writing such individuals you must request if at all possible that they actually sign the card, letter, document that you've sent to them or requested they sign. The best way to get autographs of course is in person.

The big thing now is "reprints" where someone gets authentic autographs, does a print of the pic with the signature(s) and then sells it. Basically such pictures are worthless in my opinion... at least as far as autographs. They're like fake Rolex watches. You might impress your next door neighbor. But try reselling it down the road. Unlike real autographs they will not increase in value.

Also keep in mind that a persons handwriting changes over time. What you wrote as a child will in no way resemble what you write now. And as you get older it will continue to change.

Take Kaiser Wilhelm. When a Prince it was a normal sized signature. When he became Kaiser it got larger. The more powerful he became the larger his signature. Then, when his fortunes took a turn for the worse it became smaller and less bold.

Hitler's signature changed in similar ways. He had an unusual signature to begin with... signing AF Hitler... short for Adolf of course. At times he'd also sign Wolf which was a nickname.

Drives me crazy every time I see Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, when Indy is in Berlin dressed as a German officer and Hitler signs his dad's book. He signs it Adolf Hitler. Just didn't happen!

And then, with things like the diaries the signatures and writing continue to be firm and strong even after the bomb plot... when Hitler could barely keep his arm from trembling much less sign anything. His signatures after that event are a pale shadow of their former selves. Just look at a copy of his marriage document compared with an early signature on a Knight's Cross document for example. Like night and day.

If you're really interested I'd highly recommend that you get one (or several) of the late Charles Hamiltons works on the subject. He did two volumes on Leaders and Personalities of the Third Reich as a matter of fact which include photos as well as examples of their signatures. I have the first volume and hope to get the second if it ever comes down in price or I can find a cheap copy used. He includes comparisons of Hitler's handwriting in the first volume. He also has such a comparison of Hitler as well as the Kaiser and Napoleon as well in some of his earlier works.

But during his lifetime he was "the" expert in the field of autographs. He was the one expert to state up front that the Hitler diaries were fakes, even while the other "experts" were touting them are being absolutely authentic.

Sigh... yet another hobby of mine as if I need any more!

Dan

Edited August 31, 2006 by Hauptman

[Robin Lumsden]

The ability to lie to millions of people with a straight face and write the truth later in a book is something else.Pat

Goebbels was a master spin-doctor. Nothing more, and nothing less.

Every politician uses them.

[Paul R]

He kinda looks like Kermit the Frog.

[Nick]

Goebbels was a master spin-doctor. Nothing more, and nothing less

I would agree to the first comment but he was much more than this, he was a ruthless fanatic, a dangerous politician, and was one of the real architects and believers in National Socialism. His nihilistic viewpoint fell in line with Hitler?s idea of total war and supported the total destruction of the German State, not to mention the destruction of the Jewish race. A man with much blood on his hands, included his own children. Much, much more than a master spin doctor....in my humble opinion.

[Ed_Haynes]

I would agree to the first comment but he was much more than this, he was a ruthless fanatic, a dangerous politician, and was one of the real architects and believers in National Socialism. His nihilistic viewpoint fell in line with Hitler?s idea of total war and supported the total destruction of the German State, not to mention the destruction of the Jewish race. A man with much blood on his hands, included his own children. Much, much more than a master spin doctor....in my humble opinion.

Correct, Nick. To dismiss him glibly as a "spin doctor" comes close to a dangerous misunderstanding of history.

[Bob]

Just finished reading the diaries of this yappy little brownnoser (read the diary if you disagree) and couldn't help but post on this pic. The ability to lie to millions of people with a straight face and write the truth later in a book is something else...anyways, can you post a pic of the reverse as well Dan? It must be hard to authenticate a signature like this, as it is even hard to authenticate modern sports autographs. I guess you have to rely on the source and maybe an expert opinion or two. Any tips on authentic autographs and how to spot one are welcome as I'm sure it is not an easy thing to do, and thanks for posting Dan

Pat

I picked up a copy of Albert Speers memoires a while back... interesting read... gave me the same feeling of the movie Der Untergang... the empire just crumbling around them. The memoires was an autographed copy and was accompanied by some autographed letters (on Albert Speer personal letterhead) and photographs. One small letter is interesting... he's writing to a collector and giving him the address of Admiral Donitz so the person can also contact him.

[Robin Lumsden]

Correct, Nick. To dismiss him glibly as a "spin doctor" comes close to a dangerous misunderstanding of history.

I think I have a reasonable understanding of history, thanks.

[Guest WAR LORD]

This man had an acute ability to arouse. An interlect as sharp as a razor. The clash of titans as it was ably put by Roper when he compared Beverbrook and Goebels in the art of properganda. The statement, "To dismiss him glibly as a "spin doctor" comes close to a dangerous misunderstanding of history." is well founded. It is easy to dismiss many Nazi officals as uneducated morons basking in their Leader glory. It could be sumarriesed as him being a very dangerous man, with a gift for oratory and persuasion.

[Avitas]

Not to mention he was a very cynical, cold, and calculated thinker. After reading his diaries, I got the impression that he thought of the potential consequences of every word and action beforehand, and made sure whatever position he took maximized whatever point or idea he was propagandizing at the time. His sheer lack of compassion for human life is enough to understand how a man like this lived the way he did. A little bit of Napoleon syndrome as well thrown in never helps either. Goebbells was a genius for sure, not some brainless lackey, but there are criminal geniuses around nowadays as well, and there are comparisons to modern day politicians and media but that is a whole other can of worms that I do not care to open.

Interesting discussion this is,

Pat

[Robin Lumsden]

Just like I said......a master spin doctor.

Alistair Campbell is the only man I have ever seen who was able to throw Jeremy Paxman into a tizzy.

[MattGibbs]

Robin,

I agree that you need to know what some of our master UK spin doctors can achieve before discounting Goebbels job description in this line of work, he was perhaps THE master at it, for all the reasons others have placed, always thinking before speaking or giving an opinion, always promoting the good of a situation by explaining that it could only have been possible because of the "miracle" of National Socialism etc etc.

If you detached the obvious negative of being associated with the Nazis and transposed someone with his qualities of ruthlessness in another european country I think he would still have had the same ruthless attitude to whatever cause he believed in. Not stating my case very well, but I know what I mean!

Regards

Matt Gibbs

[Guest Darrell]

One thing that made him stand out among the civilians was his touring of the bombed out areas of Berlin ... at least he went out to offer support and moral boosting. Much more so than any of the other Nazi's that wouldn't dare set foot in these places.

Edited September 16, 2006 by Darrell