Uncategorised Post 1933 Signatures.... Your most interesting.....

[Chris Boonzaier]

Which is your most interesting autograph... maybe your favorite, or historically interesting, or an eye catcher… whatever the reason…

[Bernhard H.Holst]

Hello Chris.

In a grouping of docs, photos and medals of WW II Oakleaves recipient Ofw. G. Stuehmer in my care is a letter. Signed by Gen. Schmundt, Adj. of Hitler and head of Army Personnel Office to the widow advising of a special donation for the children's education. Dated shortly before mortally wounded during the attempt on Hitler of 20 July 1944..Schmundt died some time later of his injuries.

Bernhard H. Holst

[hucks216]

For me it would be the signature of the Butcher of Prague, Reinhard Heydrich which I have 2 examples of - one on a promotion citation to a member of the Gestapo and the other on a letter that goes with the citation and is on paper headed with the notorious address Prinz-Albrecht-Straße 8.

[Martin W]

I think for me it is the signature of the Hilfskreuzer Thor Commander,Gunther Gumprich on a preliminary Hilfskreuzer award document and an EKII document,both signed in Yokohama,Japan.

[LarryT]

My most interesting signature is a signed photo of Werner Grahn in full uniform as an Untersturmfuhrer in the SD.

Grahn later served at Mathausen-Gusen Concentration Camp, was convicted of war crimes after the war, sentenced to death and executed on 28 May, 1947.

Cheers,

Larry

[alexanderhistorical]

My "favorite" would have to be a signature found in a guestbook (and graciously given to me by the consignor) of Karl Hans Maximilian von Le Suire (8 November 1898 – 18 June 1954) General der Gebirgstruppe who commanded the XXXXIX Gebirgs-Armeekorps, and a Knights Cross awardee. In November 1943, the 117th Jager Div. began Unternehmen Kalavryta (Operation Kalavryta), intending to encircle Greek guerrilla fighters in the mountainous area surrounding Kalavryta. During the operations, some German soldiers were killed and 77 of them, who were taken prisoners, were executed by the Greek guerrillas. On 10 December 1943 von Le Suire signed the order for the German division to "level the locations Mazeika and Kalavryta". In total, more than 1200 civilians were killed during the reprisal operations. About 1,000 houses were looted and burned and more than 2,000 sheep and other large domestic animals were seized by the Germans. The following day the division burnt down the Monastery of Agia Lavra, a landmark of the Greek War of Independence, and dispatched several monks there by pitching them off a nearby cliff.

My dog in this fight? My great-great grandfather was one of the Greek patriots who swore an oath to fight the Turks in 1821, launching the Greek Revolution - this was at Agia Lavria. My father was raised in Kalavryta, and one or two of his friends survived the massacre by taking blood from other victims, wiping it on their faces, and "playing dead".

Fittingly, von Le Suire was captured by Soviet troops in May 1945 and died in Soviet captivity on 18 June 1954 in a prisoner of war camp at Stalingrad.

Edited February 16, 2014 by alexanderhistorical

[ColinRF]

That's a tough one. Probably my 1944 staff officer evaluation document signed by Oberst I.G. Henning von Tresckow. Not too many Tresckows in collections as far as I can tell. After posting it on another site I was contacted by the officer's relative and found he was a close friend of Beck.

Recently I was contacted by a relative of Oberstleutnant Werner Schrader (another July 20 officer) and I was able to provide him with copies of about 40 documents of great interest to his family. Love it when that happens.

Colin