Adolf Hitler's Iron Cross and other awards

[Claudio]

Dear forumites,

 

I was intrigued by a set of awards personally owned by our "beloved" (pun intended) Führer (Gröfaz, grösster Führer aller Zeiten) put for sale on a Munich auction (HH). The awards themselves don't strike for particular beauty; they are of the most common variant of making, typical of the 30ies, and the affidavit/declaration signed in the late 60ies by Hitler's housekeeper, Mrs. Anny Brunner-Winter, who was at his Munich apartment in Prinzregentplatz 16 from 1929 to 1945 and allegedly received them as a present by the Boss in person, seem to be a bit far fetched. Any food for thoughts?

Ciao,

 

Claudio

Here's a complete description:

Lot Nr. 6261
Adolf Hitler - an Iron Cross 1st Class  
Plain, silvered convex issue on a vertical attachment pin. Dimensions 42 x 42 mm. 1930s production, without maker's designation.  
Hitler was awarded this high decoration on 4 August 1918 as a Gefreiter (Lance Corporal) and combat despatch runner while serving with 3rd Company, Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment no. 16 (List) (tr.) "because as a despatch runner he demonstrated exemplary coolness, he rescued his heavily wounded company chief from the zone of fire, and through a coup de main accomplished the capture of 12 French with their officer." On 9 May Hitler had received a regimental diploma for outstanding bravery during this operation. 
Also included is a written attestation dated 4 October 1969 by Anny Brunner-Winter, Hitler's housekeeper at his Munich apartment on Prinzregentenplatz 16 from 1929 to 1945, that this Iron Cross 1st Class came from the personal possession of Hitler, together with an old photo from the contemporary history photo archives of Heinrich Hoffmann showing Hitler wearing his ribbon of the Bavarian Military Merit Cross, the Iron Cross 1st Class and the Wound Badge in Black. 

 

Edited April 28, 2015 by Claudio

[Claudio]

His Wound Badge :

Lot Nr. 6262
Adolf Hitler - a Wound Badge in Black  
Plain hollow-struck issue on a vertical attachment pin. Dimensions 42.5 x 37.5 mm. Without maker's designation.
Hitler was awarded the Wound Badge in Black on 18 May 1918 as a Gefreiter (Lance Corporal) and combat despatch runner while serving with 3rd Company, Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment no. 16 (List). 
With the written attestation dated 4 October 1969 by Anny Brunner-Winter, Hitler's housekeeper at his Munich apartment on Prinzregentenplatz 16 from 1929 to 1945, that this Wound Badge in Black from the 1st World War came from the personal possession of Hitler, together with an old photo from the history photo archives of Heinrich Hoffmann and a photo of Hitler's military pass with an entry for the Wound Badge in Black.

[Claudio]

More pictures of other awards... on closer inspection of the Mrs. A Brunner-Winter signatures on some documents, it looks as if the signatures were carbon-copied... or at least they look strange to me. It would be nice to have them checked personally, first hand.

 

 

 

Edited April 28, 2015 by Claudio

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi,

Although I have no doubt AH gave people gifts... what are the chances that he decides to give a female civilian Housekeeper a bunch of medals as a gift? A totally off the wall idea IMHO. One without precedent. Why not a tea set, or signed Photo? Plenty of Führer gifts out there... but so far no cases of having given his medals to someone for cleaning his toilet.....

In the past we have seen signed letters confirming bits of his suspenders, Tie etc...

My guess is.... either these are original AH pieces, but not given by AH, rather recuperated by the housekeeper who then justified having them by claiming they were gifted.

or...

Simply a bunch of pieces sexed up with some BS letters.

 

[kasle]

In 2010, same auction site (Hermann Historica) offered Hitler´s EK1 with provenance letter from Amy Winter. That times it was cased S-W. It got sold for 180.000 euros.
Personally, I would believe only to provenance letter from Adolf Hitler.

This link will help
http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?t=405722&highlight=Hitler+EK1

[Chris Boonzaier]

I am guessing such a provenance letter does not exist... and even if it did... would it list the maker mark etc? :-)

[kasle]

Of course it doesn´t exist. It was my way to say I wouldn´t believe in any provenance letter anyway. Fortunately, in this case, as many times before, I am protected by the guardian angel called Shallow Pocket.

Edited April 28, 2015 by kasle

[Chris Boonzaier]

We share an Angel!!

But its a belief thing... I am sure there are deep pocket guys who will believe this is good....

[kasle]

This lot (for EK1) consists of 100 € of metal and thousands € of belief. Quite disproportion, I say.

[Paul R]

I would want some real proof.  I am very very suspicious.  

[Brian R]

This lot (for EK1) consists of 100 € of metal and thousands € of belief. Quite disproportion, I say.

​Perfect!

[Eric K.]

Has anyone seen a photo of Hitler wearing that particular EK? Pretty sloppy paint job,not sure if I would would want to give that one to my boss ,but I think it would be easy to verify with a photo..Im sure he had a million EK's in Houses,bunkers etc.. throughout Germany but you never know.

[Chris Boonzaier]

There are plenty of "kosher" attributed groups (on all levels) , and there are people who believe, dont belive, or out of principal NEVER belive the information that comes with a group...

I think each individual group has to be decided on its own merits. For every "Fake" group accepted by a buyer there are probably just as many "real" groups that are split up because the pedigree is not 1000% proved.

I personally do not believe the pedigree on this one, but I know I have split groups in the past because the story did not convince me, and on a law of averages, some of them were probably "real" groups...

 

Its a pretty fine line..

Still, I give this one a thumbs down...

 

[nick-j]

Hi,

Although I have no doubt AH gave people gifts... what are the chances that he decides to give a female civilian Housekeeper a bunch of medals as a gift? A totally off the wall idea IMHO. One without precedent. Why not a tea set, or signed Photo? Plenty of Führer gifts out there... but so far no cases of having given his medals to someone for cleaning his toilet.....

In the past we have seen signed letters confirming bits of his suspenders, Tie etc...

My guess is.... either these are original AH pieces, but not given by AH, rather recuperated by the housekeeper who then justified having them by claiming they were gifted.

or...

Simply a bunch of pieces sexed up with some BS letters.

Hi Chris 

got to agree I looked on these pieces with a large degree of scepticism.One original and very desirable thing his housekeeper owned and included in this sale is in fact his presentation signed photo in silver frame and original case,something I would exchange any of my KC s or Mappes for !! 

According to literature Hitler considered his photo gift as his highest personal accolade.

 

[kasle]

EK1 sold for 4.200 € + buyers premium 23%. Hitler´s aquarell of Vienna sold for 31.000 € + premium. Now you can´t say he was a bad painter, heh.

Edited May 11, 2015 by kasle

[hagahr]

there's a German documentary about the last day's in the Hitler bunker ..

on the end researcher found the Russian secret service show the items taken from the bunker ,,amongst his and eva's jaw bones 2 uniforms are shown .

one of them surely his cote and hat ,,,the Iron cross still hangs on that uniform

so ▶ Death Inside Hitler's Bunker (2004) - YouTube   you may be interested ....

 

regards kay ( alias Montgomery Burns )