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Special Entry
Presentation Mein Kampf Owned by The Führer
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Presentation Mein Kampf Owned by The Führer (Item SPECIAL ITEM; RAREBOOK 1-3; AH 26-9; MEIN KAMPF 1-3) |
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| DESCRIPTION: This utterly fantastic object d'art from the German Third Reich might be considered one of the finest and historically important articles found in the past dozen years. First, it was definitely a personal possession of Adolf Hitler and was in all probability a much-treasured one at that. Hitler was always cognizant of the importance of archiving and preserving the arts and crafts of the German people. This was ultimately germane and necessary to the ideology and agenda of the National Socialist mythos. This particular edition of Mein Kampf is specially decorated and adorned by artisans at the zenith of their craft. Why else would anyone present this Mein Kampfto the very author of the work? The immediate importance of this presentation was indeed the custom workmanship. The overall intricate, handmade, and very meaningful motif seems to personify the feelings, the expression, the stark realism of the proposed agendas of the "Thousand Year Reich." The publication, otherwise, is a quite normal volume of Hitler's book and that is where any recognizable identity ends, because the binding and the outer decor are a "presentment of high art in the craft of the silversmith" at the epitome. The company that produced the piece was Brunckhorst in the village of Buxtehude, and is signed this way. This art form was practiced quite uniquely by artisans there for over 1,000 years. They were noted for elegant armor and weapon appurtenances that they produced for the knights and nobility of many from a bygone age. Rare and exquisitely decorated Bibles and other religious regalia were by tradition and preference decorated by firms plying their trade in Buxtehude. It all began from very early times when this area was recognized as Der Stadt der Silberkunst—the city of silver art—and many a museum throughout the world will boast of treasured articles to include reliquary treasures encased in Buxtehude silver. Therefore it is only fitting and appropriate that a gift to the Führer of his own book would be bound with this town's memorable art form. The real specialty in silverwork that these artists had produced was the intricate filigree work that was part of almost every piece produced there. The lacy spider web of decoration has never quite been duplicated anywhere in the world and to this day remains the mark of the silversmiths of that tiny village. Buxtehude is found in the section of Germany that was designated as East Hannover. This was due to the Nazi zoning system known as the Gau, each administered by political leaders, overseers, and governed by a Gauleiter--a rank similar to a governor. The man who presented this magnificent gift to Adolf Hitler was Gauleiter Otto Telschow, who had been one of the Alte Kampfer or “Old Fighters,” faithful to the ideals and agenda of the N.S. movement as early as 1925, but earlier he had been deeply involved in nationalistic and anti-Semitic movements. He also had been very instrumental in virulent anticommunist activity. He came from an old aristocratic family of farmers which had served Frederick the Great, the illustrious King of Prussia. A cavalryman in World War I, he served until 1924 and then led Freikorps troops against the Spartacists (communists). Telschow was one of the earliest workers with the fledgling N.S.D.A.P. (Nazi Party), thus cementing an early personal and lifelong friendship with Hitler, who personally appointed him to the Gauleitership of East Hannover. Later he was further elevated in rank to the Prussian Council. He was the Gauleiter who enjoyed the closest friendship to all the German leaders. So then it occurs that on April 20, 1938 (Hitler's birthday), Otto Gauleiter Telschow presented this wonderful gift to his leader and Chancellor of the Third Reich. The entire volume is covered in red leather and then encased in silver, which is hand engraved and filigree decorated. Many configurations of ancient Germanic mythological and runic designs adorn its front, back, and spine. Each important symbol had deep meaning to Nordic and Teutonic saga, and had connotations to the overall historic mission of the "empire" that history has designated as the German Third Reich. Of all the Hitler possessions that have been found and ultimately archived, none seem to be quite as important as this particular item for all the reasons stated herein. As to archival value, the importance of the gift was immediately recognized upon its initial presentation. Inside the front cover there is a 3 x 5-inch file card which announces that this book was a gift from Gauleiter Otto Telschow of Gau East Hannover. This of course is in German and is then signed by hand across the typewritten statement by SS-Obersturmführer B. Woltz, who was known to have been the official caretaker and archivist for the German Reich's chancellor. Woltz signs in red pencil as having received this gift in good order to be added to the personal library of Hitler. Also to be perceived on this card is the handwriting of the American G.I. who had looted this book, then later trading it off for cigarettes to another looter (a Russian). He (the G.I.) does a rough translation of the above information by Woltz as he writes on the face of the card itself. The runic symbols that heavily adorn the outer cover include the Ty rune, the Hagel rune, the Seig rune, the Odel rune, the Lebensrune, and the Sinnzehn.The book measures 5 x 7 1/2 inches, the standard size of a normal Mein Kampf with a little added for the silver protrusion at the spine about 1 3/4 inches thick with a bit added for the silver. The book is very heavy with all that precious metal on it. This Hitler piece practically makes all others pale in significance. It must have surely been one of his favorite possessions in that it was his own book, but given by so close a friend and decorated in the high-art accomplishment of a company that lived up to every tradition of this the Imperium of German art and culture.
PRICE: SOLD |
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