Description:

FROM THE ESTATE OF GEN. CLARENCE R. HUEBNER, COMMANDER OF THE 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION IN THE FIRST WAVE AT OMAHA BEACH On July 28, 1948, a railroad tank car containing thirty tons of dimethyl ether exploded under pressure at a BASF chemical plant owned by IG Farben in Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany, destroying 74 acres of the factory property, killing 207 people and injuring more than 3,000. The explosion punctuated the International Military Tribunals at Nuremberg, which two days later would find thirteen IG Farben employees guilty of war crimes for their complicity in the manufacture of Zyklon-B and its utilization in the murder of concentration camp inmates. Presented here is a photo album memorializing the disaster, 98pp. oblong 4to., containing 68 photos, most 5" x 7" b/w, depicting the city of Ludwigshafen and the BASF plant prior to the disaster, the moment of the explosion itself, and the immediate aftermath as emergency personnel fight fires and treat the wounded, as stunned civilians look on. Many of those aiding in the rescue efforts are American and French occupation troops, as the plant was operating under the management of the French government at the time of the disaster. Additional photos show the ruined factory property in the aftermath, with many views of the burial and memorial service for the dead, attended by German civil officials with French and American military administrators. These latter include Gen. Huebner, who at the time was serving as Chief of Staff for the American forces in Europe, and who is shown signing a condolence book and viewing the mass grave. Carl Wurster, the former NSDAP economist who would soon refound BASF as an independent corporate entity, is also shown at these proceedings. Each photo is affixed to the page along the left edge, allowing the backstamps of a variety of regional press photographers to be seen. The album also features several maps of the city of Ludwigshafen and the BASF site, as well as a list of the dead. The album opens with a forward in German, signed by the "oberregierungsprasident" ("upper government president") of the Pfalz region. The album pages are bound with cord within black and white covers, protected by a paper wrapper, and the entire presentation is housed within a paperboard box. This box is partially broken at the corners, else very good to fine. CLARENCE R. HUEBNER (1888-1972) was the American general who took command of the 1st Infantry Division, popularly known as the "Big Red One", in early August of 1943. He commanded the division during the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944, where it was the first force to face the Germans on Omaha Beach, and he joined his men on the beach the same day. The division was instrumental in the breakthrough following the battle for St. Lo and in foiling the German counteroffensive at Mortain. After the Allied breakout in Normandy, the division advanced rapidly, arriving at the German border in early October of 1944, where it was committed to battle at Aachen, which it captured after two weeks of heavy fighting. After experiencing heavy fighting once again in the Huertgen Forest, the division briefly rested but soon returned to counter the German offensive at the Battle of the Bulge in December, 1944. In January, 1945, Huebner was named commander of the V Corps, which he commanded in its advance to the Elbe river, where elements of the corps made the first contact with the Soviet Red Army. By war's end, the division had advanced into Czechoslovakia. Following the German surrender, Huebner served as the Chief of Staff for all American forces in Europe, and in 1949 was named the final military governor of the American occupation zone in Germany. This album originates directly from General Huebner's estate and is accompanied by a letter of provenance signed by a direct linear descendant. Besides the disaster memorialized in this album, IG Farben and BASF facilities in the vicinity of Ludwigshafen saw deadly explosions in 1921 (killing more than 500), in 1943 (killing about 570), and in 2016 (killing four).

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Shipments are sent via USPS Priority, USPS International Priority, FedEx and DHL (for most overseas shipments) or FedEx Ground at the auctioneer's option, signature is always required, unless other arrangements are made. Handling and shipping charges will be added to the invoice in one entry. Buyers should be aware that large, framed, fragile or odd shaped items can incur substantial shipping and packing charges. International shipments are invoiced by DIMENSIONAL weight, not the item weight. Please contact us for an estimate before bidding NOTE: Large, heavy or bulky items may not be shipped by the auctioneer - arrangements for shipping of these items via a third-party shipper may be arranged through the auction house. Customers who supply their own courier account number will still be charged a handling fee. Please allow 2-3 weeks for shipments after receipt of payment due to the high volume of packages being shipped.

November 20, 2019 10:00 AM EST
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 30% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 + $10,000