ADOLF HITLER
Important partly-printed D.S., 1p. large 4to., Berlin, May 26, 1937, the promotion of Vice Admiral Alfred Sallwachter to the rank of Admiral in the Kriegsmarine. Boldly signed by Hitler at bottom, co-signed by WERNER VON BLOMBERG (1878-1946) Minister of Defense and Supreme Commander of the German Armies early in Hitler's regime. Fine condition. Generadmiral Alfred Saalwachter (1883-1945) was one of only eleven such officers of that rank in the German Kriegsmarine. He had commanded three submarines in World War I, and in World War II was Commander in Chief of Naval Group West. As such, he planned Operation Cerberus, the Channel dash of the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. He was kidnapped from his apartment by the Russians, tried and executed on Dec. 6, 1945. At the time of this promotion, Germany was making a full-blown effort to expand its navy, especially its U-boat fleet. After assuming this position, Saalwachter commenced forming Naval Group Command West and became Inspector of Training Affairs.