Lot 107

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BERNHARD FRANK ARCHIVE OF WARTIME LETTERS TO HIS WIFE (50+)
BERNHARD FRANK (1913 - 2011) SS Commander of the Obersalzberg complex who arrested Hermann Goring on April 25, 1945 by order of Adolf Hitler. He was ordered to execute Goring, but refused to do so. Frank had previously served as a librarian at Wewelsburg Castle, the ideological training ground for the SS, then occupied a senior position on Himmler's administrative staff. Later, Frank served as a commander at the eastern front. He eventually was made commander of Obersalzberg. An enormous archive of over fifty war-date A.L.S.s written by Frank to his wife Tilly (1916-1996), all entirely in Frank's hand and signed as 'Your little man' (two signed 'Bernard') and two signed envelopes, all dating from June 19, 1941 to March 24, 1945. There is an enormous wealth of personal information in these letters, which also include news of combat activity and the invasion of Russia, his absolute dedication to his cause, Frank's travels into the East, his thoughts on his marriage, etc. In very small part: '...The fighting has moved forward very far. Many of the units attached to us are being deployed...I'm hoping that our staff will be deployed deep inside Russian soon...I'm attached to the chief of staff, Brigadier Knoblauch...we were rushing north from Poland to reach our destination in time...the troops left their quarters and started advancing towards the close Russian border...the thunder of airplane engines [and] artillery preparation...we are waiting until the encircled Russians will be completely annihilated and then we will go in to completely mop up the area...The Russian seems to have suffered terrible casualties. Russia will be the great chance for the German peasantry. Every bloody sacrifice is justified by that...there must be no mercy for the enemy. But woe betide if we should misgovern this inheritance...then every drop of blood that has been shed for this conquest will be like a curse on us all...the war is ever being expanded. Sometimes I'm dreading the enormous events...We are stuck at the same place. The fighting in the east is heavy and the advancing is step by step. This vast space has to be conquered...We will be transferred to an army training ground nearby...This means still no Russia...The Russian already has been strong enough that he doubtlessly could have overrun us in the first onslaught...It was a terrible danger which we had not known about...But the enemy is defeated...I'm going from company to company to determine the level of training...I won't stop believing until the end...I will never throw my life away, but fight as long as there is anything left to do...' The vast majority of the content in these letters concerns Frank's relationship with his wife Tilly, her miscarriage, a possible affair on her part, and hardships at home. As the war winds up. he even makes provision for his family's suicide. For example, he writes in part: '...marriage can be compared to farming. In both of them there is sowing, fostering, nourishing, harvesting, and in the end death...monogamy is against nature. It interferes with natural selection...woman...picks the best genitor...I got your letter...talking about you last spontaneous abortion...I least I now have the reassurance that both of us are still procreative...I have the firm will to conserve our marriage, because so much has already been destroyed...I don't care about revenge. Any thirst for revenge can be quenched at the front...You have to become a part of me and of my pain...This letter contains the most important thing...Absolutely effective are 20 pills for an adult, 10 for a child...The outcome is a deep sleep without pain. Please don't tell Gretl about it. There is not enough for her yet...A collapse can under no circumstances already be a reason for you to go to the last resort...[only] if there is no other way out at all...I also sent you a pistol...' Also included is one of Frank's college papers, 20pp. 4to., on the subject of Goethe, two sketches, a brief pencil autograph poem, and a 1947 A.L.S. from Darmstadt, probably while he was confined. Also present are over twenty generally brief, unsigned poems written by Tilly, almost all religious in nature and seeking assistance. A remarkable grouping from a man accused of having instigated the Holocaust.

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January 25, 2023 10:00 AM EST
Chesapeake City, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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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 $999,999 $10,000
$1,000,000 $1,999,999 $50,000
$2,000,000 + $100,000