Lot 814

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Description:

ERNST ROHM
(1887 - 1934) Nazi Brownshirt, who organized, trained and headed the SA, a friend of Hitler who was at his side in the 1923 Beer Hall Putsch, later set-up and executed by Hitler following their disagreement on the use of the two million-strong SA. Historic content, very rare and early A.L.S. "Rohm", 1p. 4to., Gratenwoehr, Sep. 8, 1923 to Adolf Hitler, in pencil and stamped "RECEIVED" at top. An incredible letter in which Hitler's leader of the S.A. ("Brownshirts") begs his leader to meet with the man who with Hitler would assemble Germany's Kampfbund and head the revolt known as the "Beer Hall Putsch". In full: "My dear Hitler! To my great joy, [S.A. leader Josef] Seydel informs me that the unification negotiations in Nuremberg, which worried me greatly, have failed, Since, in addition, Kriebel is dissatisfied with the behavior of Behrendt of the St. Fl. [?], he intends to disband the staff of the military leader on 1 October and either personally resign or accept a position abroad. I beseech you, even if this perhaps annoys you personally, to use your influence to insure that Kriebel and the other gentlemen are not now, perhaps even before the decision is reached, lost to our cause. Have a face-to-face talk with Kriebel, I can only repeat, we have no one better, he is irreplaceable. Act quickly and help us, before everyone runs off in different directions. My regards in loyalty and faithfulness, Your devoted friend, Rohm". File holes at left margin, with a few tiny marginal tears repaired on verso and at extreme margin on recto (not affecting text), else very good. This is an exceedingly important letter in which Rohm essentially proposes nothing less than a merging of the violent nationalistic political groups which were all vying for power in Bavaria, and is written two months to the day before the abortive Beer Hall Putsch! At the urging of Rohm and others, Hitler promoted the formation of the "Kampfbund", a league of "patriotic" fighting societies and the German National Socialist party in Bavaria. It included Hitler's NSDAP party with Rohm's SA, the Oberland League and the Reichskriegsflagge. It was created on Sept. 30, 1923 at Nuremberg, three weeks after this letter was written, with none other than Hermann Kriebel as its military leader and Hitler (chosen by Rohm) as its political leader. Rohm's reference early in the letter mentioning his satisfaction that earlier unification measures had failed illustrated his fears that these groups might consolidate and garner political power without including Hitler's National Socialists in the mix. Kriebel was a former Bavarian staff officer whose prophetic parting words to the 1919 German armistice delegation were: "See you again in 20 years". He then fought with the Freikorps during the White counterrevolution. Finally, only a week after the formation of the Kampfbund, the final plans for the putsch were made by Hitler and Kriebel in Kriebel's apartment on Nov. 7, 1923, with the military aspects of the putsch controlled by Kriebel. Rohm's letter no doubt had a serious impact on Hitler - Rohm was Hitler's "ear" on the streets, and his opinion on party politics must have carried huge weight. History proves that Hitler took the contents of this letter to heart, and its ramifications are of incredible significance. Without an alliance with the other ultra-nationalistic groups of the time, Hitler's rise to power would have been impossible. Following the failed putsch, Kriebel was convicted with Hitler in 1924 and served his sentence in Landsberg Prison. After his release from prison, he maintained his ties with the Nazi party and the Oberland League but did not benefit from Hitler's rise to power. He became the German consul general in Shanghai. A historic letter of great importance.

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June 4, 2010 11:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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