Description:

FIFTEEN SS GENERALS' SIGNED BIRTHDAY GREETING TO HEINRICH HIMMLER
An amazing signed document, a birthday greeting presented to Reichsfuhrer-SS HEINRICH HIMMLER (1900-1945) on his 37th birthday, signed by fifteen of his top generals - many of whom, like their leader, would be dead by the time 'gun barrels cooled'. The parchment document, 14 x 17 in. and dated '7.X.1937' at bottom, bears a calligraphic greeting to Himmler at top: 'Dear Reichsfuhrer! All the Department Chiefs and Inspectors at the SS-Main Office remember you today with the warmest best wishes for the following year. All of us know no finer duty than to be allowed to work in the SS organization, under your command, for the Fuhrer and for Germany. We have only one single wish - that you may always, in dark hours, feel how firmly your closest colleagues stand behind you, as a sworn company, prepared for any action.' At bottom, fifteen top SS generals have inscribed their names to the message. They include (right to left, top to bottom): GEN. AUGUST HEISSMEYER (1897-1979), Chief of the SS Main Office; GEN. FRIEDRICH KRUGER (1894-1945, suicide), Senior SS & Police Leader, Poland; GEN. THEODORE EICKE (1892-1943, KIA), Inspector General of Concentration Camps; GEN. WALTER SCHMITT ((1879-1945, murdered by Czech partisans), SS Chief of Personnel; GEN. OSWALD POHL (1892-1951, executed), Chief of SS Economic & Administrative Office; GEN. PAUL HAUSSER (1880-1972), C.O. 'Das Reich' Division; MAJOR GEN. RICHARD HERRMANN (1893-1941, KIA), C.O. 'Kampfgruppe Nord'; GEN. ERNST SACHS (1880-1956), Chief of Telecommunications; LT. GEN. LEO PETRI (1876-1961) Chief of Allgemeine-SS; MAJOR GEN. FRIEDRICH HAUSER (1898-1943, accident), Commander SS sector, Koblenz; MAJOR GEN. HEINRICH GARTNER (1897-1963), Chief of Supply; MAJOR GEN. DR. FRIEDRICH DERMIETZEL (1899-1981), Chief Medical Officer; MAJOR GEN. HERMANN HAERTEL (1893-1970), Chief of Welfare; MAJOR GEN. RUDOLF CREUTZ (1896-1980), Deputy Reichs Commissioner for Strengthening of Germanisation; and GEN. PAUL SCHARFE (1876-1942), Chief of Legal Department. The document, slightly soiled, has been mounted to archival cardboard. A few signatures have lightened slightly, yet all remain entirely legible. A superb assemblage of the entire SS hierarchy (save Himmler himself), unobtainable elsewhere.

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July 28, 2022 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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