Description:

G.I. VISITS DACHAU LETTER AND RELATED EPHEMERA
An archive of material collected by Charles D. Blackston, a Battery Airman serving in France and Germany from June 1944-May 1945 as part of the medical detachment unit of the 120th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Gun Battalion (Mobile). Blackston, from Columbus, OH, was awarded the Bronze Star for his service, and the final page of his nomination for that citation is included. The centerpiece of the archive is, however, an A.L.S. of Blackston written to his family from ‘Germany', June 19, 1945, shortly after his discharge. Although incomplete, it comprises 5pp. 8vo. in bold pencil, with highly detailed accounts of his observations during a tour of post-war Munich and surrounding areas. In very small part: ‘…I have a very interesting letter to write…about a tour I took under the supervision of the chaplain yesterday…Destination was Munich, the well-known city of Hitler's headquarters in Nazi movements. It was hit very hard by our bombers and hardly a place not showing the marks of war. It is at least about 100 miles from where we are located…Okay, are you ready for the tour to begin? We arrived in Munich at the square used for the assembly place of the thousands of Nazi followers, the four corners bounded by big rich buildings and [at] one end the famous Fuhrer's home two of them built by Hitler for headquarters in Munich. There you will find the two big roofless monuments with columns holding [the] roof all in stone enclosing 8 coffins each metal ones. Probably copper, holding the political leaders that were killed when the Nazis were getting their start and Hitler had their bodies' remains brought there and placed in honorable state. In the Fuhrer's houses you find wonderful rooms and massive hallways and stairways marbled very modern everything luxurious and rich. G.I.s live there now…Following Hitler's party room, his office we went to Burger Brau Keller no. 29. You of course hear of it there is where Hitler first started his Nazi idea. It [is] nothing more than a beer cellar with plenty of underground passages. Hitler used to come during the war and his reign…for a party every year. Following that we went to…St. Ludwig's…then we went to no. 13 the house where Hitler lived. The house was where he kept Eva Braun his sweetheart who used to be the secretary of [Henrich] Hoffman [sic] who was Hitler's private photographer…then we went a long way to Wasserburg, crossed the Iron river into Austria…we also saw the Alps…in Italy. Now we return to Munich. I might add there were hundreds of people everywhere…very beautiful girls…I also saw a baby camp where they give birth to babies for Hitler. Hundreds of German soldiers were all along the road, a very down hearted looking lot. We then went to ‘Hofbrau House' in Munich. Another beer hall where Hitler got his start; his party room was on 2nd floor all bombed in, his political speech room on the third floor bombed to the devil. 1st floor people were drinking beer…Then went to ‘Dachau' the concentration camp run by the SS Troops known the world over as one of the worst there, thousands of prisoners, polish, jews, etc. died of hunger and by shooting and gas. I saw the crematory, a very modern affair used to burn the bodies they burned 120 a day. The Polish guide said it was hard to burn some. They had a gas chamber where they killed them you could see fingernail marks on the wall, there were two dead bodies there…and some human ones in one of the ovens. Outside was a tree with white lime all around it. There the guide said the bodies were piled everywhere for burning he said they died of typhoid fever and hunger so fast they buried 500 people in one hole at a time. He said hunger was the worst of all. He was a veteran of 5 years here. We saw some inmates that were skinny but fattening up since Uncle Sam took over. He said when first Yanks came in the men kissed them hit them on the back and were so…'. The letter ends here. Accompanying this are 99 photographs of Blackston's fellow soldiers in various areas such as Verdun, many identified on verso, together with images of landscapes, monuments and the like. Also included are ten Hoffmann real-photo postcards, a telegram from Blackston to his family Sept. 10, 1943 announcing a furlough; and more. Condition varies but overall very good.

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March 26, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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