Description:

GEN. FRANZ HALDER'S RIBBON BAR
FRANZ HALDER (1884 - 1972) German chief of staff who brilliantly planned the invasion of Russia, Operation Barbarossa and served very competently until transferred to the reserves by Hitler due to policy disputes. Suspected of plotting against Hitler's life in 1944, he was interned at Flossenburg until his rescue by the Allies. An exceptional Halder relic, his formal uniform ribbon bar with excellent provenance. The ribbon bar displays ten ribbons, including those for the Iron Cross, House Order of Hohenzollern, Ostfront Medal, Long Service Medal, War Merit Cross with Swords, Hindenburg Cross, and others unidentified by us, many with sword, eagle and other devices, and it measures 6 x .75 in. overall. The ribbon bar is set in top a frame with an original printing of Halder's 1972 death notice, a snapshot of his home, and a portion of a signed typed letter from Halder to an unknown person asking that poetry his correspondent has written be sent to him in shorter, concise versions in German. The ribbon bar is accompanied by an original signed 2018 letter of provenance from its recipient in Tennessee. He explains that he was writing his M.A. thesis on Halder and decided to visit the elderly general in Germany in 1970 and mentions the photograph and letter in the frame, both of which had originated from him. He further explains that while visiting Halder, the student developed a friendship with the general's daughter, inspired by the student's research on Hitler's disregard of Halder's military advice. He further notes that after Halder's death, the daughter sent him the death notice (in the frame) and the general's ribbon bar. He also mentions that the daughter's letter was sealed in the back of the frame. When we received this consignment, we discovered we were the first to open the back of the frame, and a letter was indeed found there, written by Halder's daughter Ilse on Nov. 13, 1972, in German. She sends the ribbon bar to the student, noting: 'I hope we can make a small contribution with it...We miss good Mr. Halder very much. He was truly an extraordinary person...' Attached to the top of the letter is the German customs slip declaring one 'Ordensschnelle', or...ribbon bar. Also included are five 8 x 10 in. press photographs showing Halder in uniform and meeting with Adolf Hitler, Wilhelm Kietel, Benito Mussolini, and others. A significant piece with excellent provenance.

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April 21, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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Bid Increments
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$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