Description:

GUEST BOOK OF THE S.A. FUHRERSCHULE - AND ERNST ROHM'S LAST VACATION
An historic guest book maintained by the S.A. Fuhrerschule Dresden and likely signed by every student attending from July, 1931 until after the murder of Ernst Rohm in June, 1934. The book is comprised of consecutive chapters with most bearing an artistic cover page labeled with the class number and dates of attendance of every class at the S.A. Fuhrerschule from the third which convened in July, 1931 to the 27th class, which gathered on July 24, three weeks after the murder of Rohm and much of the S.A. hierarchy. Pasted in the book are four postcard photos of Adolf Hitler with a "graduating class", though in later classes he is absent. There are easily over 2,000 signatures (ink and pencil) in this book, with most students adding their rank in the S.A. and regional affiliation. Many of the students signed twice, upon their arrival at the school and at farewell parties. Undoubtedly, many dignitaries also signed - our cursory examination found ERNST ROHM (4), ALFRED ROSENBERG (2), HEINRICH HIMMLER (2), and KARL FREIHERR VON EBERSTEIN (2), but diligent research will certainly produce dozens of other important names. Of particular historic interest are the pages dedicated to the farewell party for the 27th Class, held at Tegernsee on June 8, 1934. On that same day, Hitler ordered Rohm to take a month's vacation to allow him time to plot Rohm's murder. Rohm in turn publicly announced his departure for reasons of health, but that night attended this graduation party at Tegernsee - just across the lake from Bad Wiessee where he would be murdered three weeks later. The first page shows the date and location of the affair, with a rendering of the lake and mountains, and at the top of the following page is a 4" long, bold pencil signature by Rohm, clearly written in anger and defiance. A few of Rohm's staffers or hangers-on also seem to have signed, as well as the class members who attended the party at Tegernsee. Six weeks later, on July 24, the 27th Class of the Fuhrerschule of the S.A. met in Munich. In this book, the class artist painted a swastika and the symbol of the S.A. surrounded by flames in a bowl atop a pedestal. The pedestal is engraved: "From the ashes of treason there rises the Fuhrer's S.A.". Rohm had been executed...and no doubt dozens of the signers of this book met the same fate. This book has apparently been in a fire, as the pages are partially browned and quite brittle from exposure to high heat. Of course, Dresden was destroyed by firebombing which would explain the damage. Nevertheless, virtually all of the signatures remain legible. An important historical object and a critical research asset.

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July 7, 2015 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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