Lot 974

Previous image preload Next image preload

Description:

PHOTO ARCHIVE OF I. G. FARBEN PRESIDENT AND WAR CRIMINAL HERMANN SCHMITZ
HERMANN SCHMITZ (1881-1960) German industrialist and Nazi war criminal. Schmitz served as CEO of the notorious industrial company I. G. Farben from 1935 to 1945. Collection of dozens of photographs of Schmitz and direct family members discovered in an estate in the U.S. Included are eleven photos of the war criminal from all stages of his life, including a carte de visite as a teenager, a casual photo from 1900, two images in uniform, five later poses, a family photo, a photo in his office, etc. Also present is the period typescript in English of a broadcast Schmitz made from Berlin on NBC radio on Dec. 2, 1931, issued by NBC radio, 8pp. 4to., in which Schmitz discusses the German debt to the Allied nations. Also present are a few photos each of his brothers OTTO SCHMITZ who was killed at Verdun, ALFRED SCHMITZ, also killed at Verdun, and WILHELM SCHMITZ, EMIL SCHMITZ, and DIEDRICH "DIETZ" SCHMITZ, from whose family these images apparently originated. About 150 additional photos are included, almost all family snapshots ranging from the Twenties to the Sixties, showing family matriarch Louisa, Diedrich, Hermann, and a variety of other relatives in such expensive locales as Rock Ridge in Greenwich, Ct. (possibly with fellow Nazis), Swiss ski areas, Bermuda, etc., and a 1933 bronze medallion, 5 1/2" dia., honoring mother Louisa. Not surprisingly, none of the photos have any connection with any Nazis, swastika emblems, or any such World War II German association. Diedrich Schmitz was president of I.G. America, I.G. Farben's American branch which became General Aniline and Film and is alleged to have remained under Nazi influence. Hermann Schmitz came to I.G. Farben after having been employed at BASF. Prior to the war, Farben owned a large percentage of Standard Oil, as well as dozens of other international industrial firms, and Schmitz maintained excellent relations with them up until war broke out. In 1938, Schmitz was also named war economy administrator (Wehrwirtschaftsführer). At war's end, he was arrested and tried in the I. G. Farben war crimes trials for the use of slave labor and indirect murder of prisoners, though little mention was made of Farben's licensing of the manufacture of Zykon-B. Sentenced to four years, Schmitz later served as an administrator of Deutsche Bank and became honorary president of "Rheinische Stahlwerke AG". His enormous wealth, which he claimed was confiscated or otherwise lost, likely was distributed elsewhere.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Shipments are sent via USPS Priority, USPS International Priority, DHL (for most overseas shipments) or FedEx Ground at the auctioneer's option, signature is always required, unless other arrangements are made. Handling and shipping charges will be added to the invoice in one entry. Buyers should be aware that large, framed, fragile or odd shaped items can incur substantial shipping and packing charges. International shipments are invoiced by DIMENSIONAL weight, not the item weight. Please contact us for an estimate before bidding NOTE: Large, heavy or bulky items may not be shipped by the auctioneer - arrangements for shipping of these items via a third-party shipper may be arranged through the auction house. Customers who supply their own courier account number will still be charged a handling fee. Please allow 14 - 21 days for shipments to arrive after receipt of payment due to the high volume of package being shipped.

March 18, 2016 10:30 AM EDT
Chesapeake City, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to 26.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$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 + $10,000