Lot 266

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Description:

RELIC OF THE JULY 20, 1944 BOMB ATTACK ON HITLER?
KARL-JESCO VON PUTTKAMER (1900 - 1981) German rear admiral and naval adjutant to Adolf Hitler. Puttkamer was badly injured on July 20, 1944 when the bomb exploded at Hitler's headquarters in Bavaria. In the last days of the war, Puttkamer was ordered to the Berghof to destroy Hitler's papers there. We offer an intriguing relic, a 15 1/2" x 15 1/2" linen napkin that shows clear evidence of violence and what very well may be blood stains. The napkin, which bears a somewhat indistinct Nazi eagle emblem at one corner, has been perforated in multiple widely-spread areas in very irregularly-shaped patters. These holes are inconsistent with normal wear and tear, and in a few cases, when the napkin is folded, some holes align with each other. One could speculate that these punctures were the result of shrapnel-like flying projectiles. The staining on the napkin is entirely consistent with that of old blood, a dark copper color where blood was heaviest, lighter and with "streaks" where the napkin was folded to wipe blood from the affected area. This is further borne out by the fact that two of the round stains perfectly mirror each other, showing that the napkin was folded when a large blotch of blood has been freshly deposited upon it. When tested with hydrogen peroxide (a standard field test for blood), the test was positive. The napkin was found in a period envelope with snap bearing contemporary ink handwriting: "Konteradmiral v. Puttkamer". Also included are two printouts of Bundesarchiv photos of Puttkamer in the hospital being greeted by Hitler, and an SS officer displaying a pair of pants totally shredded in the explosion. This relic was discovered in a box lot military autographs sold at an estate auction with no other provenance available. Of course, short of a DNA test and an eyewitness account, there is no solid proof of this item's history, so we estimate it as a curiosity only.

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January 30, 2013 11:00 AM EST
Stamford, CT, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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