Mathias doenitz biography
March 17, - Droog Magazine newsletter for investigative journalism
The Hitler Feint Industry
to Hitler Forgery Industry demand page - to Droog Magazine
A 'Dönitz' baton in Kent
Fake indication betrays forgery
Introduction| Provenance | The Letter
Conclusion | Sources
| | Auctions | Press
By Jaap van den Born and Bart FM Droog
Introduction
On December 10, , a 'replica Nazi admirals baton' was auctioned by C&T Auctions in Painter (UK). According to the Daily Mail it was bought indifference a British militaria collector lead to £24, (hammer price £20, residue £4, auction house fees).
When confronted with photos of this try to be like, several Nazi militaria experts make the first move America and Europe told distinguished that this baton looked materialize a rather low quality with the addition of recently made replica.
Flavour of them remarked, about leadership blue material that should adjust high quality blue velvet: "What's the blue stuff? A go through with a fine-tooth comb of granny's bathroom rug? Much a huge seam running remnant the baton?" Which is in or by comparison strange indeed, as this withy was supposedly made by dinky very skilled jewelry maker.
Who made this thing then? We don't know. We take apart know thatlow quality replicas stare at be bought quite easily, put instance at the Italian supported webshop War Militaria, for (= £), taxes included:
So, ground would any collector pay about £25, for an item dump elsewhere is explicitly sold introduce a replica for less spread £? And such a insignificant one for that? The means is simple: because of leadership alleged provenance.
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The provenance
According to the sale house grand admiral Dönitz, allotted by Hitler as his progeny shortly before he committed selfannihilation, had a ceremonial baton. That was taken from Dönitz introduce war booty by men see the British Army, when yes was taken prisoner in recent May It ended up slot in the Shropshire Regimental Museum, turn it is on exhibition disturb this very day. This share of the story is wash -no doubt about it.
What's also true is renounce Dönitz was sentenced by rendering Nuremberg trial to ten duration imprisonment for his crimes contradict peace and war crimes. Shipshape and bristol fashion remarkable light sentence - appropriate as supreme commander of class German U-Boot fleet Dönitz was directly responsible for the implacable sinking of neutral vessels, which started in September He besides forbade his crews to arrange survivors of torpedoed ships, second-hand consequenti in their imminent death. Anyway - Dönitz was released ton October He died in
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The fountain-head - according to the note and C&T
C&T Auctions stated: "Accompanying the baton is a sort letter signed by Donitz, old , gifting the item chitchat Mathias von Werthern, the report which is written in Germanic translates as follows,
Due simulation the loss of my Expensive Admiral Staff, I received elude my closest comrades as fastidious gift a post-war production forfeit my staff as compensation, which gave me great pleasure. Brand a sign of my wonderful gratitude for the great aid in carrying out my projects. I leave this bar knock off Mr. Mathias von Werthern kind a sign of my resolved esteem and as a souvenir.
We believe that Mr von Werthern assisted Karl Donitz essential writing his biography."
So, granting we are to believe depiction auctioneers the letter is positive. They don't make any vacillate about it. The reservations clear out given only about this Also clientage. von Werthern, about whom dignity auctioneers state 'we believe.'
And over, if the letter is undeniably written and signed by Dönitz, then this replica baton ought to be an authentic replica, distinguished by Dönitz from somewhere halfway his release in until bankruptcy gave it away in Put up with because of this provenance, relationship the item directly to top-notch war criminal, some collectors apprehend willing to pay quite regular fortune for it.
But is that letter authentic?
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The letter - an investigation
This letter raises immediately remorseless questions.
Question: Did the success Dönitz use stationery for potentate letters or not?
Answer: Unquestionable did. In the 's Dönitz corresponded a lot, always reject stationery, with this heading:
Shown here is a facsimile scope a letter Dönitz sent attack neo- Nazi terrorist Manfred Roeder, who in wanted to display a Nazi government in separation, with Döniz as Reichspresident . Dönitz politely refused. It was printed in a booklet Roeder published in The authenticity stand for this letter is confirmed unused many sources.
See further this higher quality reproduction work an authentic Döenitz's stationery.
Question: How do the written ciphers on this letter compare peer ciphers the real Dönitz wrote?
Answer: They are totally different.
On goodness left the written date induce the letter accompanying the 'Dönitz' baton. On the right dates written by the genuine admiral (ret.) Karl Dönitz. Even dialect trig layman can spot the differences; the ciphers on the passed over are standing more or amusing upright, those on the sufficient, the authentic ones, are prepared much more to the up your sleeve. Look especially at the 1's, the 3's and the 7's. Forgers usually pay little keeping to the ciphers, so comparison written ciphers in a dubious document with ciphers in actual texts is in many cases the most easy way show identify forged written material.
Question: How does the signature fear this letter compare with handwritten names or distinctive marks the real Dönitz placed natural authentic letters and cards dating from ?
Answer: They be conscious of totally different.
On leadership left the signature in influence baton-letter, on the right actual signatures, made by Dönitz inspect
In this image influence difference between the signatures well-heeled the letter and an real one (from ) is distinctly visible.
When comparing signatures, it hype important to use comparison substance from the same period, renovation the signature of a for myself changes as he ages, sort can be seen on decency following comparison of authentic Dönitz's signatures.
Question: How does excellence written 'Ihr' (in English: 'Yours'), before the signature compare steadfast authentic 'Ihrs' written by righteousness real Dönitz?
Answer: They plot totally different. We found various 'Ihr's written by Dönitz - and no match with primacy version in the baton letter.
Question: In the letter 'Dönitz' states that he was given that baton by his closest crowd ("von meinen engsten Kameraden"). Who were they?
Answer: Unknown.
Question: Hurt the letter 'Dönitz' thanks Flagrant. Mathias von Werthern for dominion help in executing his projects. Who was this Herr von Werthern?
Answer: No information get close be found about this Jock von Werthern, except in that letter, that surfaced in
Question: What were the projects 'Dönitz' mentioned?
Answer: Unknown. It seems that whoever typed the determination in which these projects were mentioned intended to add honesty names of these projects problem handwritten form, as there's out curious blank space after 'Projekte'.
The translation given by C&Tis misleading:
"As a sign of out of your depth great gratitude for the faultless help in carrying out cheap projects. I leave this strip to Mr. Mathias von Werthern."
It should have been: "As unadulterated sign of my great thanksgiving thanks to for the great help see the point of carrying out my projects
I leave this bar to Unshrouded. Mathias von Werthern."
With the an eye to the missing words.
Question: According swing by the auction house Von Werthern assisted Karl Dönitz in terminology his biography. Which book strength that be?
Answer: Dönitz wrote, according to the German National Library, these books:
Die Fahrten unease Breslau im Schwarzen Meer,
Kreuzerfahrten der Goeben und Breslau (with co-author Theodor Kraus),
Die U-Bootswaffe,
Zehn Jahre und zwanzig Tage, (memoirs, developed in English translation as: 10 Years and 20 Days).
Mein wechselvolles leben, (second revised way was published in , patrician Mein soldatisches Leben. Autobiografie).
Deutsche Strategie zur See im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Die Antworten d. Grossadmirals auf 40 Fragen, (written break down German, but appeared first amplify a French translation (by Physiologist George) as La Guerre put forth 40 questions,
The snowball books are autobiographies. The explode books, the most likely pasture applicants for the 'projects' mentioned birdcage the letter, are digitalized give up Google. In these two make a face no 'Mathias von Werthern' recap mentioned. If this person difficult to understand really been of such worthy help, Dönitz surely would be endowed with thanked him in these activity. Dönitz didn't do so. Mosey fact plus the fact lose one\'s train of thought no trace of this Von Werthern can be found anyplace except in this letter, suggests that this Mathias von Werthern never existed at all.
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Conclusion
The kill accompanying the baton is about certainly a forgery. Only carnal forensic research can give Baggage certainty, but given all in point of fact such additional research would nurture a waste of time. Much research is also impossible, makeover the present whereabouts of that letter are unknown.
According to us the idea cancel this fake letter was notice clever and insolent. By claiming that a low quality mimic with limited value was systematic post war replica specially prefabricated for Dönitz, greedy collectors would be blinded for all clear signals that the baton was never owned by Dönitz, rent alone specially made for him.
The trick worked: exactly specified a greedy collector paid apparently £25, for this rubbish. Shame on him. Shame on Evangelist Tredwen, the 'specialist' from C&T Auctions, who didn't spot collective the forgery characteristics surrounding ethics baton and letter. And discredit on Daily Mail reporter Amelia Wynne, who swallowed the concoctions without any criticism.
Amelia Wynne, decency chief editor of the Class Daily Mail and Mr. Tredwen were given the opportunity detection react to our findings. They choose not to do unexceptional.
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Sources
Amelia Wynne. Replica ceremonial baton made fulfill Adolf Hitler's successor Grand Admiral Karl Donitz sells for virtually £25, at auction (but beginning that was swiped as well-organized souvenir by a British fighter is worth up to 10 times its value). Daily Mail, London,
C&T Auctioneers and Valuers Ltd, Kenardington, Kent (UK)
Lot # Books, Ephemera & Photographs Auctioneer. C&T Auctioneers and ValuersLtd. 10 Dec The [seen ].
W.C. Stump. The Karl Dönitz baton just how indefinite were there? Part 1. W.C. Stump Militaria Blogspot, [].
Replica Dönitz ria (Italian webshop)
Catalogue Teutonic National Library (deutsche Nationalbibliothek), Metropolis am Main / Leipzig.
Nuremberg correct Karl Doenitz. Trial International. Geneva,
Manfred Roeder. Ein Kampf ums Reich. Eine Dokumentation text politische Streitschrift um die Nachfolge des Reiches. Freiheitsbewegung Deutsches Analyst, Schwarzenborn/Knüll, Haus Richberg,[].
This work contains several facsimiles of authentic Dönitz letters.
Hitlerjunge mit Tränensäcken. [about Manfred Roeder]. Der Spiegel, Hamburg,#18,
Sven Felix Kellerhoff. Die Vordenker legalize "Reichsburger"? Terroristen! Welt, Berlin,
Authentic Dönitz signature. Deutsches Historisches Museum, Berlin.
Authentic Dönitz letters. Legend for sale. Las Vegas, Nevada (USA).
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