August 16, 2021, updated 25-08-2021.

Valkyrie's fake Hitlers

to Hitler Forgery Industry index | 2021 | to Droog Magazine

Introduction |   An 'amazing provenance'?  |

Guaranteed authentic for life? |

Auctioneer's reaction

By Jaap van den Born and Bart FM Droog


Introduction

A well known forger's trick is to produce "circumstantial evidence" that supports the claims of the authenticity of alleged Hitler objects. This trick doesn't work of course when the object itself is an obvious forgery - making all the "circumstantial evidence" totally non-sensical.

Nice examples of this are lots 0300 and 0301 at Valkyrie Historical Auctions in Des Moines / Mesa (Iowa / Azizona, USA) on Sunday, September 5, 2021.

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'Hitlers' with "amazing provenance"?

Watercolor | Pencil Sketch

Click on image to enlarge.

Description by auctioneer: “Original watercolor by Adolf Hitler taken from the Berghof, painted in 1909 during his years in Vienna [1]. The painting measures around 11 cm x 9 cm and the frame is about 22 cm x 20 cm.

This was obtained from a lifelong resident of Berchtesgaden and filmmaker who became acquainted with many of Hitler's friends and associates over the last 50 years. He’s acquired many items from these acquaintances and has mostly kept them under lock and key, never discussing their existence with anyone outside of his family. [2]

He acquired this painting from the well-known caretaker of the Berghof, Margarete “Gretl” Mitlstrasser and her husband, Wilhelm. In 1992, he recorded one of his many documentaries and interviewed Gretl about what it was like to work for Adolf Hitler. After the interview she showed him this painting and offered it to him for purchase because she needed money. [3]

Included is a typed and signed letter from Gretl and her husband as well as the translation. The letter talks about her last phone conversation with Hitler in which she informs him of the bombing damage sustained at the Berghof. At that time Hitler gave her permission to take anything usable and leave Obersalzberg. This painting was one of the items she took with her before she left. The painting was framed when it was purchased from the Mittlestrassers and it was the original purchasers understanding that it was in this frame when it was removed from the Berghof.[4]

The frame is consistent with the style of frames from the 1930s - 1940s. The write-up by Gretl Mittlestrasser states that the painting is in a "contemporary frame", contemporary in the sense it is not in a frame from 1909 when the painting was done, but was done much later, probably during the war years.

  We typically stay away from the AH paintings but the provenance associated with this one is as good as it gets! You won't find better provenance associated with a painting by Adolf Hitler. It is guaranteed authentic for life, as are all of our items!” [5]

Comment by Droog Magazine:

 [1] Hitler made no watercolors / drawings colored in with water-colors at all in 1909. So, the date on the work, "09" is as fraudulent as the  signature on it.

The work itself is made by a clearly diferent hand than the believed to be authentic Hitlers.

[2] It is highly suspect that this "lifelong resident" of Berchtes-gaden never discussed his collection of alleged Hitler memorabilia with anyone outside of his family.

[3] Willi and Margarete (Gretl) Mitlstrasser were in 1943-1945 the care-takers of the Berghof. But that doesn't necessarily make them reliable witnesses. It is significant that Heike B. Görtemaker didn't mention them in their excellent study Hitlers Hofstaat (Hitler's inner circle, 2019). They were mentioned though by Hitler biographer Volker Ullrich (Hitler, part 1, page 685 and 689). Ullrich spellls their familyname as Mittelstrasser. The same spelling is used in the book Ich traf Hitler. Die Interviews von Karl Höffkes mit Zeitzeugen (I met Hitler. The interviews by Karl Höffkes with witnesses, 2020.

In this tv-interview from 1993 their name is spelled however as Mitlstraßer:


Click to start video, direct link:  https://youtu.be/HNqZQTuJ_Sk

So we have several ways the name is spelled. This might mean nothing, as "Mitl" and " Mittel" are pronounced in the same way, just as "Strasser" and "Straßer". On the other hand: it is very unusual that people change themselves the way their names are spelled. In a NSDAP membership booklet it was: Wilhelm Mittlstraßer. Double t, and ß.  

On the back of the secondary support of the work and on an accompanying letter allegedly written and signed by the Mitlstrassers this stamp print is applied:



Which is strange too - as it is quite unusual to use stamps like this (which anyone can order) on the back of paintings. And it is also very strange to put a stamp print like this on a letter on which already the name and address is typed. It is too superfluous - and that is suspect.

[4] The letter allegedly signed by Wilhelm and Margarete Mitlstrasser:



Text:

München den 14 .8. 1992


Wilhelm und Margarete Mitlstrasser

Geyerstr. 1

8000 München

BESTÄTIGUNG

Wir, Gretl und Willi Mitlstrasser, ehemalige Hausverwalter von Berghof, machen zu dem vorliegenden Aquarell von Adolf Hitler folgende Angaben:

Das Bild ist in zeitgenössischen Rahmen mit den Maßen 22 x 20 cm gerahmt. Hinter Glas, das Bild selbst, 11,0 x 8,6 cm. Es stellt ein Motiv in Wien dar, mittig ein Brunnen, links im Bild eine kutsche und darunter die Signatur „A.Hitler 09“. Bei den Aquarell handelt es sich um ein Original Bild von Adolf Hitler, das wir bei unserem Fortgang vom Berghof 1945 mitgenommen haben.

Nach der Bombardierung der Obersalzberg, bei den der Berghof schwer beschädigt wurde, haben wir mit Hitler ein letztes Telefonat geführt, bei dem ich ihn über das Ausmaß der Zerstörung informierte.

Wir erhielten damals persönlich die Erlaubnis und Anordnung alles Brauchbares vom Berghof mitzunehmen und den Berghof zu verlassen.

Mit einem Mercedes 170, den wir von der Fahrbereitschaft zur Verfügung gestellt bekommen hatten, sind wir in Richtung München geflohen. Bei einer Verwandten haben wir das Meiste unseres Hab und Guts zur Verwahrung untergestellt und erst wieder nach meiner Entlassung aus der Kriegsgefangenschaft abgeholt.

Seit dieser Zeit ist dieses Bild ununterbrochen in unserem Besitz.

Mit den heutigen Tag geben wir es an einen Bekannten und Sammler weiter.

München, den 14.8.1992.

Translation

 Munich, August 14, 1992

 Wilhelm and Margarete Mitlstrasser

 Geyerstr. 1

 8000 Munich

 
AFFIRMATION

We, Gretl and Willi Mitlstrasser, former caretakers of Berghof, make the following statement about the present watercolor of Adolf Hitler:

The painting is framed in a contemporary frame measuring 22 x 20 cm. Behind glass, the painting itself, 11.0 x 8.6 cm. It depicts a motif in Vienna, a fountain in the center, a carriage on the left side of the picture and the signature "A.Hitler 09" below. The watercolor is an original painting by Adolf Hitler, which we took with us when we left the Berghof in 1945.

 After the bombing of Obersalzberg, during which the Berghof was severely damaged, we had a last telephone conversation with Hitler, during which I informed him of the extent of the destruction.

 At that time we personally received permission and orders to take everything usable from the Berghof and to leave the Berghof.

 We fled in the direction of Munich in a Mercedes 170, which had been made available to us by the motor pool. We placed most of our belongings with a relative for safekeeping and did not pick them up again until after my release from captivity.

 Since that time this painting has been in our possession without interruption.

Today we pass it on to an acquaintance and collector.

[signed et cetera]

Questions at letter

No sources except a Begafilm documentary and this letter mentions this call to Hitler from the Berghof, or from the Berghof to Hitler.

No source except this letter mentions Hitler giving permission to leave the Berghof. Au contraire; Hitler had sent his closest co-workers from Berlin to the Berghof, to await developments.

It is highly unlikely that Hitler could make any phone call at all on April 28, 1945, as is reported by Begafilm, because all telephone lines were cut after the encirclement of Berlin by Soviet forces, April 25, 1945.

Volker Ullrich reports in his Hitler biography (part 2, page 645): "During the night [April 25/26] the Russians had cut the underground cable that connected the telephone exchange of the bunker with the staffs outside Berlin. There was only a radio connection left, but it was repeatedly interrupted." 

As far as is known all alleged Hitler watercolors stored in or near Berchtesgaden were taken by Martin Bormann's wife Gerda to Bolzano (Bosen), where they were in 1945 or 1946 confiscated by the Italian Rodolfo Siviero. These works (a mix of authentic ones, copies and forgeries) are since 1954 stored in Florence.

The authentic Willi Mittlstraßer signature and name

In the Begafilm interview the NSDAP membership booklet of Willi Mittlstraßer (indeed, with double t and ß) from 1939 is shown:


Click to enlarge.

The 1939 signature. Click to enlarge.

Mikael Nilsson. Hitler redux. The incredible history of Hitler's so-called Table Talks. Routledge, Abingdon / New York, 2021 [=2020]. Chapter 3, Rodolfo Sievero.

Die Einnahme Adolfs Hitlers Alpenfestung. Begafilm. 05'14" - 05'36".
https://www.facebook.com/begafilm/videos/1161642617587924
.

So, what is this letter?

As the letter functions as a kind of Certificate of Authenticity to a clearly fake Hitler watercolor, the letter is of a fraudulent nature.

- It might be composed by the Mittlstraßers themselves. But given the wrong spelling of the family names this is very unlikely.

- It might be composed by a forger, who then bribed the Mittl-straßers to sign it. Which, given the wrong spelling of the names is very unlikely too.

- It might be composed by a forger, who also forged the signatures of the Mittlstraßers.

What does this mean? Basically: nothing. Because in Valkyrie’s terms and conditions exactly the opposite is mentioned:

- Any condition statement given, as a courtesy to a client, is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement or a fact.

- Valkyrie Historical Auctions shall have no responsibility for any error or omission in the description. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging. All items sold strictly AS IS.

So much for the “authentic for life”.

Click on image to enlarge.

Description by auctioneer: “This sketch by Adolf Hitler is from the estate of Gerdy Troost, who was the wife of Paul Troost, AH's foremost architect. According to Gerdy and written documentation that comes with the piece, this sketch was drawn by Hitler during a 1931 meeting with Prof. Troost. Troost designed many things for Hitler during this time and Hitler would sketch random objects for Troost on a regular basis. [1] For his own records, Troost would stamp a date and write a note on many of these drawings. [2] Paul Troost died in 1934.

 [1] This sketch doesn't resemble any believed to be authentic Hitler sketch.Whoever made it was probably inspired by the alleged Hitler sketches depicted in Price, #650 and #651:

Price #650. Click to enlarge.

Valkyrie 2021, #0301.

According to Price this sketch was Hitler’s crude design for a SA column, which had to be erected in Munich. Hitler allegedly made it before the “Röhmputsch” in 1934. But the sketch in Price is in all likelihood a forgery. All that is stated about its provenance is that it was in 1982 in the possession of Billy F. Price. Price was the Texan businessman who financed Price and who owned a large number of forged Hitler material.

It is also highly unlikely that Hitler gave Paul Troost, who was a skilled architect, highly admired by Hitler, any crude sketch at all, for Troost was the man with the ideas and designs, not Hitler.

And then there's the stamp print issue. Why would anybody place a date stamp on any sketch? And why would Hitler, two years before he became the dictator of Germany, hand to any architect such a sketch? It all doesn't make sense.

A true design for a nazi column... by Hermann Giesler

Hermann Giesler. Ein anderer Hitler, 1977, page 298. Denkmal der Partei. Click to enlarge.

In 1944 Hermann Giesler made this design for a column (Denkmal für die Bewegung / Partei (Memorial for the Nazi party)), which had to be erected in Munich. It was a radical improvement of a model made by Speer based on an amateur sketch by Hitler (which was no more than a copy of a column from Schloss Schönbrunn in Vienna).

In Price (#651, see above) the skilled design for this column is said to be made by Hitler in 1937. In reality this is the design Albert Speer drew for Joachim Fest in the 1960s from memory, during his conversations with his before the publication of his memoirs.

According to Giesler Hitler made his sketch for this column somewhere between 1938-1943. So at least seven years after the alleged sketch for Troost.

Left: column at Schloss Schönbrunn, Vienna (courtesy  Google Streetview). Right: Marcus Aurelius Column in Rome, depicted in Price (page 236, #650a).

In Price is also stated that the design of the Denkmal der Bewegung was based upon the Marcus Aurelius column in Rome. But according to Hermann Giesler, who made the final design of this Denkmal in 1944, it was based on columns at the Schloss Schönbrunn in Vienna - such as the one on the photo left (courtesy Google Streetview). The Valkyrie sketch is clearly based on the wrong information given in Price. 

Sources:

Billy F. Price [= August Priesack and Peter Jahn]. Adolf Hitler als Maler und Zeichner. Ein Werkkatalog der Ölgemälde, Aquarelle, Zeichnungen und Architekturskizzen. Gallant Verlag, Zug, 1983. Page 236.
https://www.bartfmdroog.com/droog/niod/price-images7.html#236

Hermann Giesler. Ein anderer Hitler. Bericht seines Architekten. Erlebnisse, Gespräche, Reflexionen. Druffel, 1977. pages 291-299.

Joachim Fest. Die unbeantworbaren Fragen, Gespräche mit Speer. Rowohlt Verlag GmBH, Reinbek bei Hamburg, 2005.

[3]

Film maker and photographer Hanni Umlauf became in 1939 the partner of Prof. Gerdy Troost, actually Gerhardine Troost née Andresen (* March 3, 1904 in Stuttgart; † January 30, 2003 in Bad Reichenhall). They lived together for the rest of their lives.

Hanni Umlauf was born August 18, 1907 in Nuremberg. It is unknown when she died, but a well informed source believes she died before Gerdy Troost did. If that is indeed the case, the whole provenance story collapses.

Accompanying this sketch is a letter allegedly written by Hanni Umlauf:


Click to enlarge.

The letter allegedly written by Hanni Umlauf is quite strange. It  is a kind of Certificate of Authenticity,in which is stated that she received the sketch as a gift from Gerdy Troost in the 1970s.

Which is strange, as it is known that Gerdy Troost was in financial difficulties in the 1970s. To get out of the problems she started to sell “artifacts she owned from the Third Reich period, including letters from Hitler and Göring” (Stratigakos, page145).

So, this alleged gift is double doubtful, as both women were already living together and sharing everything, and Troost was selling Nazi memorabilia, not giving these to her partner.

Even more doubtful is the letter in English, accompanying the alleged Umlauf letter.

According to this letter Umlauf gave the sketch after Troost's death to an acquintance, who gave it in his turn, shortly before his death (how convenient!) to the writer of the letter in English. He then refers to the collection of Billy F. Price, and writes: "There were numerous notes and drawings, which were also drawn on lined paper and were also similar in execution [as this sketch]. it can be look it up in the book of Billy Price, "Hitler the Unknown Artist"

What´s true in this? There are some believed to be authentic Hitler sketches made on lined paper, but no sketch in Billy Price's book looks like the sketch offered as lot 0301.


[4] Is it really “guaranteed authentic” by the auctioneer? Nope – it isn´t. See terms and conditions.


Summary

- "30. April 1931": Hitler sketch proposed by Valkyrie Auctions in 2021 as lot 301.
Sources: consignor 2021 and undated letter “by” Hanni Umlauf.

- "Spring 1934": Hitler sketch.
Source : Billy F. Price collection (1982) and Billy F. Price’s book (1983 & 1984). That book is also known as the catalogue of forgeries.

- "1938-1943": original Hitler sketch (unsurfaced, maybe lost).
Source: Giesler, in his memoirs (1977).

- unconfirmed date: original Speer sketch, using Hitler sketch (unsurfaced, maybe lost).
Source: Giesler, in his memoirs (1977).

- 1944: original sketch by Giesler.
Source: Giesler, in his memoirs (1977).

1960's : reconstruction by Speer of his period sketch.
Source: Fest' s book Die unbeantworbaren Fragen (2005).

Sources:

Billy F. Price [= August Priesack and Peter Jahn]. Adolf Hitler als Maler und Zeichner. Ein Werkkatalog der Ölgemälde, Aquarelle, Zeichnungen und Architekturskizzen. Gallant Verlag, Zug,1983, page 236.  English translation: Hitler, the unknown artist, 1984.
https://www.bartfmdroog.com/droog/niod/price-images7.html#236

Despina Stratigakos. Hitler at home. Yale University Press, New Haven and London, 2015. Pages 135-136, 145.

Date of birth Hanni Umlauf: Despina Stratigakos. E-mail to Bart FM Droog, 19-08-2021.

Agentur Karl Höffkes. https://archiv-akh.de/filme/1675#1

Melanie Murphy. Homosexuality and the Law in the Third Reich. Chapter 8, note 33 (page 283) in: John J. Michalczyck (ed.), Nazi Law from Nuremberg to Nuremberg. Bloomsbury Academic, London / New York, 2018.

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/108541661_adolf-hitler-drawn-pencil-sketch-amazing-provenance


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Auctioneer‘s reaction

We warned the auctioneer, Adam Lewis, about the fraudulent nature of these lots, and advised him to withdraw them. We also advised him to report the consignor for fraud to the police. He responded:

“Many of your claims regarding our items and the items of other reputable auction houses are unsubstantiated and not accurate. You have a reputation of making assumptions without knowing or understanding certain facts on this subject. It’s undeniable that there is an abundance of “fake” Third Reich and Hitler related artifacts being sold today, however we exercise due diligence in regards to the items that we offer. The provenance associated with the painting and sketch that you’re questioning is solid and we are happy to provide additional information on the original purchaser to any interested bidder.”

After this respons we contacted the president of Valkyrie, the Polish author Norbert Podlesny, who turned out to be also the owner of www.3reich-collector.com. As such he is probably the biggest dealer in KZ- and Holocaust related items.

One of the lots he offers there is this KZ uniform allegedly worn by a Dutch political prisoner in Dachau, for "just" $11,800. Strangely enough, when we checked the number, it was the number of a French political prisoner.





Needless to say, Mr. Podlesny didn't react at all to our questions regarding the Valkyrie auction.

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Terms and conditions of sale

BUYER'S PREMIUM

29% up to $50,000.00

29% up to $100,000.00

29% above $100,000.00


- Any condition statement given, as a courtesy to a client, is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement or a fact.

 

- Valkyrie Historical Auctions shall have no responsibility for any error or omission in the description. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging. All items sold strictly AS IS.
 

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Address auction house

Valkyrie Historical Auctions
PO Box 13020
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
50310

www.valkyrieauctions.com


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© Compilation Jaap van den Born & Bart FM Droog, 2021.
Photos courtesy Valkyrie Historical Auctions.

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