Souvenirs of war

Red watermarked photos are courtesy of the Paul Johnson collection. You can see more of Paul's incredible photos in this book. 

This AH-monogrammed silver cigarette box was removed from the Berghof by Fred O’Donnell, a member of the 10th Field Artillery attached to the 3rd Infantry Division.

Fred and his squad were among the first to arrive at Hitler’s mountain retreat. Venturing into the tunnels below, he took this cigarette box, a ‘Der Berghof’ postcard album, plus several serving platters and other souvenirs. The cigarette box and postcard album were the last pieces Fred kept, until his death in 2012.

Included in the group are several letters Fred received from prospective buyers dating back to the early 1980s, along with a period newspaper article detailing his finds.

This is the only known cigarette box of its kind produced by the Munich jewelers Heiden, who also made the Chiemsee Cauldron. I suspect this box was made in 1936, in conjunction with the Berghof’s renovation from Haus Wachenfeld. Thereafter, manufacturing of these boxes was passed to FHW.

“Ferngespräche” / “Long-distance call”

Every long distance phone call made from the Berghof was recorded in this 262-page ledger.

Covering the period April 1942 to January 1944, some of the major events of the war are catalogued here.

The time and date of each call is logged – along with the caller’s name, the number and town they called, and how long the call lasted.

Several names are recognizable, such as “Wolf” calling Linz, Munich, Berlin and so on from room 334 (“diener des fuhrers”, or “servant of the Führer” room).

This would have been Hitler’s secretary, Johanna Wolf, calling on Hitler’s behalf. Other callers of note include Obersturmbannführer Bernhard Frank (SS Commander of the Obersalzberg complex) – and Eva Braun’s close friend Herta Schneider. Many calls made by the Head of the SS Tunnelling Company, Dr Peter Preidt, are also present, along with Hitler’s stenographer, Heinrich Heim.

Each call is also signed off by the SS switchboard operator at the time. In many cases this is “Samitz”, or Alois Samitz, who was the last operator in the Berghof in May 1945.

It’s also interesting to note that calls to friends and family are marked “privat” and a re-charge cost is allocated to the caller, presumably for settling up each month.

“I drained the acid from the batteries, and tore out the pages from the log-book with all the calls recorded in the last few days. Then I burned them right there in the bunker, so that no one would know who I had spoken to on the phone. Nothing was left for the enemy to find. Then I went out of the door for the last time.” - Alois Samitz.

Excerpt from Inside Hitler’s Mountain, by Florian Beierl.

N.B. the log book pictured here is not the log book Samitz describes above, as no pages have been ripped out. This may still exist somewhere.

The logbook pictured here was removed from the Berghof by Bates H Landis in the Spring of 1945. Landis served in C Company of the 343rd Infantry Regiment, part of the 86th Infantry Division. In a letter detailing his find he describes removing a small phone book from Hitler’s bedroom then exploring the Berghof further, where he finds the telephone exchange and subsequent telephone logbook.

Over the years, several examples of printed telephone directories used at the Berghof and Obersalzberg have surfaced, but this is believed to be the only known example in this more official style.

It came from the family of a 101st Airborne veteran who was among the first to reach the Eagle’s Nest. The veteran’s details are lost to time, but he told his family that he and his squad didn’t use the elevator up to the teahouse because they thought it was booby trapped. Besides, it was nothing for him to hike up the mountain because he was so used to doing the six mile run up and down Currahee Mountain during training.

While there, he also visited the Berghof, where he removed this telephone directory from Hitler’s bedside. Printed in April 1944, it has been updated by house staff in several places, and also holds an overprinted section, typed in an enlarged typeface to allow for Hitler’s failing eyesight.

The same veteran also brought back one of Hitler’s library books, called Vom Werden deutscher Filmkunst Der Tonfilm. This was a commercially-available publication, which people could fill with collectable cards.

At some point, the veteran marked the inside cover with an ink stamp bearing the paratrooper motto: From the sky we lead.

“Hitler was an avid cinema-goer. He remained a film buff after becoming Chancellor, but instead of going to the cinema, he had films screened privately in the Chancellery or his retreat on the Obersalzberg.”

Hitler: Ascent 1889–1939, Volker Ulrich

The pieces shown here are from Hitler's Eagle's Nest tea set and were sent home by a member of the 290th Combat Engineers—one of the first units up the Kehlstein mountain in May 1945. The pattern is known as 'Red Dragon' and is manufactured by Meissen, even today.

Each piece is handpainted, and the undersides are numbered. 

The steel container shown below was taken from the kitchens inside the building and used to ship some of the pieces home. One piece didn't make it intact, and was post-war repaired. 

Hans Junge (1914-1944) was Hitler's valet and aide-de-camp from 1936 to 1943. Eager for experience away from the relative comforts of Hitler's headquarters, he volunteered for frontline service and was killed on August 13 1944 while serving with the 12th SS Panzer Division 'Hitlerjugend' by a low flying aircraft attack in Dreux, Normandy. He is buried in Champigny-Saint-André German war cemetery France, block 6, plot 1816.

"To ensure for the greatest chance of combat success,...a number of SS veterans were attached to the new HJ SS Panzergrenadier Division. A very large percentage of these experienced individuals came from the 1st SS Panzer Division, the 'Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler' (LSSAH). This is why many HJ SS Panzer Grenadier members often carried 'LSSAH cuff titles' on their uniforms in the early period."

Source: Axis History forum

Junge was also the husband of Traudl Junge (née Humps) - Hitler's last secretary, whose story of the Third Reich's final moments is dramatized in the 2004 movie, Downfall. 

Handwritten in black ink, Hitler's personal dedication thanks Junge for seven years of service and wishes him the best on his wedding day, June 19 1943. 

The photo bears heavy wear, and I suspect it was never partnered with a presentation frame. It may even have been taken to the front by Junge and looted from him after his death. 

Official records list just two cigar cutters used in the Eagle's Nest. This one was brought back by Adler Muller of Charlie Co, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. 

“Once inside [The Eagle’s Nest], we began to search for valuables. Tapping the panelled walls in the huge dining room, we found one place that had a different sound. A small strip of molding was moved to reveal a lock. Having found a string of keys in the basement, we finally opened a wall safe containing fourteen trays of Hitler’s silverware. Since each piece had the Nazi insignia on it, this qualified our find as ‘legal war booty.

All the trays were placed on the large dining room table. The sergeant made five piles of silverware pieces until everyone agreed they were as equal as possible. Then we each chose a pile, which we carried around until we were able to mail home after officer inspection.”

Adler Muller, 32869562

Read more about Adler Muller

Pfc Clarence Overman joined the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne late in the war and arrived in Europe just after the Battle of the Bulge.

In May 1945 he, along with his squad, was one of the first to arrive in Berchtesgaden—ex-home of the now-dead Hitler and his infamous Eagle's Nest. Clarence and his squad were selected to enter the building, where they took many pieces of AH-monogrammed silverware, including this 10.5 inch cake knife (one of only four) and a beer glass coaster (one of 36). In the background is the flyleaf of Clarence's 'Currahee' scrapbook, presented to all 506th men at the war's end. 

During his time in Berchtesgaden, Clarence also visited Hitler's study inside his main residence, the Berghof, where he was interviewed by Yank Magazine. A cutting from that article appears below, plus a photo of Clarence sat on Hitler's office safe. 

The exact tablecloth shown in this photo was removed from the Berghof by a member of the 693rd Field Artillery Battalion attached to the US 3rd Infantry Division in May 1945. 

To Hitler's right is Fritz Klingenberg (1912-1945) receiving his Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in May 1941. Just behind the table you can see part of the famous picture window looking onto the Alps.  

After the war, much of the furniture used in the Eagle's Nest was transferred to the Platterhof Hotel. There it stayed for many years, with most pieces subsequently trashed or damaged beyond repair by visiting US servicemen and women who used the hotel as a recreation facility right up until the 1990s. 

A few pieces were salvaged, and this is one such example. This chair and others like it were then re-covered and taken back up the mountain for use in the 1980s war movie, War and Remembrance. This armchair still has the cushions used in that movie.

Also shown below, an original Eagle's Nest armchair back cushion, re-united with an original armchair. This exact cushion was brought home by a member of the British armed forces after the war, and can be seen in period photos. 

The chair is very comfortable. It's no surprise so many GIs were snapped relaxing in it. 

Sgt. Russell Dysert fought with the 441st Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion, attached to the 45th "Thunderbirds" Division and, later, the 3rd Infantry Division. His unit provided antiaircraft support for the 10th Field Artillery. He fought in Africa, Sicily, southern Italy and all the way up to Rome - working in supply, and driving the mail truck or jeep. 

In May 1945, he was among the first to reach Hitler's Berghof, high in the mountains. Although Dysert wasn't an officer, he was allowed to join the first troops into the complex because he owned a jeep, and gave the officers rides. While there, he removed many items, including silver frames, pistols, a shotgun, silverware - plus the items shown here. These include AH marked Wellner salt and pepper shakers and a bottle of Moet Champagne from Hitler's personal supply. When I acquired this group, the bottle was still half full, but undrinkable. 

Dysert was also present when Hitler's flag was torn down by 3rd Division troops. The flag was then cut up into pieces, and divided among the officers present. The flag piece is also shown below and reads "Piece of Hitler's flag, May 4 1945. Sgt. Russell Dysert."

Marianne Luginger was a housemaid at Hitler's Berghof until August 5th 1944. When she left, she was given this photo album by Eva Braun and her fellow staff members. The album shows a number of commercially-available postcards of the Berghof—along with a series of photos taken by Eva Braun showing the staff relaxing in and around the Berghof, and meeting their boss on his birthday ("geburtstag") in both 1943 and 1944. 

The album also came with a small Christmas greetings card presented to Marianne, and signed 'Eva Braun'. Inside the card is a 5 Rentenmark note given to her as a gift and which she decided to keep as a souvenir.  

Hitler's former maid returns to the Berghof

After the bombing of the Obersalzberg and subsequent death of Hitler in late April 1945, many locals looted the Berghof and nearby Mooslahnerkopf teehaus. While food and other provisions were naturally at the top of their shopping list, many people also took silverware and other furnishings – some of which turn up in households and collections today. 

Here are 3 such examples: a dessert fork still bearing the AH monogram, along with a large salad spoon and small fruit knife – both of which have had the AH monogram grounded off. 

What's especially interesting to note is how the detail of the remaining eagle has been worn down over the last 70+ years from regular everyday use. 

These 'Der Berghof' postcard albums were given to visiting VIPs to the Berghof, and are considered rare. Each of the 12 pages contains a color postcard showing a different room of the building.

This particular album was given to an architect during his visit to the Berghof in August 1938. What makes this example extra special is that it's hand-inscribed by Hitler's butler and Berghof house manager, Arthur Kannenberg and his wife, Freda.

The grouping also includes the architect’s invite to the opening of the House of German Art on July 18 1937, and another invite to see work in progress of the buildings on the Königsplatz, on November 3 1935. The photograph of Hitler and Martin Bormann was taken by him during his stay at the Berghof.

Read more about these booklets here.

Download a post-war interview with Kannenberg here.

The Nuremberg war trials were the largest in history and ran from November 20 1945, to October 1 1 946. During that time, all the major Nazi criminals were held to justice, including Goering, Hess, Speer and von Ribbentrop. Eventually, 12 would be sentenced to death and 11 hanged. Goering cheated the hangman, taking poison in his cell during the night of October 15 1946, right before his planned execution.

From January 1 to July 31 1946, Paul Zerbe was a member of the Special Interior Escort Guard. He managed to secure the signatures of all the major defendants, aside from Hess whose signature was notoriously hard to obtain, as he feared it would undermine his insanity plea. Interestingly, Hess’ name is listed in the handwritten index, but does not appear in the book.

Little is known about the book in which the signatures are held. It is thought by some to be a limited print publication, perhaps only available either to people working at the trials, or those attending them.

Major Addison C Brickell was part of the 70th Ordnance Group, fighting all the way from Normandy to the Ardennes and Central Europe. After the war ended, he attended the Nuremberg trials, where Goering, Hess and others were held accountable for their crimes.

The pass is from day 181 of the trials, which focused mainly on Baldur von Schirach and Fritz Sauckel.

On October 1 that year, Schirach is sentenced to 20 years. He and Speer were the only two men to denounce Hitler during the trials. Sauckel receives the death penalty and is hanged at Spandau Prison on October 16 1946.

After Berchtesgaden's capture in early May 1945, locals were quick to plunder Hitler's residencies. Along with food and other provisions, many took household objects and furniture – including this formal chair from the Eagle's Nest dining room. This example was re-covered in the post war years, but is still easily identifiable in period photos. 

When allied troops arrived at the Eagle's Nest in May 1945, pretty much anything that wasn't nailed down was looted. Then, as the weeks went by, even the nailed down stuff was removed. Then the nails went too.

The decorative sconce shown below formed part of a series of 8 wall-mounted lights within the main hall of the Eagle's Nest, which can be seen in many period photos. 

There were eight coffee tables like this one in the Eagle's Nest — each made of walnut with a one-piece marble top. Seven were trashed in the years after the war, when the Platterhof was used as an R&R facility for visiting US army personnel. The table shown below is the last known surviving example, and is untouched since the war. 

A book from the library of Gretl Braun [1915-1987], sent back to the States after the war. 

Before the Berghof came Haus Wachenfeld.

This was Hitler’s private retreat on the Obersalzberg, which he rented from 1927 until eventually buying it outright in 1932 for 40,000 Goldmarks. Living with and ‘keeping house’ for Hitler was his half-sister, Angela Raubal. Occasionally, too, Hitler’s full sister, Paula, would visit and stay a while.

Here are two items of mail which were sent to Haus Wachenfeld and received there in December 1933. Sadly the original letters are missing. How and where they survived for so long is a mystery.

This seat cushion was removed from the Eagle's Nest in June 1945 by a member of the English armed forces. No two cushions had the same pattern layout—and this exact one is visible in period photos from the time, including the ones shown below. The soldiers in the background are with the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. 

SS ausweis (or work pass) granting its holder official authorization to enter restricted areas of the Obersalzberg. 

This is one of five plaid pattern AH-monogrammed napkins removed from the Berghof in May 1945 by a member of the 10th Field Artillery, attached to the US 3rd Infantry Division.

The veteran also took several AH-monogrammed formal pattern silverware pieces.

You can see other examples of this napkin (taken by a member of the French 2nd Armoured Division) in the video below. Skip to 26 minutes. 

This hand-painted tile fragment was made by the Munich artist Sofie Stork (1903-1981). Stork was a close friend of Eva Braun and a member of the Berghof's inner circle. 

She was commissioned by Hitler and Braun to create numerous hand-painted items for their private residences, including chinaware, lampshades and ceramic kachelofen (heater) ties.

The tile piece was removed from the Berghof in May 1945 by Eugene Cook – a member of a forward observation unit in the 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. Cook was among the first to arrive at the building.

The tile was part of one of the coffee tables used in the Berghof's Great Hall. The table was probably destroyed during the RAF bombing raid of April 25, or by the SS as they burned and destroyed many of Hitler's personal belongings before fleeing the area. 

You can see the coffee table in the picture below and a glimpse of this exact tile in a close-up, also below. 

Hitler had four secretaries of note: Christa Schroeder (1908-1984); Johanna Wolf (1900-1985); Gerda Christian ("Dara") (1913-1997); and Traudl Junge (1920-2002). 

Here is a first day of issue 'Christmas Markets' stamp dated November 14 1975 ink-signed by all four. 

Sofie Stork (1903-1981) was a Munich-based artist, and member of Hitler's inner circle at the Berghof. She was also a friend of Eva Braun's and gave her and Hitler several hand-painted tea sets and decorated the tiles of at least one of the Berghof's kachelofens (ceramic heaters).

In April 1932, she presented Hitler with this handpainted bowl showing Haus Wachenfeld before its later conversion and expansion into the much larger Berghof. 

I don't have GI bringback information on this piece, but it was probably removed either from the stores underneath the Berghof, or the Eagle's Nest.

This small porcelain dessert plate came from the GI's family back in 2013. It was taken from  "Eva Braun's personal residence" – so either her Wasserburger Strasse house in Munich, or possibly the Berghof. It is handpainted, and signed on the reverse by the artist Sofie Stork—who was a friend of Hitler's and Eva Braun's. 

The plate belonged to a Marine Corps veteran, Colonel Max Huel LaGrone, who worked for NATO after the war, When he left many years later, his commanding officer (who fought in Europe) gave it him as a leaving gift and the family kept it ever since. 

See Lee Miller's photos from inside Eva Braun's house

This AH-monogrammed pillowcase was removed by a housekeeper at the Berghof, and later sold to a visitor to the area in the months after the war.

You can see her identity card below, along with photographs she took during her time there. 

A 48-page telephone book from the Obersalzberg Administration ["Verwaltung Obersalzberg"], detailing various buildings, offices and people living and working on the Obersalzberg.

This edition was published in April 1944, and the few other examples I've seen of these books were also printed at this time.

"The basement of the east wing was undamaged and revealed access to the perfectly intact telephone switchboard. Neatly listed under a sheet of glass were all the important connections, and beside it lay the Obersalzberg telephone directory."

Inside Hitler' Mountain, Florian M.Beierl

When Hitler came to power in 1933, cities, towns and villages across Germany awarded him honorary citizenship—and presented him with a document to that effect. 

It's well known that Hitler stored and displayed these documents in the great hall of his mountain retreat, the Berghof. 

This is one such citizenship document, given to him by the municipality of Wolfertschwenden, and removed by a soldier of the 2nd French Armoured Division from Toulouse who was among the very first to arrive in the area on May 4 1945. 

It is large, measuring around 2ft long—and very high quality. At one time, this would probably have been stored in a leather book or folder, now long gone. 

This cuff title would have been worn by members of the German Großdeutschland division when assigned to guarding or protecting Hitler's various headquarters, such as the Berghof or Wolf's Lair. 

This unissued example was sent home by Sgt. Charles Wahler of the IPW team (Interrogation Prisoners of War), 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. His unit found a large cache of these cuff titles in Berchtesgaden at the war's end, and the one pictured here was most likely part of that. 

Pardon D Watson was the commander of the 44th Anti Aircraft Artillery Brigade. During his visit to the Obersalzberg, he took many photos of the Eagle's Nest and met "Hitler's elevator operator" Georg Mehr. He even had him sign the back of his map. It reads "Mehr Georg" which was a pretty common way of signing names in Germany back then. 

(Thanks to Geoff Walden of Third Reich in Ruins for the detective work)

On April 25th 1945, assorted squadrons from Britain's Royal Air Force bombed Hitler's mountain retreat near Berchtesgaden. Although no direct hits were made on either the Berghof or Eagle's Nest, the SS barracks and a number of other key buildings nearby were partially demolished—signalling the beginning of the end for the Nazi stronghold. 

Shown here are signed commemorative envelopes from three members of the RAF's 617 Squadron. 

Robert Albro was in the 9th Field Artillery Battalion attached to the 3rd Infantry Division when it arrived in Berchtesgaden on May 5th 1945. 

While there, he gathered a handful of Nazi badges and pins and sent them back to the States, along with a letter. [N.B the letter shown here may be a post-war re-typing of his original letter, although when I spoke to him about this in 2014, he was positive he typed it at the time on a captured German typewriter]. 

The French 2nd Armored Division arrived in Berchtesgaden almost simultaneously, and as a gesture of frienship Albro swapped his 3rd Infantry Division patch for a French patch of the Cross of Lorraine—the symbol of free French forces during WW2—which is also shown here. 

Photograph of an invitation to the wedding of Gretl Braun and Hermann Fegelein.

The kurzfristiger ausweis (or short-term ID card) shown below was issued to a member of Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard, Untersturmfuhrer Gunther Welter, by the Reichssicherheitsdienst (Reich security service). It gave him authority to enter bezirke II (district II) of the Obersalzberg. This covered all areas around and including the Berghof, but excluded the Kehlstein area, which was besirke III. The outer gates of bezirke II were manned by RSD people when Hitler was on the Obersalzberg. While he was away, it was manned by workmen guards (Arbeiterposten).

Another pass like this one exists, which was issued to Frau Goering – shown below. These red passes gave access to bezirke I.

Source: Hitler's Personal Security, Peter Hoffmann

The Platterhof was a hotel near Berchtesgaden where high-level Nazi dignitaries would stay when visiting Hitler and the area. This menu, dated July 27th 1942, was removed from the building by Tom M of the 321st Glider Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. 

On the reverse is some kind of shopping list, perhaps made by a staff member who worked in the hotel kitchens at the time. 

Like many other GIs after the war's end, Erwin Van Buskirk took a trip up the mountainside to pick over the remains of Hitler's and Goering's alpine homes. While there, he collected a treasure trove of keepsakes including a square of rug or carpet from the Berghof, plus a fragment of rubber backstop from the bowling alley underneath the building. 

From Goering's wrecked home, he removed a wooden mechanism from inside his Bechstein grand piano.

The polished carved wooden moulding, also shown below, was looted from the home of an unnamed high SS officer, and this probably once formed part of the wings of a large carved decorative Nazi eagle.

Almost every GI visiting Hitler's Berghof helped himself to a chunk of red marble from the huge fireplace in the now-gutted Great Hall. When that ran out, they started on the carpets, windows and curtains. 

The chunk below was taken from the fireplace July 29th 1945. 

When the war finally ended, thousands of GIs from almost every unit flooded to Berchtesgaden to enjoy some R&R and see Hitler's destroyed mountain home for themselves. Pretty soon, unofficial guides were created and handed out to the troops during their stay. 

Even today, remnants from the past can still be found on and around the Obersalzberg. 

Shown below

The tap shown below was found near the Berghof and SS barracks, as were the door handles and meat cleaver. 

The camouflage netting was used to protect the Berghof and other buildings against allied air raids from late 1943/1944 onwards.

If you own these pieces, or know someone who does, please get in touch

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