Reich Chancellery letter

[avenger]

Now here's an interesting little find I'm considering. This is supposed to be a letter sent to a woman from the Reich Chancellery. I can only imagine how easy this sort of thing would be to fake, and am not certain if any of you can comment to the authenticity. A concern is that it looks so new, but perhaps this letterhead was of a quality that was more acid free stock? The officer signing doesn't appear to be anyone of note, which seems to be in its favor for authenticity, as a faker would seem to want someone known to sign it. Any thoughts?

Google translate says the letter reads:

Your letter addressed to Mr von Dittersdorf request for dismissal of your husband leaving the protective custody went to me for further processing.

According to information gathered by me and statements I do not see myself unfortunately in a position to advocate on the part of the office of the leader of a dismissal of your husband.

I consider so that your request as completed.

Control Officer



If authentic, I sure would love to know why her husband was in their custody. There is certainly a story to be told here.

[harryamb2]

as you say,amazing condition for a 72 year old letter and the envelope especailly

[big ned]

I wonder if von Dittersdorf is the same man who's wife and children were held in captivity after his perceived part in the July 20th bomb plot to assassinate Hitler? I think he just disappeared....

[avenger]

The translation reads like the letter she wrote was addressed to Mr. von Dittersdorf. I don't find anyone by that name via an internet search though. A couple of "von" from Valkyrie were Major General Henning von Tresckow, and Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg.

[big ned]

The guy i'm thinking of was a major in the polizei, possibly SS. He appears to have deserted in 1943 and also went under the alias of Bruno Tiefel. I found this mention of him:

"....and the children of an SS officer sentenced to death for desertion, a major in the police reserve, Bruno Ditter von Dittersdorf,29. Von Dittersdorf deserted his post as a member of the ‘Order Police’ (Ordnungspolizei )in Berlin in late 1943.
The appearance of his children Karin (seven years old) and Hans Gerd (two years old) at the camp certainly points towards the initial widening of Sippenhaft beyond the 20 July conspiracy at this stage."

Sippenhaft : Terror and Fear in Nazi Germany: Examining One Facet of Terror in the Aftermath of the Plot of 20 July 1944 by Robert Loeffel.

Then again it may be a complete coincidence, which is perhaps more likely.

[avenger]

That is interesting though. Hard to tell. I've yet to feel confident it's real, as the condition just seems too good. If it was a little yellowed, I'd not have much concern for the content or the low profile names used. I don't know how a person would verify this unless you just know antique paper objects well. I guess a blacklight test might do it. I wonder if the seller has tried that.

[bigmacglenn]

The "Kanzlei des Fuhrers" is the correct administrative office for Clemency Requests, btw...
cheers, Glenn

[avenger]

Thanks Glenn. That's interesting, and verifies one more little detail you might expect a fake to get wrong. The content of this letter seems too correct for a fake. Fakers tend to mess up somewhere, even it's being too aggressive and trying to sign it Adolf Hitler or someone like that. I don't know, maybe there's enough reason to trust it to say it's authentic.

[CARL]

Never overly concern yourself with an absence of yellowing present on a paper item if it appears of a high standard - such as one would expect from such a source.

Please read below:

The colouration of old paper items

[TrondK]

I notice it does not has the standard "Heil Hitler" over the signature.

Anyone with similar letters in their collections?