Reinhard Gehlen Letter

**hucks216** · 12-07-2014, 05:06 PM

I've just noticed something else that leads me to think that this is a fake. Top left it has Reinhard Gehlen's rank as Oberstleutnant dated for December 1943. However from December (ABR Site) or July (Keilig's Die Generale Des Heeres und die Sanitatsoffiziere im Generalsrang) 1942 - i.e. a full year or more earlier - Gehlen was promoted to Oberst.

If Wilhelm Gehlen that you have been placed in contact with is actually Reinhard's relative than I wouldn't be surprised if he has actually signed it, faking his uncle's signature, or the letter is something that was compiled decades later and Reinhard Gehlen signed it in old age. It might of even been compiled by an autograph hunter and sent to him for him to sign. These things happened. That signature as seen on the first post does look like it has been signed by an old person.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 12-07-2014 05:06 PM

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**hucks216** · 12-07-2014, 05:36 PM

OK, done some digging through my files and here is the Dienstaltersliste (DAL) from 1st May 1943 - 7 months prior to the date on that letter. It clearly shows Gehlen as holding the rank of Oberst with a seniority date from 1st April 1942. For those not aware, the unit shown in the wartime DAL's is usually the position held by that person prior to the war breaking out, hence why Gehlen is shown as being in Art.Rgt 18.

**HPL2008** · 12-07-2014, 05:37 PM

The final nail in the coffin, I'd say.

**avenger** · 12-07-2014, 06:17 PM

by hucks216

OK, done some digging through my files and here is the Dienstaltersliste (DAL) from 1st May 1943 - 7 months prior to the date on that letter. It clearly shows Gehlen as holding the rank of Oberst with a seniority date from 1st April 1942. For those not aware, the unit shown in the wartime DAL's is usually the position held by that person prior to the war breaking out, hence why Gehlen is shown as being in Art.Rgt 18.

Interesting. I'm curious what Wilhelm Gehlen will say now. Still haven't heard from him yet.

Was there another seperate list for Lieutenant Colonels, i.e. they didn't group them all on that page? BTW, what does it say about him on 144a?

Thanks Hucks, this is an odd situation now for sure...

**hucks216** · 12-07-2014, 06:34 PM

144a isn't a page, it is his senority (Rangdienstalter) for that date. Being an Oberst in the 1943 DAL means that he isn't listed in that issue as an Oberstleutnant but he is listed as an Oberstleutnant in the 01 May 1942 DAL with a Senority number of just 2 and dated from 1st July 1941.
The clash of a month from his promotion to Oberst and the issue of this DAL is just down to the information available when the publication was compiled which could of been a number of months before the actual publication date.

**avenger** · 12-07-2014, 06:48 PM

Okay, that makes sense.

Well, I'll let everyone know what Gehlen says. There's a lot going against the letter, even adding what I found where his brother's name is Len not Leo, which I did bring up in my email to him.

Scott

**HPL2008** · 12-07-2014, 08:13 PM

by avenger

Well, I'll let everyone know what Gehlen says. There's a lot going against the letter, even adding what I found where his brother's name is Len not Leo, which I did bring up in my email to him.

For what it's worth, that particular aspect is actually not a problem.

"Len" is not a name used in Germany, but it is a common short form of "Leonard" in English-speaking countries. The German-language equivalent of "Leonard" is "Leonhard" or "Leonhardt", the short form of which is, in turn "Leo".

A boy called Leonhard would have been called "Leo" in Germany or "Len" in the U.S.

**avenger** · 12-14-2014, 01:04 AM

Mr. Gehlen finally replied to my seller, who ended up forwarding my concerns and email on as we never were able to get any reply. The reply was more or less to say in his advanced age, he's been battling the flu and has not been feeling well enough to respond. He also tells us that the letter was supposedly passed down from his father to his brother, who in turn left them to Wilhelm along with two books. So, none of the specific concerns have been answered, and perhaps it's impossible to do so at this time. I have no reason to mistrust what Mr. Gehlen had to say, it's simply not what I'd like to have heard. So, I'm going to go with the wisdom I've heard said on this forum and "buy the item and not the story", which leaves me no other option than to return it.

Thanks for all the help folks! I hope to have better luck the next time around. At least I now know my seller is willing to do everything he can to help answer questions and guarantee authenticity if something is ever questioned. Those are good sellers to have around.

**bigmacglenn** · 12-14-2014, 01:53 AM

I strongly suggest checking here first before buying any German language document...What strikes me as odd are the Swastika and that the tone of the letter is highly informal, yet ends in the formal manner with his full name...
cheers, Glenn