A telegraph dubbed “Hitler’s suicide note” containing a defiant final message from the Nazi leader is expected to fetch up to £70,000 (about N32,620,000) at auction.
The historic memo was sent just days before Hitler’s death to one of his favourite commanders, Ferdinand Schörner, who had urged him to flee the besieged capital of the German Third Reich, reports The Mirror.
It states: “I shall remain in Berlin, so as to take part, in honourable fashion, in the decisive battle for Germany, and to set a good example to all those remaining.
“I believe that in this way I shall be rendering Germany the best service.
“For the rest of you, every effort must be made to win the struggle for Berlin. You can there help decisively, by pushing northwards as early as possible.”
Alexander Historical Auctions in Maryland, US, which is auctioning the item, said the item was ‘as unique as it gets’.
Company president Bill Panagopulos said: “There is no other written evidence of Hitler declaring his intention to remain (and die) in Berlin that anyone has been able to locate.
“This is essentially Hitler’s ‘suicide note’.
“In it, he tries to portray himself as a valiant leader of his men until the end, when in actuality he shuffled into his bedroom and fired a bullet into his head.”
The lot also includes Hitler’s transcript of the letter from Schörner, pleading with him to escape.
“I should like to ask you, at this grave hour, to leave Berlin and to assume command from the southern sector,” wrote Schörner.
“If you fell, Germany would also. Millions of Germans await the opportunity to build up Germany once again, with you.”
Mr. Panagopulos said: “He was a favorite of Hitler, and was a devoted underling, and most certainly wanted Hitler to get out of Berlin. Hitler, on the other hand, was in an impossible position.
“At the afternoon situation conference two days earlier, Hitler suffered a total nervous collapse when he was informed that the orders to move to the rescue of Berlin had not been obeyed.
“Hitler launched a tirade against the treachery and incompetence of his commanders; his outburst culminated in a declaration – for the first time – that the war was lost.
“Hitler announced that he would stay in Berlin until the end.”
On April 26, two days after Hitler sent his reply to Schörner, the Nazi leader was offered a last chance to fly out of Berlin, which he declined.
“He may have hoped that by some miracle Schörner would push north from Czechoslovakia and relieve Berlin, but I’m sure both of them knew that was an impossibility,” said Mr. Panagopulos.
“His defensive forces were collapsing all around him and Russian shells were already landing nearby.”
Hitler and his longtime partner, Eva Braun, would commit suicide in his Berlin bunker on April 30, 1945.
In his last will and testament, Hitler promoted Schörner to commander-in-chief of the German army, succeeding himself.
Schörner would later abandon his post and flee to Austria, where he was arrested by American forces.
Following the war, he served time in Soviet and West German prisons before he was released in 1963, after which he moved to Munich where he died in obscurity in 1973.
The lot will be sold in a two-day auction running on April 30 and May 1.
It is expected to fetch between $60,000-$80,000 (£52,000- £70,000).
Source: msn news
What! just for a suicide note
How the notes haven’t torn, is what I’m wondering?!
Nice article
Hmmmm.. 32 million for suicide note….
Really? Anyways provided it’s white people anything can happen, anything it’s posible.
People make money out of crazy things even rip off the dead
wetin them gain?
Vanity upon vanity
Wow!
That’s a lot of money.
This letter is expensive. What is the content self.
Nice information
Hmm… Can’t believe this.
I am yet to see why a dead man’s note is of this importance
So funny people will actually want to buy it
Ah! For suicide note?
This is weird
This unbelievable
Just a note with the amount of money
Dibia Esther
hail hitler
nice write up
This is really unbelievable.
Lol..this news shaa,funny people
Unbeliveable!!!
Just for a suicide note?? Hmm…
Who him help?
Nawa oooo,abegi ,nonsense dey smell ..
Please I want to understand why someone would even want to keep the letter
And people would bid for it…
STRANGE!!!
Hmm.. For just a note..
Unbelievable!!
how will someone buy such
Wow
They are always full of surprises
Outrageous, Unbelievable tho…
It’s too expensive for just a suicide note
Too too expensive
hmmmmm
strange!!!
for just letter… Hmmmmmm Nawa oo
Some people will spend money on that
Hmm! Thats very serious
pls whats this??? Thank you, Next
it’s too expensive