34th Contemporary History Auction

Bidding on 1530 lots has ended on 1st December 2019. 80% of all lots sold

0635 |

Writing of former SS-Ogruf und Generals der Waffen-SS Karl Wolff

Writing of former SS-Ogruf und Generals der Waffen-SS Karl Wolff

LOT 43-0635
N/A
RETURNED TO CONSIGNOR
PRICE
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DESCRIPTion, DETaILS & Photos
SAVE FOR LATER
PERIOD 1918 — 1945
COUNTRY Deutschland
MATERIAL
DIMENSIONS
MAKER
WEIGHT
LOT 43-0635
EAN 2000000426150
LOT 43-0635
PERIOD 1918 — 1945
COUNTRY Deutschland
EAN 2000000426150
MATERIAL
DIMENSIONS
MAKER
WEIGHT
PERIOD 1918 — 1945
COUNTRY Deutschland
LOT 43-0635
MATERIAL
DIMENSIONS
EAN 2000000426150
MAKER
WEIGHT
Germany 1918 - 1945


Description

Writing of May 4th, 1946 written by the former SS-Obergruppenführers and General der Waffen-SS Karl Wolff (1900-1984) to Allen Dulles  (sent from the prison in Nuremberg). Wolff, who describes himself in the letterhead as the "leader of the former German surrender group Wolff-Italy" and leader of the only important German resistance group, threatens to make use of his internal knowledge of the peace negotiations in 1945.

Handwritten corrected 2 x signed copy of the letter. Two pages, typewritten with handwritten changes, perforated. Important postwar document. During WWII Dulle has been sent to Switzerland by the "Office of Strategic Services" in Bern. His actual function was an open secret. In February 1945, Wolff contacted Dulles via Swiss middlemen. The negotiations led to the premature ceasefire in Italy on 2 May 1945, six days before the German capitulation on May 8, 1945. With "Operation Sunrise" Dulles prepared early on post-war cooperation with Nazi criminals, with whom he wanted to curb communism. On May 13, 1945, Wolff and his family were arrested by US-troops imprisoned in Bolzano jail. In August 1945, he was sent to the war crimes prison in Nuremberg. He was not charged, however, because American and British intelligence officials were afraid Wolff could publicize details of the capitulation negotiations in Italy. Wolff appeared only as a witness in the Nuremberg trials. The Americans eventually handed him over to the British in January 1948, who continued to detain him in Minden.

Vgl. Sie hierzu Kerstin von Lingen: Conspiracy of Silence: How the "Old Boys" of American Intelligence Shielded SS General Karl Wolff from Prosecution. In: Holocaust and Genocide Studies 22, 200, S. 74-109. Vgl. Sie auch ein 2. Schreiben im Kapitel Nachkrieg.


Condition
2