SUMMARY: This offering is a note written by Heinrich Himmler to his mistress in 1942. Price: Sold

Heinrich Luitpold Himmler (1900 – 1945) was a Nazi German politician and head of the Schutzstaffel (SS). He was one of the most powerful men in Hitler's entourage, together with Hermann Göring, Martin Bormann and Joseph Goebbels. As Reichsführer-SS he oversaw all police and security forces, including the Gestapo.

This offering is a note written by Himmler on his engraved personalized note paper to his mistress dated August 8, 1942, Hegewald.*** The note was found on a female prisoner (Himmler's mistress) who was being interrogated in the 7th U.S. Army interrogation center just after the German surrender (a letter of provenance comes with the note). The item is 6 in x 5 in in dimensions and is written in old German script not taught in the schools of Germany today. The note is boldly written in black fountain pen in Himmler’s pointed, angled script on Himmler’s cream-colored, textured personal note card stationery. There are a couple of chips in the upper corners, affecting nothing, and a small area of apparent damp staining, affecting a half dozen words, on the front side. These, though, do not detract from the overall quality of this piece, which is in very fine condition overall.The note reads as follows: My dear little bunny:I am about to drive over and I will call you and hear your dear voice. Quickly, just a few lines regarding the parcel, they are all without value but were chosen with love; perhaps you can --them.An illustrated magazine is also enclosed and I will be with you in spirit when you look at it. * Say hello to our sweet cat; hope he does not hurt himself with his rattle.The barometer is for you.Thank you for your dear letter: write again soon! I love you forever. Many thought of you and Helge.Your *. ###

Biographical Note: Himmler's mistress was Hedwig Potthash  ( she as known as 'Haschen' or little hare-he actually calls her ' bunny' in the note"). She was 12 years younger than Himmler and the daughter of a sargent-major in the Army. Himmler kept a photograph of her on his desk at all times.She had 2 children with Himmler- a son Helge and a daughter Nanette Dorthea. At the time this leter was written Haschen had only one child --Helge.

In this note we see the expression of love and caring that are difficult to reconcile with the public persona and career of one of history's arch villains who after all, was responsible for the murder of millions (one estimate 10 million) many of whose only crime in many instances was being a Jew. Remember, Himmler used to stand so close to the victims during mass executions that, on occasion, the impact of the bullets would cause human tissue to spatter on his face following which he would calmly wipe it away and proceed on with no expression of emotion.Also, during his SS tenure Himmler visited hell on earth on many children, but he was nonetheless able to express deep concern for the well being for his illegitimate child and his mitress. Therefore the incongruity between this letter and what we know about Himmler the Nazi soldier and butcher is striking. Yes, Himmler had a soul dark and depraved and devoid of conscience yet he was still able to feel love and concern for other human beings under certain circumstances--just remarkable.William Shakespeare summed up that dual nature of man in this passage from Romeo and Juliet:" Within the infant rind of this small flower, poison hath residence and medicine power. In man as well as herbs, grace and rude will, and where the worser is predominant, full soon the canker death eats up that plant."

Himmler was one of the few Nazis who did not have his hand in the till. So he had to borrow money to build a house for 'Haschen' from Borman. Borman's wife and 'Haschen' became close and that drew Borman and Himmler closer and many feel that relationship influenced the outcome of the war..

### We believe Himmler used an asterisk-like (? runic) symbol to indicate love or affection or a kiss at 2 points in this note.There is another theory about Himmler's use of an asterisk and that is he did not want his name to be linked to this woman because of the divorce from his wife.That theory seems less credible in this case because the note was written on his engraved personal note paper.

For about 10 years, Himmler had dreamed of moving Germans from the moral decay of the cities to farming communities, reminiscent of those of their forbears, which Himmler believed had honed the superior Nordic race. In 1939, Adolf Hitler appointed him Reichskommissar für die Festigung des Deutschen Volksturms, or Reich Commissar for the Strengthening of Germandom, and gave him absolute control over the newly annexed areas of Poland. Within a year, more than 1,000,000 Poles and 300,000 Jews had been driven eastward as Himmler replaced them with Volksdeutsche, those of German descent.

Himmler envisioned even larger scale colonization once Germany claimed victory in its invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941. In January 1942, he began formulating the details of a plan to establish three large German colonies, including one in the Crimea and Southeastern Ukraine. The SS would rid the area of racially unwanted natives—mostly by simply killing them. In their place would come German and SS settlers. Himmler began pressing Hitler to approve the plan in early July 1942. On July 16, which he described as “the happiest day” of his life, Himmler announced privately that Hitler had approved the plan. Two months later, on September 16, in a speech to SS leaders and the police at Zhitomir in the southern Russian sector, Himmler announced that various regions, including the Crimea and the area around Leningrad, would be Germanized and colonized.

***Himmler thus proceeded to establish a small trial colony near his headquarters at Hegewald. On October 10, 1942, SS troops began rounding up 10,623 Ukrainian men, women, and children from around Hegewald, forcing them into trains headed for labor camps farther south. The SS was so brutal and so efficient that many residents left their homes with dishes remaining on the tables.Hegewald was the name of Himmler's headquarters in the Ukraine.Himmler directed the recolonization of the area around the Hegewald headquarters with Germans after having removed much of the indigent Russian population who were shipped off to "Labor Camps". The Russians were rounded up and sent off with such efficiency that houses were left behind with dishes on the table and linens neatly folded in the cupboards.We know Himmler was at Hegewald August and September 1942 because he delivered a major speech there on September 16, 1942.So it is possible that the note to his mistress was written while the planning for dipossessing the Ukranians freom the area around Hegewald was in process.

Needless to say, this listing is not to be misconstrued as an endorsement or glorification of Adolf Hitler or his policies or those of his associates. Himmler was a major leader and military figure of an important country and, at one time, he was one of the most powerful men on earth. He and Hitler are now part of history and there is no going back on that. Items presented by The History Buff, Inc. represent part of the historical record of man and are placed for sale without prejudice. Himmler represents that part of human nature which the founders of our country, like James Madison, called "the depravity of man." It was not by accident that our founding documents were designed in part to restrain that very 'depravity'. Jefferson was particularly prescient when he warned, "Man must be bound by the chains of law."

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