Lot 408

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Description:

"Denazification" Printed Material Produced by Postwar U.S. Occupiers, some Restricted!

Two printed booklets produced by the Office of Military Government, United States (OMGUS), the military government established in American-occupied sectors of postwar Germany. This fascinating trove of material illustrates how the Allied powers' attempt to totally reorganize postwar German society was a monumental and not entirely successful task.

After the war, the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Soviet Union divided up and controlled sectors of postwar Germany. The Office of Military Government, United States controlled Berlin, Bavaria, Wurttemberg-Baden, Greater Hesse, and Bremen, with its Military Governor headquartered in Frankfurt-am-Main. OMGUS officially operated between January 1, 1946 and December 5, 1949. It was tasked with eradicating the influence of the Nazi Party from all aspects of German society: its ideology, culture, economy, politics, military, legal system, press, and the arts. Nazism had to be removed from top to bottom, its groups disbanded, society rebuilt, and wartime wrongs redressed.

In addition to undertaking this neutralization of Nazism--or denazification--OMGUS also had to determine the extent to which German citizens had cooperated with and participated in the Nazi system. This review process was a nearly insurmountable mission; millions of Germans had to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, a prospect which led Eisenhower to initially estimate that it would take 50 years to complete. All Germans over 18 years of age were mandated to register with the American authorities and complete a questionnaire pertaining to their associations with the Nazi Party. They were then categorized into a tiered scale of Major Offenders, Offenders, Lesser Offenders, Followers, and Exonerated Persons.

Ultimately, it proved too complicated to determine the extent of personal responsibility on such a massive scale. Combined with the lack of American personnel to undertake the evaluation, as well as a waning interest in Germany and increasing concern over the Soviet Union, led to the Americans' turning over the process to Germans themselves. This denazification process arguably continues to this day. A sense of collective guilt about the Holocaust impacts modern German politics today.

The lot consists of:

1. A printed booklet entitled "Report of the Military Government / Denazification / (Cumulative Review)" spanning the period April 1, 1947 to April 30, 1948. Isolated foxing and minor chipped binding to the spine and covers, else very good to near fine. 168pp. 8" x 13" x .5."

"The Allied armies are in occupation of the whole of Germany and the German people have begun to atone for the terrible crimes committed under the leadership of those whom, in the hour of their success, they openly approved and blindly obeyed…

The purpose of this agreement is to carry out the Crimea declaration on Germany. German militarism and Nazism will be extirpated and the Allies will take in agreement together, now and in the future, the other measures necessary to assure that Germany never again will threaten her neighbors or the peace of the world.

It is not the intention of the Allies to destroy or enslave the German people. It is the intention of the Allies that the German people be given the opportunity to prepare for the eventual reconstruction of their life on a democratic and peaceful basis…"

-Annex E, Excerpt from Potsdam Agreement, page 39

The bulk of this booklet presents data and analysis of ongoing denazification efforts. Statistical tables show how many Germans were investigated, tried, and processed, with the majority falling under the category of Followers. Punishment could entail execution, imprisonment, removal from political office, fines, confiscation of property, or deprivation of employment. A special brainwashing clause protecting any German born after January 1, 1919 was included.

2. A printed booklet called "Monthly Military Government Report" from Bavaria, Report No. 48-12, for the month of December 1948. Restricted access as prepared by the Director of the Intelligence Division. Check marked initials in the upper right corner suggest that the report was meant to be circulated on a limited basis. Expected age toning and darkening, else very good to near fine. 36pp. 8.25" x 11.625."

This booklet contains a "state of the union" assessment of Bavaria in December 1948. Its American occupiers probed every aspect of Bavarian daily life (including decreases in sexually transmitted diseases) in order to present this highly detailed report. Some areas of particular interest can be found below:

- Page 17, "Legal Division." Outlining the current load of denazification cases in Bavaria, and discussing the high-profile trials of Dr. Josef Mueller, the sitting Minister of Justice in Bavaria, and Alfred Loritz, a former Denazification Minister. Both were being investigated for financial crimes.

- Page 18. "Prisons Branch." A breakdown of commuted sentences, "Special Christmas Clemency," and other exceptions, thus seemingly substantiating criticisms that denazification was only weakly enforced.

- Page 20. "Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives Section." A report of the return of artwork to France, Belgium, and other territories formerly occupied by the Nazis, and speaking to the systematic spoilage of European treasures, or so-called "Rape of Europa."

- Page 30. "Denazification Adviser." Despite statements to the contrary, denazification was not finished in the region. There was a huge backlog of cases, problematic returns of questionnaires, and German refugees returning every day from other countries whose cases needed to be reviewed.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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