Hitler Retreat Items to Be Sold at Auction

By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers

The occasional relic from Adolf Hitler is nothing new for memorabilia auctions, but our friends at Alexander Autographs Inc. are planning what's arguably the most significant Hitler sale in decades, May 13-14. Yes, there will be the usual pictures and papers signed by the mass murderer and Third Reich leader. But their sale—live at alexautographs.com—also includes personal items from Hitler's wardrobe and Berghof retreat, most from the famed Lattimer collection. On the list: Hitler's matchbox cover; his silverware; the key to his "Eagle's Nest" office; his tea cup, saucer, and dessert plate; and his Treffen-Westfalen S.A. badge, which was worn next to the Iron Cross on his uniform.

There's also Eva Braun's gold locket and powder compact, each stamped with the "EB" butterfly monogram Nazi architect Albert Speer designed for her.

Tasteless? Alexander boss Bill Panagopulos says, "Relics have historical importance, whether their origin be good or evil. And just as some museums preserve relics of great artists, authors and scientists, others preserve relics of the Holocaust and Nazi Germany. They are proof that these events really transpired."