Posted on 12/22/2005 6:41:04 AM PST by NotJustAnotherPrettyFace
BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS -- A rare German gun that may have belonged to Adolf Hitler and ended up in Central Illinois will be sold next month during an auction by a local pawnshop.
Engraved with the initials A.H., the Krieghoff Drilling shotgun/rifle likely was given to Hitler as a gift by the Krieghoff company in the years leading up to World War II, said Wes Lane, owner of Midwest Exchange, the pawn shop hosting the auction at www.gunbroker.
"The gun is in a condition that we'd classify as very good," Lane said while holding the gun Wednesday at his pawnshop. "If the right people see this, there's probably someone in Europe or South America who'd be willing to pay a lot of money to own this gun."
Acknowledging some people may be offended that anything associated with the Nazi dictator would be sold, Lane pointed out the sellers intend to donate the net proceeds to the Anti-Defamation League, a leading group fighting anti-Semitism.
The story behind this particular weapon supposedly starts in May 1945 when the U.S. Army's 506th parachute regiment seized control of Hitler's secret hideaway known as the Berchestgaden.
According to the family that currently owns the Drilling, a man from the 506th, which included the men profiled in the HBO miniseries "Band of Brothers," took the gun as a souvenir during the raid on Hitler's palace in the Bavarian mountains.
The parachutist later sold the Drilling to an Army lieutenant who had no idea it belonged to Hitler. That lieutenant, who later settled in Central Illinois, kept the Drilling under his bed for decades, taking it out only occasionally to hunt, according to his family.
Although the World War II veteran died more than a decade ago, his family does not want the gun anymore and has chosen to auction it anonymously, Lane said, adding the proceeds will be donated to the Anti-Defamation League, a leading group opposing anti-Semitism.
The Drilling, known for its hand-engraved designs and dual use ability as a shotgun and rifle, could fetch at least $7,000 without the infamous connection. There's no telling how much someone would pay for a Drilling that belonged to a person like Hitler, Lane said.
Bidding for the gun will open at $10,000.
While some may question the gun's authenticity, at least one expert on Krieghoff guns believes Hitler probably owned the Drilling. Randall Gibson, who wrote a reference book, "The Krieghoff Parabellum," said the company's owner likely gave the gun to Hitler in 1934 while trying to get military contracts before the war.
Hitler did not like guns and did not hunt because he was a vegetarian, Gibson said. That means there were only a handful of guns connected to Hitler, said Gibson, a retired banker from Midland, Texas.
Gibson said Heinz Krieghoff, whose father ran the Krieghoff company before World War II, told him in the 1970s the company gave Drillings engraved with initials to Hitler, Hermann Goering, Heinrich Himmler and former German President Paul von Hindenberg.
"Krieghoff was the No. 1 manufacturer of big-game rifles. He was known for presenting his pieces to various dignitaries and high-ranking officials," Gibson said. "I have no documentation that he presented this weapon to Hitler, but I find it very likely did happen."
Gibson said he's seen photographs of the Drilling that Krieghoff presented to Goering. Except for the initials, the gun looks exactly like the Drilling at Midwest Exchange. Like Lane, he couldn't begin to guess how much someone would pay for Hitler's gun.
"Twenty, thirty, forty, fifty thousand ?| I don't know," Gibson said. "That's why a weapon like that turns up at an auction. Nobody knows what its going to go for.
Melt it down and sell it for scrap.
I expect the Iranians will buy it..
And add that just-unveiled Stalin statue to the melting vat.
I had a neighbor whose mother worked for Hitler--food service. I've heard rumors for years that she (the daughter) had a set of his dishes. Was always curious but didn't dare ask.
---Gibson said. "I have no documentation that he presented this weapon to Hitler, but I find it very likely did happen."---
If that's the criteria, let the buyer beware. This thing isn't chambered for 243 or something I hope.
That works for me.
Trading in such dubious "memorabilia" just perpetuates the message their owners espoused. Gone, the message dies with them/it.
Maybe if we detsroy all the history, it will be like it never happened
So there is only one gun of any value, the one the MF purported to use on his own syphilis encrusted brain.
The story behind this particular weapon supposedly starts in May 1945 when the U.S. Army's 506th parachute regiment seized control of Hitler's secret hideaway known as the Berchestgaden.
According to the family that currently owns the Drilling, a man from the 506th, which included the men profiled in the HBO miniseries "Band of Brothers," took the gun as a souvenir during the raid on Hitler's palace in the Bavarian mountains.
The parachutist later sold the Drilling to an Army lieutenant who had no idea it belonged to Hitler. That lieutenant, who later settled in Central Illinois, kept the Drilling under his bed for decades, taking it out only occasionally to hunt, according to his family.
Fascinating
Id love to own this historical piece.
Even withouth that provinance it is a valuable historical piece worth perhaps 15K
---Even withouth that provinance it is a valuable historical piece worth perhaps 15K---
Under this criteria, almost any gun made prior to 1945 could have belonged to Hitler unless there is evidence it did not.
Trading in such dubious "memorabilia" just perpetuates the message their owners espoused. Gone, the message dies with them/it.
What hilariously irrational nonsense. Just destroy a lump of metal and wood, and lo, Hitler and all his evil deeds and ideas will just magically disappear from human memory!
I'll bet those soldiers who raided Hitler's mountain retreat also discovered other works of art that had been given to Hitler as gifts, perhaps even some priceless sculptures or paintings by "old masters". Of course, those need to be destroyed as well, so that his "message" will die. While we're at it, better round up all the copies of "Mein Kamph" in libraries, bookstores, homes and schools and burn them, so that the message will die.
probably chambered for .666
LOL! Hitler isn't going away, even if everything he ever laid a hand on in his life is destroyed. True, some neo-Nazis might take posession of a gun like this and build a sort of cult around it, but even if it didn't exist they would find something to build their cult around - hate needs no physical symbols to thrive.
Where did you run across any evidence that Adolf had syphillis?
"Hitler did not like guns and did not hunt because he was a vegetarian, Gibson said"
-- Is this true? No wonder the Left doesn't want us keeping tabs on them. F'n Traitors.
"Hitler did not like guns and did not hunt because he was a vegetarian, Gibson said"
"-- Is this true? No wonder the Left doesn't want us keeping tabs on them. F'n Traitors."
LMAO....
We have a large part of society hating guns and eating vegetation only, they call them something like lib... liber...,
ah never mind.
If they can document the band of brothers incident (and there is a good chance they can) This is a very historical piece.
Its unlikely that it can ever be proven that Krieghoff gave the firearm to hitler as most armory records were destroyed when we bombed the crap out of their armorys
Why donate the money to an enemy of the United States (the ADL), which has illegally obtained law-enforcement info on American citizens, agitated to pass laws in 20 states against men gathering for non-government-controlled militia training, and has been involved in making the questioning their version of history (in the US and abroad) a criminal offense?
You'l have to ask the seller that question
Sounds like he and Ted Kennedy have a lot in common.
True on the surface, but in the case of this gun the circumstantial evidence is more than enough to establish a likely hood. It may not be enough to establish full provinence, but it is close enough to be considered highly likely. Let's consider:
1. Manufacturer is known to have presented these guns to prominent people with thier initials engraved on them
2. An exact duplicate of the gun with provinence to Herman Georing exists with Georing's initials on it.
3. This gun contains the initials A.H.
So, the most likely conclusion is that this gun was presented to Adolf Hitler. How many other A.H.'s were prominent in German Politics in the 1930's?
I heard it years ago.
After a brief search, "did hitler have syphilis", generated 92,000 hits on google.
I think its generally accepted he had it, but some people disagree.
True enough, FRiend.
But think about it: if Hitler weren't such a monster, would his firearm be worth so much money? OK, drilling guns made by Austrian gunmakers ARE valuable pieces, but I can see this item being traded dozens of times, eventually bringing prices in the millions of dollars.
I see the trading in such items as perpetuating the horror of the original owner; every time it is sold, there will be an awed statement made "It was owned by Hitler!" That is what makes it so valuable - and that fact makes me sick to my stomach.
But not before removing the head and shrinking it down, Amazon-style. THAT would be some interesting memorabilia - and give V.I. the "respect" he always deserved.
Better tell the president to surrender Saddams Makarov pistol
It's not the lump of metal and wood that makes it so valuable, FRiend; though it is valuable anyway. Old drillings made by Austrian gunsmiths ARE collector's pieces.
However, the cachet to THIS piece is the possiblity that it was owned by the modern era's bigges monster. THAT is what is making me sick. BECAUSE this gun belonged to HITLER, it is worth SO much money.
Achtung!!!
I haven't heard he was putting it up for auction; have you?
"Melt it down and sell it for scrap."
That's right...blame it on the guns!
Suggest we also melt down the Italian rifle that was used by Oswald to kill Kennedy. Will that make you feel better too?
No
Im sure he wont sell it
When we destroy history, We are doomed to repeat it.
His medical records do not show that. Nor did his doctor ever claim that. And we have pretty extensive information about his medications, medical problems. We know he was routinely injected with speed for example.
"However, the cachet to THIS piece is the possiblity that it was owned by the modern era's bigges(t) monster."
Biggest Monster? Indeed Hitler was a monster but Stalin should be considered the biggest if body bags is your measuring stick.
most likely 16ga over 8mm.
I think Mao might have Stalin beat as World Champion Mass Murderer ... Pol Pot might have the title if it's measured on a per-capita basis.
Can you imagine how evil Hitler's SUV would have been?
That's kind-of my take on it too. Of course "dubious memorabilia" doesn't perpetuate any messages, but that sense of awe at who owned it may be unsettling to some. There's probably lots of Hitler memorabilia out there, and will be for some time, and I couldn't care less. But for those that find some of it unsettling, I see nothing wrong with tempering that sense of awe by treating some of that memorabilia as ordinary trash - like the man who owned it.
Time has discovered a previously never seen before photo, taken April 30th, 1945. The film was found by Russian troops on May 1,1945 and this picture was never released until now. It was taken in the Berlin bunker, just mere hours before the Russian troops entered it, and believed to be the last photo of taken of the two of them alive.....
Andy Horwal owned a gun?!? ;-P
Don't be silly.... it's a valuable piece of history.. would you turn Napoleon's sword into horse shoes or burn Nero's fiddle in the fireplace? The gun didn't do anything to anyone (at least it doesn't say so here) and it shouldn't be destroyed anymore than Stalin's boots or Mussolini's hat.
Agreeably Hitler was a disgusting and horrible man but so was Joseph Stalin and I'm sure that some of the brutal Nazis who served under Adolph were possibly even more vile for the attrocities they committed with their own hands.
"Biggest monster" is a hard title for any single man to claim.
Hitler paintings are sold and those are more personal items of the man.
Typical, 'kill people, not animals'.
The original ALF president.
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