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ARTHUR GREISER

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Militaria Start Price:300.00 USD Estimated At:600.00 - 800.00 USD
ARTHUR GREISER
(1897 - 1946) Nazi German politician, Senate President of Danzig, SS-Obergruppenführer and Reich Governor of Wartheland. He was one of the persons primarily responsible for organizing the Holocaust in Poland and numerous other crimes against humanity, including the murder of 100,000 Jews on Himmler's direct order, the use of gas vans at Chelmno, and destruction of Polish families and culture. Executed by the Poles following his trial. Fine content T.L.S. on official letterhead as President of the Senate of the Free City of Danzig, 3pp. large 4to. with 2pp. addendum, Danzig, June 30, 1936 to Staatsrat Neumann at the Prussian Ministry in Berlin. Political machinations, in part: "...I believe you have seen the report I gave Goering...as far as the person of the High Commissioner of Danzig and [his removal]...with the backing of the German Reich...there is no objection from the standpoint of the statutes of the Free City of Danzig...". Greiser discusses Poland's rights vis-a-vis Danzig, adding: "...How Poland will react I do not at this time know...I expect an official Polish initiative...I request immediate instructions as to how to respond...". Greiser also asks that Goering intercede so that his instructions will be made perfectly clear. File holes, else fine. The addendum included are the minutes of a June 8, 1936 meeting in Munich between Hitler, Goering, von Neurath, von Blomberg, Schacht, Greiser and Gauleiter Forster. At the meeting it is decided that Danzig is not to be surrendered, and will not request assistance from Poland. New laws will be enacted which will put currency and gold markets under the control of "die Notenbank", Poland will not be forewarned of any actions, and if necessary Germany will become involved. Existing contracts and savings programs will be broken if the opposition does not agree to their termination, and RM14 million is guaranteed to a savings program. File holes at margin, pencil docket at top, else fine condition. Although tempers had already risen over the visit of the German cruiser LEIPZIG and the vessel's captain failing to pay official respects to the High Commissioner - earlier mentioned in this letter - it would be another eight months before the High Commissioner would finally resign with the approval of both Germany and Poland. The financial system, however, would immediately seriously deteriorate under Nazi control.