Israel Gets 1935 ‘Who’s Who’ Forms of Hess, Himmler
Israel has obtained original questionnaires filled out by Hitler deputy Rudolf Hess and Nazi SS chief Heinrich Himmler for the 1935 “Who’s Who in the Third Reich.”
The documents, donated to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Center, could help historians determine the authenticity of other Nazi papers because they contain rare signatures of the men, chief archivist Shmuel Krakowski said.
He said many original World War II documents were destroyed by the Nazis and others have disappeared, making it difficult to authenticate signatures.
Hess’ typed application says he was born in Alexandria, Egypt, in 1894 and lived there until the age of 14. He is the only convicted Nazi war criminal still in prison.
Himmler’s form, in Gothic handwriting, outlines his rise from an agriculture student to police chief for Bavaria and finally commander of Hitler’s SS (elite guard).
Krakowski said the forms were given to Yad Vashem this week by an Argentine Jewish collector who declined to say how they came into his possession.
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