Hitler's Car

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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/13/hitler-car-exerts-grim-fascination

 

[MisterCairo]

A fascinating vehicle and history.

The Canadian War Museum in Ottawa has one of Hitler's staff cars. Incredibly, they considered selling it in 1999-2000 to raise funds for its (then proposed) new building, and in light of its "creepy" history. Saner heads prevailed and it remains one of the most "popular" exhibits.

http://www.warmuseum.ca/collections/artifact/1035815/

http://www.warmuseum.ca/collections/search-results/?q=model:770k+Grosser++W150+STAATSKAROSSE+(State+Coach)&page_num=1

 

[allan4570]

Interesting articles of a finely engineered MB

 

[BlueTrain]

Patton's car has an interesting history, too. It used to be in the museum at Ft. Knox but it may have been moved since then. When we were there, there was also an exhibit on Elvis Presley's time in the army.

I wonder where Pat Brady's jeep is now.

 

[ChiTownScion]

I wonder where Pat Brady's jeep is now.

Got this from a Google search:


https://cj3b.info/Siblings/Nellybelle.html

 

[BlueTrain]

Thanks. I enjoyed the links. I almost couldn't believe that Roy Rogers (and Gene Autry, same year) had finally passed away when they did. But then, so did Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Cary Grant and all the others I grew up watching on TV and in the movies.

 

[Fading Fast]

When I was in Las Vegas in the mid-'90s, I went to a local museum that claimed to have one of Hitler's touring cars. They had some documentation and the placed looked reasonably legit, but it was a "private" museum so who knows. Anyway, just thinking it could have been ridden in by Hitler, made seeing it a visceral moment.

 

[LizzieMaine]

In the years just after the war, quite a few "Hitler Cars" were snapped up by fly-by-night promoters and exhibited at fairs, carnivals, and other small-town events. One came to my town in 1948, and generated middling enthusiasm.

These were usually 1930s-vintage Mercedes-Benz touring cars of one sort or another, and often had some kind of military pedigree, but their authenticity was usually not questioned beyond that point by those who paid a dime or a quarter to take a quick peek. After all, you really had to trust the integrity of such a dignified, educational presentation.

 

[BlueTrain]

The 135 mph claimed sounds impressive but not so much the 235 horsepower. They probably weren't armored, though, all of them that I've ever seen pictures of being open touring cars. The ones with six wheels looked interesting, though.

I have read that while Hitler made a lot of money from his one and only book, he was also good at manipulating his finances for his own advantage. He somehow avoided paying any income tax and after he became The Leader, most of his personal staff were armed forces personnel, paid through the Wehrmacht. The Eagles Nest was also his personal property.

 

[ChiTownScion]

In the years just after the war, quite a few "Hitler Cars" were snapped up by fly-by-night promoters and exhibited at fairs, carnivals, and other small-town events. One came to my town in 1948, and generated middling enthusiasm.

View attachment 86578
These were usually 1930s-vintage Mercedes-Benz touring cars of one sort or another, and often had some kind of military pedigree, but their authenticity was usually not questioned beyond that point by those who paid a dime or a quarter to take a quick peek. After all, you really had to trust the integrity of such a dignified, educational presentation.

 

[MisterCairo]

"This way to the egress..."

 

[Fading Fast]

The 135 mph claimed sounds impressive but not so much the 235 horsepower. They probably weren't armored, though, all of them that I've ever seen pictures of being open touring cars. The ones with six wheels looked interesting, though.

I have read that while Hitler made a lot of money from his one and only book, he was also good at manipulating his finances for his own advantage. He somehow avoided paying any income tax and after he became The Leader, most of his personal staff were armed forces personnel, paid through the Wehrmacht. The Eagles Nest was also his personal property.

I always found the six-wheel configuration intriguing as well. Knowing the Nazis, it could have all been for show. They understood pageantry and symbols, etc., really, really well.

And I've read similar things about Hitler's very self-serving finances. But as you also note, since giving his book as a wedding, birthday or other-reason gift was de rigueur - he did make a large amount of "legitimate" money from it. But also, he manipulated his taxes and "state" property quite aggressively for his own benefit.

 

[MisterCairo]

But also, he manipulated his taxes and "state" property quite aggressively for his own benefit.

So we can add tax evader to Hitler's resume? Man, that guy was evil... (cannot seem to activate emoticons at this time - sorry - emojis - I am soooo 90s...)

 

[Fading Fast]

So we can add tax evader to Hitler's resume? Man, that guy was evil... (cannot seem to activate emoticons at this time - sorry - emojis - I am soooo 90s...)

The entire Nazi Party / Third Reich was - away from its number one evil of genocide - a giant kleptocracy with, not surprisingly, the biggest victims being the Jewish people (and any other people they subjugated along the way). German Jew's had their businesses, homes, art work, etc. all taken by (stolen) or force "sold" to well-connected Nazis at below market prices. It's part of how Hitler "rewarded" his loyal leadership team and bought their continued loyalty. It is utterly disgusting when you read the details of what they did and how arrantly corrupt the entire Nazi Party was.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

So we can add tax evader to Hitler's resume? Man, that guy was evil... (cannot seem to activate emoticons at this time - sorry - emojis - I am soooo 90s...)

One of my favorite, and lesser-known, of Hitler's dubious achievements is draft dodger.

In 1913 he fled from Vienna to Munich because he was wanted by the Austrian authorities for failing to register for the draft. When they caught up with him the following year he was sent back to his hometown of Linz to report for induction.

Hitler submitted a letter to military officials claiming poverty and ignorance of the law as extenuating circumstances, both of which were outright lies. Nevertheless Hitler was deemed "unfit for military or auxiliary service" and was released to resume his accustomed lifestyle in Munich. In addition to 24-year-old Adolf's aversion to drudgery and physical labor, it's also believed that the real reason he refused to serve was because he despised what he regarded as the "racially degenerate" nature of the multi ethnic* Habsburg army in particular and Austro-Hungarian society in general.

*In 1914 the Austro-Hungarian Empire encompassed what is now Austria, Hungary, The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Bosnia, Croatia and Slovenia

 

[Fading Fast]

One of my favorite, and lesser-known, of Hitler's dubious achievements is draft dodger.

In 1913 he fled from Vienna to Munich because he was wanted by the Austrian authorities for failing to register for the draft. When they caught up with him the following year he was sent back to his hometown of Linz to report for induction.

Hitler submitted a letter to military officials claiming poverty and ignorance of the law as extenuating circumstances, both of which were outright lies. Nevertheless Hitler was deemed "unfit for military or auxiliary service" and was released to resume his accustomed lifestyle in Munich. In addition to 24-year-old Adolf's aversion to drudgery and physical labor, it's also believed that the real reason he refused to serve was because he despised what he regarded as the "racially degenerate" nature of the multi ethnic Habsburg army in particular and Austro-Hungarian society in general.

I am not disputing what you said (I believe it is true), but he did ultimately serve and - by most accounts - was a good soldier who was awarded a few metals.

 

[filfoster]

Agree with posts that describe the Nazi regime as a 'kleptocracy'. It was a murdering crime family that took over a nation. Yes, Der Fuhrer seems to have parlayed that one book (Wasn't there one sequel?) into a royalty motherlode.
Does anyone else suspect 'Mein Kampf' was like a holiday fruitcake, ubiquitous but undigested? I'd bet the spines on most were never cracked.
Anyway, Franz Xaver Schwarz was the Party Treasurer and rewarded with embarrassing titles and ranks: he was a Reichleiter, the highest Party rank after Hitler, and one of only four SS colonel-generals-Oberstgruppenfuhrers (the others were Paul Hausser, Josef Dietrich, who were soldiers, and Kurt Daluege, aka 'Dumi Dumi' which needs no translation, Hitler's chief of the 'regular' police). Mr. Schwarz was no doubt valued for his sleight-of-hand accounting that filled Hitler's bank accounts from who knows where. Marty Byrde, take note.