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Hedwig Potthast, nicknamed ‘Häschen’ (little hare), was Himmler’s private secretary and became his mistress bore him two children: a son, Helge, in February 1942, and a daughter, Nanette-Dorothea, in 1944. Himmler promoted extramarital relationships for SS men as part of his racial ideology to create a ‘master race’ and address declining birth rates among those he deemed racially superior.
This Volkshilfswerk postcard, sent from Friedrichsruh (Aumühle) on January 21, 1942, reveals Himmler’s personal relationship during one of the darkest periods of history. He writes: ‘My dear bunny! Tomorrow, Roelfchen [the family nickname for Heinrich Himmler’s younger brother, Ernst] will be with you and will bring you this card with lots of loving thoughts and greetings. You dear .. beloved bunny, your *’ [signed with an asterisk]. The original German reads: ‘Mein liebes Häslein! Morgen ist ja Roelfchen bei dir und soll dir dieses Kärtchen mit innerlich viel lieben Gedanken und Grüssen mitbringen. Du liebes .. geliebtes Häslein Dein *’.
The historical significance of this letter is profound: it was sent just one day after the Wannsee Conference on January 20, 1942, where high-ranking Nazi officials coordinated the systematic genocide known as the ‘Final Solution,’ and one month before the birth of his son Helge. Sold for $3,750
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