GRAND ADMIRAL KARL DONITZ - TYPESCRIPT SIGNED 6/12/1979 - HFSID 250801

GRAND ADMIRAL KARL DÖNITZ
Souvenir typescript of Joseph Goebbels' message to Karl Dönitz after the death of Adolf Hitler during World War II, signed and dated by Dönitz in blue ink in 1979. Dönitz was named Führer of Nazi German one day after the original document was written on May 1, 1945.
Typescript signed "Dönitz/12. 6. 79" in blue ink.1 page, 8½x11. Headed: "Grand Admiral Doentiz/Most Secret Urgent Officer Only". In full: "The Fuehrer died yesterday at 1530 hours. Testament of the 29 April appoints you as Reich President, Reich Minister Dr. Goebbles as Reich Chancellor, Reichleiter Bormann as Party Minister, Reich Minister Seyss Inquart as Foreign Minister. By order of the Fuehrer, the Testament has been sent out of Berlin to you, to Field Marshall Schoerner, and for preservation and publication. Reichsleiter Bormann intends to go to you today and to inform you of the situation. Time and form of announcement to the Press and to the troops is left to you. Confirm Receipt.". This is a translated souvenir typescript of a secret message from Nazi Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels to Dönitz, announcing the death of Adolf Hitler on April 30, 1945. Dönitz assumed the mantle of Führer of Nazi Germany the day after the original document was written, but he didn't hold onto power long. He began surrender negotiations with the Allies on May 5, 1945 and surrendered his nation on May 7, 1945. During WWII, German Admiral Karl Dönitz (1891-1980, born in Grünau-bei-Berlin, Germany) developed the idea of fighting in wolf packs. In January 1943, Hitler named Dönitz to replace Erich Raeder as Commander in Chief of the German Navy.In that capacity, Dönitz gave permission for a radically improved U-boat to be built in 1944. Working closely with Albert Speer, the Minister of Armaments, Germany was producing 42 of these all-electric boats a month by 1945, but it was too late to make an impact on the outcome of the war. As the war was coming to a close, Hitler selected Dönitz to succeed him as Führer. After forming a new government, Führer Dönitz negotiated Germany's surrender on May 5, 1945. At the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials, Dönitz was found guilty of war crimes and was sentenced to ten years in prison. He was 79 when he died on Christmas Eve in 1980. Lightly toned and creased. Folded once and unfolded. Otherwise in fine condition.