Albert Speer Top Secret Military Report Document Lot Start Price USD 1,999.99 Current Price USD 1,999.99 Time Left 8 days 13 hours 19 minutes Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Thursday, September 18, 2008 End Time Friday, January 16, 2009 Location Maryland, USA See more about 'Albert Speer Top Secret Military Report Document Lot' Description Snyder's Treasures is pleased to offer An Original and Authentic World War II TOP SECRET Classified German Report From Albert Speer With Speer Provenance This is the real deal!! This document is an extremely rare GEHEIME REICHSACHE (the German equivalent of "Top Secret") wartime report made by Albert Speer for the German dictator about Speer's inspection of the Western Front between 26 September 1944 and October 1, 1944. The report consists of a 16 page main report and two 3-page addenda. The report addresses specific issues regarding the Panzer units in the West. Mentioned prominently are the Panther IV, the Tiger I and Tiger II heavy tanks. Also included are assessments of the US Sherman tank and British & US Airborne units in the area of Arnheim. Speer directly interviewed several Field Marshals and Division level general staff and mentions them by name, including Field Marshals Model, Brandenberger, & Keitel, Colonel General Jodl, Leader Rust and others. Referenced throughout the document are the following units (among others) 1st Panzer Korps VII Army 12th Infantry Division Army Group B 11th Panzer Korps 5th Panzer Division 506th Panzer Waffen troops Pioneer Infantry This is a truly historical document, and is one of very few surviving classified documents written by Reichsminister Albert Speer of the German High Command for eyes-only use. There are many pages to the report that boils down to the conclusion that with the invasion by the Allies, the Germans have lost a lot of weapons and material, the fighting strength of the Western divisions was minimal due to the losses, however, the loss of the weapons could be partially replaced. The report has impeccable provenance in the form of a letter from Albert Speer on his personal stationery, and signed shortly before his death in 1981. This document is typewritten on very flimsy onion-skin thin transmittal paper. The paper has some yellowing from age, and minor discoloration on the extreme edges. The paper is still flexible and readable, if handled with extreme care. The paper is fragile, but intact. There are some routine wrinkles, a few minor stains, and period penciled notations (a section was indicated for deletion). There are some minor corner folds, and slight edge damage, as can be seen in the images below. Small images of the entire document are shown to give you an idea of the content and condition. This is a rare opportunity to own a document of serious historical significance, made in the aftermath of the Allied invasion at Normandy, and the beginning of the end of the war for Germany. This report was used as a springboard for the German Offensive that culminated in the Battle of the Bulge 2 months later. This is a very lengthy and detailed report. The document measures 9 by 12 inches. The Speer letter is 8-1/2 by 11-3/4 paper, folded horizontally. This lot includes the complete report and Albert Speer provenance letter. The first page and provenance letter are shown in large scale above. It and the other pages in the report are shown in smaller scale below. I have been in the business over 40 years and most collectors on the East Coast know me. I have been a Militaria Show promoter most of that time. I am a fair and honorable person. Winning bidder pays stated shipping and handling charges. Unless otherwise stated, there is a minimum $2.00 charge for insurance. If you DON'T want insurance, PLEASE tell us. Please make arrangements for payment within 10 days of the closing of the auction. For additional information about Snyder's Treasures; our return policy and acceptable payment methods, please see our eBay information page ("About Me"). We appreciate your bidding and your business. Thank You! Place a Bid!