Germany, NSDAP. A Marble Desk Eagle, from the Estate of SS-Obergruppenführer Arthur Seyss-Inquart

(NSDAP Adler aus Marmor). An exquisite and very well-preserved NSDAP desk eagle from the estate of SS-Obergruppenführer Arthur Seyss Inquart, Reichskommissar for the occupied Netherlands, constructed of white marble, consisting of a finely-detailed leftward-facing German national eagle, with partially extending wings and a protruding tail, featuring two glass eyes with black pupil centrepieces neatly rounded in the middle, perched on top of a circular oak leaf wreathed around a swastika on a hollow background, the wreathed joined together at the bottom by a stylized ribbon and set on top of a textured marble plinth with two levels, in turn set on top of a rectangular white marble base, the eagle is unmarked and measures 255 mm (w) x 305 mm (h), with a total height 370 mm when the base is included, there is evidence that the tail has been previously broken and repaired, and a plaque previously adorning the obverse of the base has been removed, a rare piece belonging to a prominent NSDAP official in near extremely fine condition.

The eagle is accompanied by a group of wartime documents from Seyss-Inquart’s estate, including a pair of letters addressed to both Arthur Seyss-Inquart and his wife Gertrud, each dated 11 December 1944, from the widow of Seyss-Inquart’s former mountain climbing partner Meinhard Zild, killed in action with a Fallschirmjäger unit near Monte Cassino on 26 May 1944, the letter to Arthur measuring 204 mm (w) x 296 mm (h), the letter to Gertrude measuring 210 mm (w) x 296 mm (h), including the envelope for the Gertrude letter, stamped with a postal date of 12 December 1944, measuring 162 mm (w) x 112 mm (h), in overall extremely fine condition; a letter to Arthur Seyss-Inquart from an unidentified acquaintance in Baden, indicating that he has written twice previously without response and updating him on personal issues, the obverse with a date obstructed of soiling, measuring 282 mm (w) x 220 mm (h), with central folding creases in addition to soiling at all four corner, in overall better than very fine condition; a two-page letter from an unidentified sender, undated, each page measuring 220 mm (w) x 290 mm (h), with folding creases and soiling evident throughout, in overall very fine condition; an envelope addressed to Arthur Seyss-Inquart, with a postal stamp dated 26 June 1942, without a return address or name, measuring 184 mm (w) x 120 mm (h), with extensive material fatigue and soiling evident, in overall very fine condition; a partially-redeemed sheet of ration stamps for an unspecified year, measuring 220 mm (w) x 158 mm (h) overall, in near extremely fine condition, and; a newspaper photograph depicting Arthur Seyss-Inquart alongside Field Marshal August von Mackensen and Crown Prince Wilhelm at the funeral of Kaiser Wilhelm II, pasted to a black card stock photo album page, measuring 180 mm (w) x 182 mm (h), in near extremely fine condition.

Footnote: Arthur Seyß-Inquart was born on July 22, 1892 in the village of Stannern (present-day Stonařov, southern Czech Republic) near the town of Iglau (Jihlava). This was a German speaking community within a Czech dominated area in Moravia, at the time part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. The family moved to Vienna in 1907.

Seyß-Inquart began to study law at the university of Vienna, and earned his degree during the First War in 1917 while recovering from being wounded. As a soldier in the Austro-Hungarian army he saw action in Russia, Romania, and Italy. He received several bravery decorations and at the end of the war held the rank of Oberleutnant (first lieutenant). 

After the war, Seyß-Inquart developed close ties with several right wing and fascist organisations, among them the Vaterländische Front (Fatherland Front). He became a successful lawyer and had his own practice since 1921. In 1933, Seyß-Inquart went into Austrian politics and joined the cabinet of chancellor Engelbert Dollfuß.

Through growing influence and support by non other than A.H. himself, Seyß-Inquart eventually became Austrian Minister of the Interior in February of 1938. With the looming annexation of Austria by Germany in March of the same year, Austrian chancellor Schuschnigg stepped down. Seyß-Inquart was chosen as his successor due to immense pressure applied on the Austrian government by the NSDAP. 

He served in this position for less than two days, until the Anschluss was completed. Seyß-Inquart signed the documents that legalised the annexation of Austria by Germany. After his office had ceased to exist, he was named Reichsstatthalter (Reich Governor) of the Ostmark, the newly created province that Austria had become as part of Greater Germany. 

Being a fanatical anti-Semite, Seyß-Inquart almost immediately ordered the confiscation of Jewish property and had the Austrian Jews sent to concentration camps. He received the honorary SS rank of Gruppenführer in May of 1939, and would go on to become an SS-Obergruppenführer in 1941.

After the attack on Poland at the beginning of the Second War, Seyß-Inquart was named deputy to Hans Frank, the General Governor of occupied Poland. He supported Frank in the deportation of Polish Jews. Seyß-Inquart was also aware of the systematic murder of Polish intellectuals by the German secret service “Abwehr”.

In May of 1940, A.H. named Seyß-Inquart Reich Commissioner of the Netherlands. His policies concerning the Dutch Jews were no different than his policies had been concerning the Jews in Austria and Poland, in that they were ousted from governmental, and leading press and industry positions, their property seized, before being sent to concentration camps. Of the 140,000 Jews that were registered in the Netherlands in 1941, only 30,000 survived the war.

During his reign of terror, Seyß-Inquart also authorized the execution of at least 800 people, ranging from political prisoners to resistance fighters. At the end of the war, he was arrested by Allied forces and became one of the 24 defendants during the Nuremberg trials against the major war criminals. Seyß-Inquart was found guilty in three out of four charges and executed by hanging on October 16, 1946.

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