H009258 UNTEROFFIZIER HELLMUTH VALTINER ARTWORK POSTCARD. (Kunstwerk Postkarte)

BACKGROUND: Artwork, as a propaganda tool, was widely used during the Third Reich and Hitler’s own humble artistic background also helped foster a general interest in German art. Many art exhibitions were held through-out German during the time period with the largest being held annually, ever summer from 1937 to 1944, at the German House of Art in Munich. As early as 1938 the OKW, Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, (High Command of the Armed Forces), actively began recruiting artists who were assigned to a units Propaganda Company along with photographers and journalists. By the end of the war almost two hundred war artists had served in the Wehrmacht. One of the most prolific, and as a result, one of the best known German war artists was Feldwebel Wolfgang Willrich. Willrich a WWI veteran, had volunteer for military service prior to the outbreak of WWII but had been rejected on the basis of his age, (42), and was assigned to Landwehr I as a trained reserve. Through his personal friendship with Erwin Rommel Willrich was able to secure a position in the OKH visual arts section of the Propaganda department. In this position Willrich painted and drew numerous personalities and regular soldiers in all branches of service through-out the war. Many pieces of his artwork were featured on assorted series of postcards developed by the "VDA, "Volksbund für das Deutschtum im Ausland", (National League for Germans Abroad), among others. The VDA was originally a pre-war organization formed to assist German nationals living in foreign countries and during the Third Reich era the VDA was taken over by the NSDAP and placed under the jurisdiction of the SS. In mid-1942 the OKH decided to have portraits of all the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross holders and Willrich was assigned the task. Of Note: While serving as a Gefreiter and Spähtruppführer, (Reconnaissance Patrol Leader), with the 1ST Company, 143RD Mountain Regiment of the 6TH Mountain Division Valtiner’s distinguished service during a successful frontal attack on the Grecian Metaxas line resulted in his being awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross on June 13TH 1941. Valtiner survived the war and passed away in March 1987.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly, 5 7/8" x 4 1/8", mid-weight card stock, sepia toned, charcoal artwork postcard features a close up of Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross holder, Unteroffizier Hellmuth Valtiner wearing a mountain troopers cap and a field blouse. The visible uniform details include the cap insignia including an edelweiss, shoulder straps and collar tabs, sleeve edelweiss, breast eagle, single place ribbon bar, MP40 and his Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross. The background features Willrich’s distinctive "W" initial cypher interspersed with the date, "1942". The reverse of the postcard has black printed Gothic script which includes the artists name, W. Willrich", the subjects name with rank prefix, "Uffz. Hellmuth Valtiner", along with additional printed script that includes, "VDA, "Volksbund für das Deutschtum im Ausland", (National League for Germans Abroad). The postcard was produced by the VDA, as number forty-seven in the "E" series of fund raising postcards. The postcard is in overall very good condition with minor age yellowing.

GRADE ****                             PRICE $29.00