KALTENBRUNNER ERNST: (1903-1946) Austrian-born Nazi official of World War II, an Obergruppenfuhrer in the Schutzstaffel 1943-45. Kaltenbrunner served as Director of the Reich Main Security Office 1943-45. The highest ranking member of the SS to face trial at the Nuremberg Trials, Kaltenbrunner was found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity and sentenced to death by hanging. T.L.S., Dr Kaltenbrunner, two pages, 4to, Vienna, 8th December 1938, to Gauleiter Buerckel, official representative of the Fuhrer for the NSDAP in Austria, in German. Kaltenbrunner writes concerning the Christmas bonus of the permanent SS personnel of the SS Upper region Oberabschnitt-Donau, stating that he would like to give a bonus to the dedicated SS personnel, Captains and Lieutenants although remarking 'I will not be able to do so without your help, as neither treasurer Schwarz nor the SS administration chief have additional funds available. I myself am unable to fund this as well', further explaining '….all the departments had to find their own financing for their running as well as their start-up costs. You can probably imagine the financial hardships this has caused. Due to further budget cuts by the various departments and ever rising expenses the departments involved are on the brink of bankruptcy'. Kaltenbrunner concludes 'I find it very very hard to imagine that our loyal personnel, Unterfuhrer and Fuhrer alike, would have to celebrate their first Julfest as part of the great German Reich without any kind of reward. Gauleiter, I plead with you to help me and hope I can have your kind support. Many are missing even the basic items, they also are still paying the debts of the wartime out of their own pockets. There will be little left for their families or mothers'. Four file holes to the left edge of each page and with various official ink stamps and annotations to the upper right corner of the first page. Two slight staple rust stains to the upper left corner of each page, none of the faults affecting the text or signature, VG

Josef Buerckel (1895-1944) German Nazi Politician, an early member of the NSDAP. Gauleiter of Westmark 1933-44 and Gauleiter of Vienna 1939-40.