Eric Chaim Kline, Bookseller

German Film Actor Fritz Eckert Killed at Mauthausen [INCLUDING SIGNED PHOTOGRAPHS AND PHOTO-POSTCARDS]

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Fritz Eckert was a German actor known for his roles in films such as the 1927 drama "The Last Waltz," the 1939 films "Kongo-Express," the 1940 film "Schiller," and "Tanz mit dem Kaiser (Dance with the Emperor)" from 1941. Born on November 28, 1902, Fritz Eckert married Else Nägeli on November 10, 1927.

Eckert got his start as an actor at the Reinhardt-Bühnen. He became a popular cast member and was considered to be promising talent. His roles in plays like "Ehe von Welt" and "Spiel im Schloß" garnered particularly positive reactions in the press as did his work in two Deulig films "Das grüne Licht" and "Maharadschah und Co." making him known to the film audience. Deulig was later to merge with UFA.

The official documents in this collection include the marriage license of Fritz and Else Eckert, born Nägeli, a 1928 drivers license for Fritz Eckert and his death certificate No. 1840/1942, issued by the registrar's office at Mauthausen II, noting Eckert's death on March 4, 1942, dated March 7, with a small photograph of Eckert pegged to the document. With an official notification by the camp administration regarding the belongings of the diseased, addressed to the Gespapo Berlin and dated March 21, 1942, listing a hat, a jacket, one pair of pants, a shirt, underware, a pair of shoes, a pair of socks, one scarf, and pajamas.

Also included is a letter on Mauthausen Camp stationary addressed to the widow of Fritz Eckert, informing her of the death of her husband, signed by the camp comander Frank Ziereis ("Your husband Fritz Eckert, born November 28, 1902, was shot to death around 9:20 pm when attempting to escape from the camp... I cannot give a reason for his futile attempt to escape, but I assume that he did this in a state of mental confusion. Your husband cannot have done this without knowledge of the general instructions, since he was often informed, that any attempt to escape will be prevented by all means. His corpse has been cremated in the State crematory. I have ordered the prisoners administration of the camp to send the belongings of your husband to your address. We have no objections against the release of the urn if you provide a certificate of your local cemetery administration, that a proper burial is planned").

Two three-fold ancestry ledgers (Ahnenblätter), showing lineage for four generations, designed after the provisions of race scientist and hygienist Karl Astel. An ID card for Else Eckert issued on May 9th, 1942, a typed reminder from the Allianz insurance to Else Eckert to pay her insurance premium in 1944, a photo album with one hundred and eleven original silver gelatin prints, mostly in small format, some of them heavily faded, dated up to Christmas 1926; twenty loose photographs in various sizes depicting Eckert and some of his fellow actors in typical actor's headshots or in film stills, including one signed matted portrait of Eckert, a photograph of Irene von Meyerdorff, signed by the photographer Schneider, a modeled bust of Eckert signed "JD...," two signed portrait postcards, various photographs of Eckert in costume at the Staatstheater, a film still from the movie Intermesszo, produced by Tobis Rota, Majestic Film, nine vacation photographs pasted to a board, four magzine clippings, and three additional envelopes addressed to Eckert in 1941, and his wife Else in 1944 and a later, unidentified date with Allied Forces stamp of Ernst Thählmann.

The reason for Eckert's imprisonment is unknown, but most likely was due to friends and acquaintences Eckart was involved with, that were considered undesirable or subversive by the authorities. Item #44677

Price: $2,750.00