"Famous" Collectors

[ethreecee]

Do any of you have a list of the "famous" or well known collectors of Wehrmacht decorations?

I know that Bob Hope used to own Hitler's mercedes, and I heard that Clint Eastwood is also a collector, true?

Thanks

[EKman]

This topic comes up from time to time and the forum has an excellent archive/search function, so after just a moment of searching, here is a link to an older thread about it and I think that there is also a link within that thread to another one on the subject.
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...ghlight=famous

[ethreecee]

Thank yu for your information, but my membership will not let me open that thread. Could you open it and print the list of collectors?

[EKman]

As you asked, here are a list of some of the folks mentioned in these threads:
Winston Churchill was a well known toy soldier collector...
Just remembered-The late Johnny Cash & Hank Williams,Jr. collected/collects Confederate Civil War guns & relics.
From time to time we have discussed various celebrities reputed to collect German militaria (Clint Eastwood, Bob Hope, Bill Murray are names I have heard).
Tony Bennet, Lemmy from Motorhead, lead singer of Slayer (Not that I listen to those anymore )
Sit back for this one as I know from a direct source (the seller), Bill Gates (not WWII but Civil War).
Marge Schott, the former owner of Cincinatti Reds...
I met Kareem Abdul Jabbar at the Great Western, when he was looking for things relating to Buffalo Soldiers.
Ted Turner collects Civil War.
Jack Kevorkian is/was a big collector of original Hitler watercolors.

Anyway, that is a partial list from those threads, sorry, but I just don't have time at the moment to copy and past all of it. I would seriously encourage you to invest the $25 in becoming an association member. It is a paltry sum and the benefits are well worth it.

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[Kingdiamond]

Hi

Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister the Motorhead frontman got the third largest collection of nazi daggers in North America. He talks about his stuff here http://www.dogmaticblog.com/?p=227

Jeff Hanneman guitarist in the band Slayer is/was collecting 3. Reich medals

Don King the boxing promotor is said to have a large collection of different nazi memorabilia. In the book "Boxing Confidential" Jim Brady tells the story about King and Mike Tyson visiting Auschwitz. Tyson cried, while the insane and psycopatic King laughed, joked and picked up stones to bring home for his nazi collection.

[Bob Carter]

For what it's worth Don King is does quite a bit for the airborne veteran community and I see his picture quite often attending paratrooper reunions and association events in the Static Line newspaper.

[Kingdiamond]

For what it's worth Don King is does quite a bit for the airborne veteran community and I see his picture quite often attending paratrooper reunions and association events in the Static Line newspaper.

Yes and thats nice, but it does not out line the other stuff he does.

[marc brans]

"famous" is relative, I don't think most of you know the person I will describe here - a 1944-45 minister of Belgium (minister of reconstruction of the country), Mr Paul Kronacker who was made a baron for services rendered, owned a marshals baton, given to him by Eisenhower. The baton was said to be owned by Göring. Now this baron used to live only abt. 1 km from where I live now, his widow still living in the much too large castle...
He had many high ranking relations, presidents, kings, emperors, prime ministers,...and quiet excentric too. Used to give parties to fellow ministers and ambassadors and bishops and even cardinals. The chauffeurs of these men were given their own party on the parking lot next to his castle; like in the south of France, a donkey with a hat on, pulling a cart full of booze... just for the drivers. This happened in the 50ies and 60ies, when drinking and driving was seen through a different pair of glasses...:-)
When his gardener reached the pensioners age, he gave him one of those large america cars...
President of the board of one of the largest sugar companies, and the largest is Belgium ("Tienen"), he owned many villages in the Belgian Congo. His uncle was of the family of Fester, and made the first regular flight to Belgian Congo in the 30ies together with his wife.
My father used to know the children of Kronacker very well since he lived opposite their home and they played together often. On the estate, while landscaping the park, they found the remains of a french soldier, killed in the 1831 independence war against Holland, in which the french came to help the small belgian army.
Of course there are many more anecdotes - intrigueing person, Mr Kronacker.
He died in 1994, aged 97, being a veteran of both world wars.
I am lucky to own a part of his vast library.

I wonder where the baton has gone since - if the story was to be true in the first place...

[Michael Everett]

Baton

Marc,

Don't think that was Goering's baton. Goering's first 'standard issue' baton is at the US Army Infantry Museum at Ft Benning, Georgia and his unique second issue baton is on display at the US Army Military Academy at West Point, New York. God bless the US Army!

By the way, most baton's are in Museum's and not private collections.

MIKE

[marc brans]

Mike,
you are probabely right. Aren't that many batons around I guess:-)

I got this information from
http://www.livresdeguerre.net/forum/...hp?index=14816
In french, désolée^_^
And it wasn't Eisenhower, it was Truman.
Those batons you have in the USA aren't the real stuff you know
it is here, with the Kronacker estate
(if only )

[Glenn Barbaritz]

Marc,

Don't think that was Goering's baton. Goering's first 'standard issue' baton is at the US Army Infantry Museum at Ft Benning, Georgia and his unique second issue baton is on display at the US Army Military Academy at West Point, New York. God bless the US Army!

By the way, most baton's are in Museum's and not private collections.

MIKE

Mike is correct. I had the pleasure of viewing this baton at ft. Benning while I attended jump school! it is an excellent museum. I highly recommend it. believe it or not that is where I am leaving my Heer infantry Schultz when my time comes so everyone can see what a German WWII front liner looked like. even if I pass now it is basically complete enough for display. (although I hope I still have much time to spend with it and ofcourse with others I enjoy, like my Wife! ) but if you ever get the chance check out that museum, you wont be dissapointed. Glenn

[want romanian]

Steinbrenner - Vietnam Special Forces collector.

[Bob Lyons]

I did hear from some one else who was 'in the know' that Mick Jagger also collects 3rd Reich items, and the Enigma machine used in the movie of the same name was from his collection. Sorry if this is duplicated in the other thread, I haven't read that yet!

I would love to see those batons talked about in the above threads too!!!

Best regards

Bob

[rameses]

Command Baton Marshal German Original Photo?

HELLO, AQUI THIS BEING SPOKEN OF THE COMMAND BATON OF MARSHAL, ALGUN FRIEND HAS A PHOTO OF THE COMMAND BATON?
IN THESE YEARS TO COLLECT GERMAN I HAVE SEEN SOME PHOTOS OF COMMAND BATON OF MARSHAL GERMAN, but THERE IS SOME KNOWN PHOTO OF an ORIGINAL CANE?
I TO REQUEST THAT IF TO HAVE A KNOWN PHOTO, THEY PUT TO SEE IT THAT WONDER ,THANKS.
XISCO

[Ken1967]

Bob,
I just ran across this thread...here is a picture I took when I was visiting Ft Benning's Infantry museum..