Book with interesting Dedication

[Thälmannpionier]

Hello

Here is the Book Cover (nothing special) Its about antique Firearms

[Thälmannpionier]

This is whats inside....

[Thälmannpionier]

..and this is the intersting part of the Book....The Dedication!!!!


Now guess whos Birthday that might could have been??!!!! 28.12

[Kievit]

I did a little search in Internet and found that Erich Mielke was born on this date (28.12.1907); but I don't think he was the Sowjet liaison officer??
BTW, RostOK?
Cl******233;ment

[Kievit]

Or maybe it was because of Mielke's birthday, and it was given BY the sowjet Liaison officer??
Cl******233;ment

[Ralph P]

Andreas - I see you are trying to quietly slip this book in on the forum...

[Thälmannpionier]

I haven't the book here yet.
Its still in the mail.
The Story is indeed,that this Book was a Birthday Present from the Soviets to Erich Mielke and was given to the BV-Rostock for him.
It belonged to Mielkes Library. Of Course, I have no proof of this but I like to believe the Sellers Story and have good Hopes.

[torstenbel]

Or maybe it was because of Mielke's birthday, and it was given BY the sowjet Liaison officer??
Cl******233;ment

Hi Clement, yes that is what it is saying...but well spotted on your other observation...how could this Oberst Kirstein possibly spell the name of his home town wrong???? sorry, but I think this dedication should be treated with caution ... not dismissing it outright, but just be careful to accept it outright as is ... also a kind of strange dedication also, sowjetisch should be spelled with a W and not with a V as in this dedication....if this dedication is original, then I think that there are two possible explanations:

a) this Oberst Kirstein is a German officer and suffers from Dyslexia
b) this Oberst Kirstein is the Soviet Liaison Officer being referred to in the dedication. He wrote the dedication himself and although his German is good, it is not perfect, but at least he made the effort I guess...

Cheers, Torsten.

[Thälmannpionier]

I agree Torsten
The Dedication has some errors in it.

My wildes Guess is, the Dedication was written by the Soviet Officer, who wasn't educated in german Language that well but still acceptable.

Also the handwritten Signature "Kierstein" has IE and not just Kirstein. Maybe the Book was given to Kierstein from the Soviet Officer for Mielke and Kierstein just had to sign on it.....I don't know.

The Book cost me 25EUR, so Im not worried, if it turns out not to be authentic. But somehow, it has to much obvious spelling errors, in order to be not Authentic.

"Im a Believer...."

[torstenbel]

Also the handwritten Signature "Kierstein" has IE and not just Kirstein. Maybe the Book was given to Kierstein from the Soviet Officer for Mielke and Kierstein just had to sign on it.....I don't know.]

Hi Andreas, I do not see that to be honest ... the signature also reads Kirstein as far as I can see .... the numbers in the dedication look more like russian handwritten numbers and with the spelling mistakes and everything, I think the dedication is genuine, but Kirstein ist this Soviet Liaison Officer and he wrote the dedication himself ... I think that is the most likely scenario and this would also explain the strange text and contents of the dedication itself...I do not think it is a fake...but I also do not think that Mielke will ever have seen this book or dedication...neither the man giving it nor the present would have been important enough to filter through to Mielke...but again, these are just my thoughts and guesses...Cheers, Torsten.

[Thälmannpionier]

Hi Andreas, I do not see that to be honest ... the signature also reads Kirstein as far as I can see .... the numbers in the dedication look more like russian handwritten numbers and with the spelling mistakes and everything, I think the dedication is genuine, but Kirstein ist this Soviet Liaison Officer and he wrote the dedication himself ... I think that is the most likely scenario and this would also explain the strange text and contents of the dedication itself...I do not think it is a fake...but

I also do not think that Mielke will ever have seen this book or dedication...neither the man giving it nor the present would have been important enough to filter through to Mielke...but again, these are just my thoughts and guesses...Cheers, Torsten.

Sorry, you are right. The Signature is also Kirstein (without ie)
I was confused because after a little research I found a Herbert-Kierstein as Oberstleutnant des MfS. But the first Letter of the Signature doesn't look like a "H" to me.

Its well possible that Mielke did never see this Book in Person. If its authentic, it at least belonged to Mielkes Library.
Or maybe someone else within the BV Rostock had the same Date of Birth like the Boss

[Ralph P]

Torsten and Andreas - A very interesting ongoing discussion about the book, person and his handwriting. Thanks...

[Thälmannpionier]

Finally got the Book at home.

Here are a few Photos

[Thälmannpionier]

2

[Thälmannpionier]

This was written on the last Page of the Book.

Widmung Erich Mielke

First it was priced 150,-DM then 75EUR and I got it for 25EUR