High-priced Wehrwolf / Freikorps vet postcards on eBay

[Brian L.]

The crazy prices being asked and bid for Freikorps era postcards continues.

The 1st Wehrwolf card (guy in Helmet) has already got an opening bid of 350 EUR. The 2nd one has a starting bid of 210 EUR with no bid so far.

Maybe I'm totally wrong on this and maybe they're worth it, now. They are admittedly very nice cards.

But, a year ago, before a handful of lunatics hijacked the Freikorps postcard market and started bidding in the hundreds and even thousands, cards like this would have sold for maybe 100 EUR at most.

[ODW]

Very nice cards.
Isn´t Wehrwold very rare in comparison to other Freikorps?
In this case i think the awards and helmet make the price. A real Freikorps fighter, Wehrwolf was open to almost every men. Also probably a participant of the Kapp Putsch, he has a reverse HK on his helmet?
It´s the same guy (?) with more awards in the the second picture.

[Brian L.]

Very nice cards.
Isn´t Wehrwold very rare in comparison to other Freikorps?
In this case i think the awards and helmet make the price. A real Freikorps fighter, Wehrwolf was open to almost every men. Also probably a participant of the Kapp Putsch, he has a reverse HK on his helmet?
It´s the same guy (?) with more awards in the the second picture.

You've got your history a little wrong there. The Wehrwolf was not a Freikorps and did not participate in the Kapp Putsch. They were a paramilitary organization formed in the post-Freikorps period and were active from 1923-33. The organization obviously contained Freikorps veterans from the 1919-23 period. For example, a large number of former members of Freikorps Heydebreck went into the Wehrwolf.

Yes the cards are scarce. But, to open the bidding at those prices is nuts, IMO.

[ODW]

I know what the Wehrwolf was. I think you got me wrong ;-) Probably my english is bad?

As is said, the Wehrwolf was open to everyone. But the men on the card is a real Freikorps fighter with Freikorps fighting awards. No 0815 Wehrwolf member with only a skull on his cap who havent see action in WW1 or in a Freikorps. So the price rises.

Sure the Kapp Putsch was bevor the Wehrwolf was found. But the paticipants of the Kapp Putsch had a reverse HK on the front of the helmet. An he also wear a helmet with a reverse HK on the front. The HK is hidden under the arrow, probably because of german law. It´s from german ebay?
Probably he want to show his participation with his old helmet. He wear it like an award. This also rises the price if my thoughts are correct. Or were there other groups with a reverse HK on the helmet? Why could it be on his helmet? Any relation between Wehrwolf and a helmet with a reverse HK on the front?

I´m not trying to defend the price, just my thoughts. I didn´t bit on it and i´m not thinking about to do it.

EDIT: Forget about the therm "reverse HK", it´s just a lying HK.

[Brian L.]

He did serve in WWI as indicated by his unoffical awards. His Freikorps awards (Silesian Eagle, SSOS shield and Grune Fangschnur from VII Army Corps) indicate he was a veteran of the Baltic and Silesian campaigns. I doubt very much, despite the helmet that he was involved directly in the Kapp Putsch in Berlin. Although, he might have been involved in actions in other cities. There's no way of knowing. The swastika was worn on the helmet by several Freikorps, including the Ehrhardt Brigade and Freikorps Heinz.

I collected Freikorps postcards (see my postcard thread on this forum) for a long time until the prices suddenly started to go crazy because of a small group of idiotic new collectors who have driven up prices and ruined tha market. I know a couple these guys. They have very limited knowledge, but a lot of money.

Obviously, this seller, among others seeing these crazy prices decided to try a high starting price. A starting price of 350 EUR for such a postcard less than 6 months ago would have been laughed at. But, he will likely get that and more.

[mchap]

Those cards are part of a diary that sold for an obscene amount of money (there was mention of it in an old thread). I saved all of the photos on the sale ad, impressive career starting as a young Hussar in the final stages of WW1, various FK groups, Wehrworlf, SA and finally SS.

[RGD51]

He did serve in WWI as indicated by his unoffical awards. His Freikorps awards (Silesian Eagle, SSOS shield and Grune Fangschnur from VII Army Corps) indicate he was a veteran of the Baltic and Silesian campaigns. I doubt very much, despite the helmet that he was involved directly in the Kapp Putsch in Berlin. Although, he might have been involved in actions in other cities. There's no way of knowing. The swastika was worn on the helmet by several Freikorps, including the Ehrhardt Brigade and Freikorps Heinz.

I collected Freikorps postcards (see my postcard thread on this forum) for a long time until the prices suddenly started to go crazy because of a small group of idiotic new collectors who have driven up prices and ruined tha market. I know a couple these guys. They have very limited knowledge, but a lot of money.

Obviously, this seller, among others seeing these crazy prices decided to try a high starting price. A starting price of 350 EUR for such a postcard less than 6 months ago would have been laughed at. But, he will likely get that and more.

“Idiotic new collectors” is a valid phrase for a long time. In every nook and cranny in this hobby....lots of money and grab, grab, grab like vacuum cleaners. Patient and smart collectors will note the frequent wreckage in the fast lane.

Robt.

[Brian L.]

“Idiotic new collectors” is a valid phrase for a long time. In every nook and cranny in this hobby....lots of money and grab, grab, grab like vacuum cleaners. Patient and smart collectors will note the frequent wreckage in the fast lane.

Robt.

Two collectors, in particular bidding a postcard up to over 1000 EUR for what I consider should have been a 10th of that has driven me out of Freikorps postcard collecting. In the past, I have spent a lot of time researching Freikorps postcards in my collection, for example in a attempt to fill in the gaps and add to the knowledge on this subject. Losing any collectors, but expecially those who have a scholarly interest in the history of the material is a loss to the hobby.

Making matters worse is that many of these greedy people seem quite stupid and are only interested in acquisition, not developing and sharing knowledge.

[wilhelm Saris]

Making matters worse is that many of these greedy people seem quite stupid and are only interested in acquisition, not developing and sharing knowledge.

Nice photos, surely for the worn uniforms and insignia.
Some indeed have no knowledge and buy them as they see a death head being worn. Most have no idea what Wehrwolf was!

[Mil-Archive]

Those cards are part of a diary that sold for an obscene amount of money (there was mention of it in an old thread). I saved all of the photos on the sale ad, impressive career starting as a young Hussar in the final stages of WW1, various FK groups, Wehrworlf, SA and finally SS.

I remember this group, I think I may have posted a thread about it here but cant find the thread now. This was a fantastic grouping and well worth research and keeping intact. It could have probably been researched and published in the right hands.

It seems this group was (in 2008) owned by a member here, then sold by Historical media in 2014, shame to see it now being broken apart for money.

Here was the sellers description in 2014

AMAZING Photo Album & Diary Grouping Freikorps, WEHRWOLF, Brigade ERHARDT, SA, Waffen-SS - AMERSFOORT CONCENTRATION CAMP- TOP!
We are very pleased to offer our customers the original diaries/photo albums of Wilhelm Eickhoff. They are probably rank among the best Freikorps through NSDAP diaries in existence. The three volumes contain over 750 pages and appx 75 photos covering his time in II. Wesf. Husaren Rgt 11 (Freikorps Garde-Kav.Schutzen Div), Freikorps Lichtschlag (Freiwilligen Batterie Ziegler), O.S./S.S., Sturm Korps KOPPE - II Marine Brigade Ehrhardt, Sturm Batl Heinz, Grenzschutz Ost, Wacht und Sichterheitsdienst fur Gross Berlin, Sturm Batl Westfalen, Teja Bund, Reichswehr Art Rgt 2, Freikorps "Jagerschaar von HEYDEBRECK" (Verbotenes Freikorps), Frontbann Nord Berlin, WEHRWOLF (!!), NSDAP und STURMABTEILUNG, Luftschutz in Belin, and Waffen-SS in SS-Wachbatallion "Nordwest" in Holland with service at the AMERSFOORT CONCENTRATION CAMP.
The diaries cover three huge volumes. They begin when he was 16 years old and run through the end of the war. They cover the complete development of the Nazi movement and Partei from beginning to end. Really amazing, detailed, daily content showing the development of an intense young man with much nationalistic and anti-Jewish fervor. He later owned several NSDAP bookstores in Germany that appeared to only offer NSDAP related books and propaganda material. There are photos of his bookshops in the albums overflowing with NSDAP propaganda.. He would also offer souvenir flags, newspapers, pins, and ephemera as a street vendor. He records being arrested three times for this. There is a super photo of him holding a box of his items for sale on the street. He also included many of these small silk flags inside his diaries including the very rare WEHRVERBAND WEHRWOLF Flag as well as the Marinebrigade Ehrhardt flag!! The photos are AMAZING! Some of the best Freikorps & WEHRWOLF portraits in existence. Amazing badges, insignias, medals, organization emblems and more. The Wehrwolf portraits are stunning as are those showing the Marine Brigade Erhardt badge in wear. The diaries also cover two SA/NSDAP propaganda trips he took via bicycle, one through Italy and Sicily, and the second to Afrika. In 1942 he joins the Waffen-SS and is assigned to SS-Wachbatallion "Nordwest" in Holland. Under command of SS-Obersturmbannführer Paul A. Helle, 'Nordwest' was responsible for guarding the perimeters of German concentration camps in the Netherlands. Specifically, he served as a Block Leader (Blockfuhrer) at the AMERSFOORT CONCENTRATION CAMP (Polizeiliches Durchgangslager Amersfoort). Amersfoort was a transit camp, where prisoners were sent to places like Buchenwald, Mauthausen and Neuengamme and later, Auschwitz, Sobibor and Theresienstadt. He was there from 1941 to 1942, it appears. He discusses leading work details of Russians and Jews in several entries. He is later released from the W-SS and then joins the Luftschuetzdienst. Many entries describe the daily bombing raids on Berlin and his duties there. Overall, this grouping represents an important time capsule of German N.S. history! It would bring more at auction, but we are glad to offer it first to our customers!

[Brian L.]

Interesting information. Thanks for the input. As far as I know, there haven't been any other cards from this diary offered for sale on eBay. Perhaps the ones sold were duplicates, or the seller sold the rest of the diaries to one of the buyers. The eventual buyer of these cards is very rich. But, he is not a collector, but merely a hoarder, not interested in the history of the items. He buys almost anything related to Freikorps for very high prices, managing to shut out all other collectors. I've stopped trying to buy anything Freikorps on eBay because there's no point. He'll always outbid anyone who comes up against him.

[509thPIB]

There have been numerous discussions about the prices of photographs: armour photos, aircraft photos and particularly crystal clear studio portraits. With that said, these portraits are as good as it gets.

[Brian L.]

There have been numerous discussions about the prices of photographs: armour photos, aircraft photos and particularly crystal clear studio portraits. With that said, these portraits are as good as it gets.

They may be "as good as it gets". But, nothing's going to convince me that these postcards are worth hundreds of dollars each in the present market, when those prices are being dictated by a handful of uninformed lunatics.

[wilhelm Saris]

Photos had no value at all in the 1970's and 1980's. One could buy all kinds of them for a few dollars only.
That prices went upwards is caused by persons that have a lot of money and they eagerly do want to possess a specific photo.
For that reason even some quite common photos do cost between 40 and 100 dollars these days. Just crazy!!