Diamonds for 125.000 Euro (175.000 US $) in Germany!!

[Dietrich Maerz]

Interesting article and surely thought provoking.

For the benefit of our non-german members here's the translation of the remark in the Signal article about the Galland diamonds:

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Brillianten for Galland

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The oakleaves withs swords and diamonds are said to cost DM 3200. One interested party has already announced itself: the former fighter pilot General Galland (right) who lives since longer times in Argentinia. The inquiry came from a police man, who is in contact with Dr. jur. Galland from Essen, a brother of the Ex-General. The police man, himself a highly decorated fighter pilot, is one of the best customers of Kroths (sp?). From his meager police salary he grindingly saves the money for his medals. Those are for him, as for a lot of others, not just military symbols but rather precious memorabilia.

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The article speaks only about an inquiry, not an actual sale. So we don't know whether Galland in Argentinia actual bought a set or not. However, the inquiry itself (if genuine) seems to indicate a certain need to have (another?) set.

Dietrich

[Chris Boonzaier]

The article speaks only about an inquiry, not an actual sale. So we don't know whether Galland in Argentinia actual bought a set or not. However, the inquiry itself (if genuine) seems to indicate a certain need to have (another?) set.

Dietrich

I have abut 3 sets of my medals, whenever I see one I have going cheap, I take it.

Maybe Galland said "Hey, those are cool... I am interested!"
"Great, then send us DM3600..."
"Umm, okay, forget it..."

[Chris Boonzaier]

"This is by no means intended as a slur on the honesty
of the Galland family or Steve Wolfe. However, the
likelihood is that Mr Wolfe’s “Galland Brillanten”
came into existence sometime after the end of WW2.
Steve Wolfe reportedly told people that they came from
the Galland family while the Galland family has
declined to comment, other than to indicate that Adolf
Galland’s Brillanten remain in the family and that
there are two sets. "

Basically there is no proof that galland ever ordered a copy? Some company uses the fact that he enquired in an ad, and that is considered proof that he bought some?

I think as far as research goes, that is rather thin to draw a conclusion from?

[WBallok]

It is surely a magazine reportage not an advertisement. Dave Kane's article does not say, I think, that Galland bought some Diamonds from this dealer. Dave Kane says that Galland was interested in buying Diamonds and shows a 1953 magazine reportage as evidence. Mr Kane concludes that this suggests that Galland had no Diamonds to wear in Argentina and that the Galland family had none to send to him. It is a reasonable suggestion.

Bill

[Chris Boonzaier]

It is surely a magazine reportage not an advertisement. Dave Kane's article does not say, I think, that Galland bought some Diamonds from this dealer. Dave Kane says that Galland was interested in buying Diamonds and shows a 1953 magazine reportage as evidence. Mr Kane concludes that this suggests that Galland had no Diamonds to wear in Argentina and that the Galland family had none to send to him. It is a reasonable suggestion.

Bill

Hi Bill,

The article leaves a number of possibilities open, but the translation of the article, IMHO, says nothing definative.

It may be that Galland left his originals in Germany because he valued them too much to risk them being stolen by one of tens of millions of sticky finger artists in South America (I was robbed 3 times there), he heard about the possibility of getting a cheap set of replacements without having to trust his original babies in a hit or miss postal service and as a result enquired about a wearing copy....

Hearing the price he may, or may not gave ordered them.

I dont know the Wolfe-Hardin diamonds, but we are talking about some guys EUR100 000 property here. If Dave wants to stamp them as fake, I think a bit of 100% undisputable proof is needed. What is says is indeed possible, but does not HAVE to be the way it was.

Best
Chris

[WBallok]

Mr. WBallok was Mr. Keating

[WBallok]

If you read Dave Kane's article, it is clear that Galland was not looking for a cheap set to wear in the South America of tens of millions of thieves which you describe. Maybe he only went so far as to make an inquiry but if he wanted a cheap set and the family was keeping in a safe place three of the four sets he received, why not send the original inferior quality Diamonds criticized by Goring?

No need to send them by post either! General Galland was working for Peron so he could use the diplomatic bag service. The brother brings the package to the airport and gives it to a courier who hands it to General Galland in Buenos Aires. Argentina was a civilized country back in the early 1950s. It still is a civilized country, like any Argentinien can tell you if there are some who read this. You describe a South America like something out from "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid". Maybe in other countries on that continent but not the Argentine.

More possible that Galland's Diamonds get stolen in Germany where nobody has money in 1953! Possible that General Galland's Diamonds were stolen. More possible that General Galland sold them to buy food! I remember Europe then because I am 75. Galland makes references to having no money. That is why he went to work for Peron and destroyed his possible future a few years later as a New Luftwaffe General like some of his old comrades from the war.

Peron was considered enemy status by United States and Great Britain because he nationalized American and British companies and there were sanctions against Argentina, broken by Adolf Galland when he went to work there. It is like ex-General of USAF or US Army working for Castro or for Quadaffi! Americans and British very unhappy so no job for Adolf Galland in the New Luftwaffe. But he wore Argentinien officer's uniform in Buenos Aires with some of his war decorations, including the Knight's Cross. Like Germans who worked for Franco in Spain or in Syria and Egypt in 1950s.

Galland was proud of his service. Galland would not surely wear cheap, fake Diamonds at society events in Buenos Aires. He wore his Diamonds in combat! He would make an arrangement that the family send him one of the Diamonds sets by special courier. He was in one of the most sophisticated capital cities of the epoque not in some wild mining town in the mountains! It is important to study history and to study the character of the players in these great events, by reading their books and also accounts about them by people who knew them. Dave Kane is basing his thesis on not the magazine article from Revue alone but a knowledge of Adolf Galland and his personality.

Bill

[Mike Downey]

Chris! You should be careful when wearing your third set of medals on your pyjamas...the long pin on the reverse can be a danger to the fair sex when you roll off...
Mike

[Ludwig]

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Something to think about: Rudel took the diamonds from one of his awards to finance the business he was about to start just after the war.
Later he had the award repaired.
This he wrote in one of his books (don´t remember which it was), but he didn´t mention which of the awards it was.

But back to Hüsken. If I had a set like that and wanted to sell it, I would have shown more and better pictures. If he didn´t get it for free or found it in the street, he must have made a big investment...

[WBallok]

André Hüsken probably expects anyone making serious enquiries to get in touch with him. It would appear that this Brillanten set is part of a group, as the backdrop of the soldbuch decorations page suggests. Looking at the partially obscured Panzerarmee stamps, there are four or five possibilities regarding the recipient.

Bill

[TMurray]

here's the Huesken offer

[barnstormer]

Value/Swords &amp; Daimonds, alone?

I would be interested in opinions on value of a set of Swords & diamonds alone. but with impeccable documentation and with another original award and documentation and other family items, to support authentification. I know this is vague, but I have held this in my hands. This is NOT to support any proposed sale of the item. It is coming within another collection. and will be kept. Here is lousy digital photo cropped from a grouping display.
Just wanting to know an insurance value. Any help, appreciated

[barnstormer]

Previous phot is a WWII issued item. More details when I get it shipped here, but need to insure, properly...and thus my request for valuation opinions from the vast experience of members on this list....

[Don D.]

Based upon that foto I would say it is not an orginal pre-1945 award.

[Hank C.]

Previous phot is a WWII issued item. More details when I get it shipped here, but need to insure, properly...and thus my request for valuation opinions from the vast experience of members on this list....

I'm not in any position to give a value on a real set of diamonds, but you can't put a value on something you can't see. Real pics - of REALLY good quality - would be needed.

With the pic provided, it's hopeless/useless.

Hank