Walter Reder RKT Signature Question.

[stgeorge64]

I would like the opinions on this signed photograph of Waffen-SS RKT Walter Reder. However, the question has been asked and although I can see no glaring errors, I do not have another post-war signed examples in my files for comparison.

All help will be well received.

Regards Richard.

[peterm]

Hi Richard !

I think the signature on Your post-war photo is ok !

Kind regards,

Peter

[max history]

Richard,
As stated on another forum, I believe your signature to be fake. I posted a genuine example for comparison there and I will do so here also. You can clearly see that your example is a forgery.
Max.

[max history]

and here is an example of his handwriting.............

[max history]

Another.....this time handwritten and signed by Herbert Kappler, but also signed by Reder.
Max.

[max history]

Richard,
Here's one currently for sale on eBay.
You can see that none of them look anything like your example.
I once owned a very large archive of post-war Reder letters and postcards which contained approximately 65 signatures of Reder, covering the period of the 1960s and 1970s.
I understand your reluctance to accept my opinion on the other forum and I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, but your signed card is definitely not signed by Walter Reder.
Regards,
Max.

[max history]

Here's another one I found on the internet from an old autograph sales catalogue. Reder's autograph is very common and signed photos are not valuable.
Max.

[peterm]

Hi Max !

Maybe You're right and I was wrong in this case... I didn't look in my Reder-Archiv an found the signature acceptable (and it was late at night... )But as You stated: A postwar Reder-signature isn't worth too much...

Kind regards,

Peter

[max history]

I'm a little surprised Richard has not commented further.
Max.

[max history]

I'm a little surprised Richard has not commented further.
Max.

I think Richard must be away.
Max.

[peterm]

Hi Max !

In the meanwhile I have checked my "archiv" (hundreds of cards and letters in this case) and I think, You are really right: This signature doesn't come from Reder's hand.

Kind regards,

Peter

[max history]

Hi Max !

In the meanwhile I have checked my "archiv" (hundreds of cards and letters in this case) and I think, You are really right: This signature doesn't come from Reder's hand.

Kind regards,

Peter

Noted and thanks.
Max.

[stgeorge64]

I'm a little surprised Richard has not commented further.
Max.

Max

It is refreshing that someone on this forum actually backs up their opinion with some provinence, and that you certainly have done.

Thank you for posting the examples, in this case I fear I have to admit defeat and concur with your opinion. The strange thing about this item is the nature in which it came to my collection.

I corresponded with a former member of the T-Div Aufkarungs Abteilung for 2 years before his death, upon which his widow sent me the photo as a gift. I did not for a second even consider that it might indeed not be written by the hand of Reder and I have to say I did not ever compare the signature as a result.

This is extremely out of character for myself as I am usually meticulous in the research of any RKT signature that enters my collection. That said, once in a while it does no harm to be wrong and I am sure that picking up a genuine example will not prove too difficult.

As for not replying sooner, well unfortunatly my lap-top suffered a catastrophic hard-drive crash last weekend and as a result I have lost well over 7000 RKT images, several RKT spreadsheets and a prototype web site which was my intention to go live with in the near future. I know I should of backed it all up but hindsight is a wonderful thing and all that..........

Anyway Max, thanks again and please keep your eyes open for a post war signed Reder for me.

Regards Richard.