Photo-Hoffmann Portrait Postcard SS-Ogruf. Heydrich

[3CCC]

hello

got this photo-hoffmann portrait postcard of SS-Ogruf. R. Heydrich, cant find it in the www, is it rare?

opinions please..

greetings
3ccc

[PHILBROWN]

i dont know about rare, but i would pay 100e for that

[Br. James]

Hi 3CCC,

A very nice piece you have here! The Hoffmann photo post card was published just prior to his death; Heydrich had been appointed Deputy Reichsprotector of Bohemia and Moravia in September of 1941, and SS-Obergruppenführer in the Spring of 1942. He had effectively taken over the position of his predecessor, Konstantin von Neurath, as Acting Reichsprotector at that time. This post card carries his final service titles prior to his death on June 4, 1942. The postage stamp, however, was issued by the Protectorate on May 28, 1943, exactly one year and a day after the attack and mortal wounding on Heydrich as his car drove through Prague, and it's cancellation was posted in that same city. The cancellation date appears to be September 9, 1943. This card, postage and cancellation was obviously created to be a philatelic souvenir of a historic moment in history. Again, very nice!

Br. James

[3CCC]

hello

thank you Br. James for your detailed answer, this card ist nice but not the right for my collection, so i will sell it on estand but i have no idea, whats a correct seller/ collectors price is - appraisal's please

greetings
3ccc

[max history]

Hi 3CCC,

A very nice piece you have here! The Hoffmann photo post card was published just prior to his death; Heydrich had been appointed Deputy Reichsprotector of Bohemia and Moravia in September of 1941, and SS-Obergruppenführer in the Spring of 1942. He had effectively taken over the position of his predecessor, Konstantin von Neurath, as Acting Reichsprotector at that time. This post card carries his final service titles prior to his death on June 4, 1942. The postage stamp, however, was issued by the Protectorate on May 28, 1943, exactly one year and a day after the attack and mortal wounding on Heydrich as his car drove through Prague, and it's cancellation was posted in that same city. The cancellation date appears to be September 9, 1943. This card, postage and cancellation was obviously created to be a philatelic souvenir of a historic moment in history. Again, very nice!

Br. James

This is not correct.
Heydrich did not replace Constantin Freiherr von Neurath as Reichsprotector. von Neurath remained as Reichsprotector until replaced by Wilhelm Frick on 24th August 1943. Heydrich was appointed as Deputy Reichsprotector on 24th September 1941, with effect from 27th September 1941 and remained in that post until his death on 4th June 1942. von Neurath was placed on sick leave. Heydrich was not promoted to SS-Obergruppenführer in the Spring of 1942. He was promoted to SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Polizei on 24th September 1941.
The stamp was produced between 8th May 1943 and 6th June 1943. Demand for the stamp was so high that the first issue printing sold out within two days.
The stamp is quite common and not valuable, slightly higher prices being realised for those with 4th June 1943 franking.
I have an original photograph used as the master copy for this postcard portrait, plus one postcard with and one without the stamp. It is less common than the usual formal seated portrait of him as SS-Gruppenführer, but unfortunately those with the stamp stuck to the picture side have slightly reduced value. Still a nice thing to own though.
Max.

[Br. James]

Thank you, Max, for going much further into the details than I did. As I understand it, von Neurath was effectively placed on sick leave in order for Heydrich to take up the duties of Reichsprotector unopposed; this was the transition of Heydrich's status as "Deputy" to "acting Reichsprotector," which was an unofficial title. This was not the end of Neurath's downfall, as Heydrich was succeeded as "Deputy Reichsprotector" -- read "acting" -- by Kurt Daluege, who remained there until Wilhelm Frick came in August of 1943 as the new and official Reichsprotector of Bohemia and Moravia.

Best regards,

Br. James

[max history]

Thank you, Max, for going much further into the details than I did. As I understand it, von Neurath was effectively placed on sick leave in order for Heydrich to take up the duties of Reichsprotector unopposed; this was the transition of Heydrich's status as "Deputy" to "acting Reichsprotector," which was an unofficial title. This was not the end of Neurath's downfall, as Heydrich was succeeded as "Deputy Reichsprotector" -- read "acting" -- by Kurt Daluege, who remained there until Wilhelm Frick came in August of 1943 as the new and official Reichsprotector of Bohemia and Moravia.

Best regards,

Br. James

No, you are mistaken again. Heydrich was Stellvertretender Reichsprotektor Böhmen-Mähren. That is Deputy Reichsprotector in Bohemia-Moravia. He is only referred to as "Acting Reichsprotector" by post-war writers and historians as he had Hitler's authority to exercise the powers of the Reichsprotector on his behalf whilst he was on sick leave. There was no transition and no unofficial title. Heydrich only ever was officially Stellvertretender Reichsprotektor from day 1 until his death on 4th June 1942. Kurt Daluege was appointed as Heydrich's successor as Stellvertretender Reichsprotektor. There was no official Acting Reichsprotector, ever.
Max.

[Ralph Arndt]

Nice.

[Br. James]

Thank you for correcting my poor use of language, Max. To my mind, a deputy only possesses the authority of the office to which he is deputy when the person holding that office is incapacitated...such as what Göring suggested in his last transmissions with Hitler. My allusion to Neurath's removal on sick leave provided the opportunity for Heydrich to step into his titular boss' position as Reichsprotector. My use of "acting" was indeed a post-war term suggesting that, while Heydrich never had the title of Reichsprotector -- nor did Daluege after him -- he acted as if he held that title during his time in Bohemia and Moravia.

Thank you again, Max, for correcting the misunderstanding that I created.

Br. James