I thought some of you would like to see this flag with a potentially interesting background. This flag was likely given by Hitler to Helen Stevens personally, although there is no hard evidence to prove it.
Stevens was a gold medalist (runner) in the 1936 Olympics for the USA. She also was accused of being a man during that contest by rival athlete Stella Walsh (running for Poland). Thus began the Olympic practice of physically “gender checking” female athletes, finally overturned in 2000. They didn’t check Stella however and ironically Walsh herself was a hermaphrodite (which was only discovered during an autopsy many years later.) Helen turned out to be all girl though.
Although Helen was a rural Missouri farm girl (she trained by running along side a horse and hanging onto its stirrups when going to school) she must have looked like a pure Nordic maiden because Hitler was smitten. Of all the US athletes only Stevens was invited for a private audience. (Remember there was a lot of flak about the Jesse Owens slight.) According to Stevens in her book, Hitler got a little "too friendly" (according to her he grabbed her fanny) but she offered him “a good ole Missouri handshake” instead. She said he invited her to stay in Germany for an extended visit at his expense. Little did Adolf, or indeed many others at that time, know but Helen was in fact a closeted lesbian. She declined his offer but Hitler sent her letters and gifts including two trees that were planted at her old college Alma Mater. (According to the papers they cut those trees down later but that is debatable—probably didn’t want neo-Nazis hanging around)
Stevens became successful later in life and donated a sizable sum to her old school along with a couple of boxes of letters and gifts from Hitler. Like most institutions of higher learning her school was run by politically correct morons. They were offended by this “Nazi stuff” but didn’t want to offend this wealthy alumni donor. So instead of giving these items to a legitimate museum they stuck the boxes of personal items in a locked closet. Right after she died (in the early 90s) the janitors were then ordered during the night to throw out all the "politically incorrect" boxes. The supervisor went back and retrieved at least one box (maybe two) from the trash and stashed it (them) in his pickup. Another janitor was riding with the supervisor and asked for something out of the box. The supervisor said “put your hand in and grab something.” The second janitor pulled out this flag. My friend lived not too far from the where this occurred and that very evening the janitor came calling as he knew my friend liked that “Nazi stuff”. He talked the man out of the flag. (I think he gave all of $5 for it.) I then talked my friend out of this same flag not long after.
The janitor said he would talk to the supervisor about selling the contents of the box but he never came back and is now deceased. According to my friend the supervisor is also deceased – he never could track down the items as the supervisor’s widow moved away – I believe out of state. What happened to the other stuff in the box is a mystery. Flea market? Pawn Shop? Trash? Who Knows?
The only markings on the little banner are bevo and Ges. Gech. on the back.
Stevens was a gold medalist (runner) in the 1936 Olympics for the USA. She also was accused of being a man during that contest by rival athlete Stella Walsh (running for Poland). Thus began the Olympic practice of physically “gender checking” female athletes, finally overturned in 2000. They didn’t check Stella however and ironically Walsh herself was a hermaphrodite (which was only discovered during an autopsy many years later.) Helen turned out to be all girl though.
Although Helen was a rural Missouri farm girl (she trained by running along side a horse and hanging onto its stirrups when going to school) she must have looked like a pure Nordic maiden because Hitler was smitten. Of all the US athletes only Stevens was invited for a private audience. (Remember there was a lot of flak about the Jesse Owens slight.) According to Stevens in her book, Hitler got a little "too friendly" (according to her he grabbed her fanny) but she offered him “a good ole Missouri handshake” instead. She said he invited her to stay in Germany for an extended visit at his expense. Little did Adolf, or indeed many others at that time, know but Helen was in fact a closeted lesbian. She declined his offer but Hitler sent her letters and gifts including two trees that were planted at her old college Alma Mater. (According to the papers they cut those trees down later but that is debatable—probably didn’t want neo-Nazis hanging around)
Stevens became successful later in life and donated a sizable sum to her old school along with a couple of boxes of letters and gifts from Hitler. Like most institutions of higher learning her school was run by politically correct morons. They were offended by this “Nazi stuff” but didn’t want to offend this wealthy alumni donor. So instead of giving these items to a legitimate museum they stuck the boxes of personal items in a locked closet. Right after she died (in the early 90s) the janitors were then ordered during the night to throw out all the "politically incorrect" boxes. The supervisor went back and retrieved at least one box (maybe two) from the trash and stashed it (them) in his pickup. Another janitor was riding with the supervisor and asked for something out of the box. The supervisor said “put your hand in and grab something.” The second janitor pulled out this flag. My friend lived not too far from the where this occurred and that very evening the janitor came calling as he knew my friend liked that “Nazi stuff”. He talked the man out of the flag. (I think he gave all of $5 for it.) I then talked my friend out of this same flag not long after.
The janitor said he would talk to the supervisor about selling the contents of the box but he never came back and is now deceased. According to my friend the supervisor is also deceased – he never could track down the items as the supervisor’s widow moved away – I believe out of state. What happened to the other stuff in the box is a mystery. Flea market? Pawn Shop? Trash? Who Knows?
The only markings on the little banner are bevo and Ges. Gech. on the back.
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