A wristwatch that could have belonged to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler was sold at an auction in the United States. An anonymous buyer paid $1.1 million for it.
The BBC writes about this.
The auction was conducted by Alexander Historical Auctions in Maryland, US. It specializes in selling various historical items.
The owners of the watch indicate that it was most likely given to Hitler in 1933, when he became Chancellor of Germany. The watch features a swastika, the initials AH — Adolf Hitler, and the date of his birth.
It is believed that the watch was captured by French soldiers in 1945 when they stormed Hitlerʼs residence in the Alps. After that, it was resold until it ended up at auction.
In addition to the watch, the dress of Hitlerʼs wife Eva Braun, autographed photos of Nazi officials and a piece of cloth with a yellow Star of David and the inscription Jude were also sold. The Nazis ordered Jews to wear such marks to identify them.
The Jewish community condemned such auctions. An open letter signed by 34 Jewish leaders calls for the sale of Nazi items. They emphasize that all these things really have historical value, but should be in museums or educational institutions.