A watch that is believed to belong to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler has been sold for $ 1.1 million at auction in the United States.
Huber Watch, which is sold to anonymous bidder, features Swastika carvings and the initials AH. It was auctioned by Alexander’s historical auction. This is a gold reversible watch that might be given to Hitler on April 20, 1933, on his 44th birthday. “This is the first honor in German history,” said House Auction in the Product Catalog.
This watch features Hitler’s three date of birth, the date when he became the Chancellor and the Nazi party day won the election in March 1933. According to the auction house, the watch was taken as a souvenir when around 30 French troops invaded Berghof, Hitler’s Mountain Retreat, in May 1945 Furthermore, it is believed that the watch is resold and passed down through several generations until now.
Adolf Hitler led the German Nazi between 1933 and 1945. During his reign, around 11 million people were killed, six million of whom were killed because they were Jews.
According to the BBC, the watch auction was cursed by Jewish leaders, who wanted sales to be canceled. In an open letter signed by 34 Jewish leaders, the sale was described as “disgusting”. They said that the transaction gave “assistance to those who identified what was fought for by the Nazi Party”.
However, the auction house reportedly said that the purpose of the sale was to preserve history, and that most of the items sold were stored in private collections or donated to the Holocaust Museum. “Whether the history is good or bad, it must be preserved,” said senior Vice President Mindy Greenstein, added, “If you destroy history, there is no evidence that it happens”.
The outlet reported that although this watch produced more than $ 1 million, it still failed from the $ 2 million estimated auction house to $ 4 million.
