On auction in Northamptonshire - a 'touching personal gift from Hitler to his lieutenant'

A gold ring given by Adolf Hitler to Herman Goring bearing a personal inscription is to be sold at auction in Northamptonshire.
A gold ring presented to Hermann Goering by Adolf Hitler is going to auction in Northamptonshire.A gold ring presented to Hermann Goering by Adolf Hitler is going to auction in Northamptonshire.
A gold ring presented to Hermann Goering by Adolf Hitler is going to auction in Northamptonshire.

The heavy ring bearing a blue enamelled seal with the Nazi emblem was presented to Herman Goring by Adolf Hitler on his appointment to Reichsmarshal on July 19, 1940.

It contains the initials ‘S. L’ for ‘Sein Lieber’ ('his dear friend') referring Hitler's close personal relationship with Goering.

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It is going under the hammer at Humbert & Ellis Auctioneers on November 29 - and comes after the company sold a signed silver-bound presentation copy of Mein Kampf in August.

The ring is fitted with a blue enamelled seal with the Nazi emblem on it.The ring is fitted with a blue enamelled seal with the Nazi emblem on it.
The ring is fitted with a blue enamelled seal with the Nazi emblem on it.

In August, a University of Northampton doctor who specialises in the history of the Holocaust commented that the sale of the Nazi memorabilia raises "some interesting ethical questions.

Dr Paul Jackson said: "There is a market for this sort of thing, but I think it's a bit ghoulish.

"There is some historical value and interest in it to a degree, and I suppose it could be used to a humanitarian end by being placed in a museum.

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"But ethically, I think there's a strong debate whether buying Nazi memorabilia for a private collection ought to be done. But then, clearly it's listed value proves there is a market of collectors."

A University of Northampton doctor of history says the sale of Nazi memorabilia raises 'interesting ethical questions'.A University of Northampton doctor of history says the sale of Nazi memorabilia raises 'interesting ethical questions'.
A University of Northampton doctor of history says the sale of Nazi memorabilia raises 'interesting ethical questions'.

The ring (Lot 101 in the auction) weighs and 41.1 grammes has been entered in the Humbert & Ellis Auctioneers Ltd International Militaria auction and is worth an estimated £5,000-8,000.Auctioneer Jonathan Humbert said: "This is something incredibly rare being a very personal gift between the two Nazi leaders and demonstrates the high esteem that Adolf Hitler held his Lieutenant in. A very significant and historic piece of jewellery indeed. The ring is approximately a size Z+5 in keeping with Gorings physical stature."The ring has been in private ownership since the 1950s and the auctioneers anticipate global interest in the November 29 auction.