Adolf Hitler

Artworks allegedly painted by Adolf Hitler and sold at auction in the UK for £271,000 are fake, expert claims

Art critics have been left infuriated after an expert claimed works allegedly painted by Adolf Hitler and worth £271,000 could be fakes.

Mullocks Auctioneers, based in Church Stretton, Shropshire, held 13 auctions between 2009 and 2018 to sell 77 lots of watercolours, oil paintings and sketches, apparently signed by the Nazi dictator.

But Dutch journalist Bart FM Droog, 52, has now alleged the paintings could be forgeries - as he claims most of the works attributed to Hitler worldwide are - because the style and materials of the works do not match.

The auction house said neither the vendors nor the auctioneers are responsible for the authenticity of works, as this falls to the purchaser, and said it was made clear before the sale the works might not be authentic.

An landscape of the town gate at Drnstein (left) and a village scene attributed to Adolf Hitler - which a Dutch journalist claims are forgeries

Hitler was a prolific artist before and during his rise to power having studied at art school in Vienna, Austria

Bart, who is now speaking out after a new 'Butterfly' Hitler watercolour is due to be sold by the auctioneers later this month, said: 'The majority of 'Hitlers' which surfaced after 1945 can be dismissed at first sight as forgeries.

'I don't want people to be buying this rubbish - almost all alleged Hitler artworks and other Hitler items offered by auction houses are fakes.

'Between 1910 and 1913 Hitler only produced watercolours depicting Viennese city sights, and only signed these works with 'A. Hitler' or 'A.H'.

'From his WWI period only one authentic Hitler work is known, a very clumsy watercolour portrait of one of his army buddies, made in 1915.

'But as far as we can tell, Hitler only ever painted in watercolour, whereas the portraits sold by Mullocks are also in oil and pencil.

'Auction houses get away with selling these pieces by saying they can't confirm whether it's authentic before anyone buys the artwork.'

An unsigned painting of the grave of Geli Raubels, Adolf Hitlers niece and possible lover, which is likely to have been painted by Hitler himself

Between 2009 and last year, Mullocks sold 77 lots of art which were apparently signed by Adolf Hitler, including watercolours, oil paintings and sketches.

This included two from the early 1900s, which bore the signature 'A.. Hitler' and were expected to sell for £7,000 each.

The other signed paintings were still life works showing fruit, flowers and a clock, an Alpine bouquet with edelweiss, and the town gate and a street scene at Durnstein in the Wachau valley, a popular tourist destination in his homeland of Austria.

There was also a fifth, unsigned painting of the grave of Hitler's half-niece Geli Raubal, which the auction house said he most likely painted.

The Fuhrer - a failed painter who was famously twice rejected by the prestigious Vienna Academy of Fine Arts as a young man - was said to be infatuated by Geli and his constant attentions drove her to suicide in September 1931.

An artwork attributed to Adolf Hitler of an Alpine bouquet with edelweiss

While the auction house accepted the paintings were most likely not authentic in pre-sale notes, as they didn't fit the general description of Hitler's watercolours, are in a different style to known authentic Hitler art and were accompanied by fraudulent certificates of authenticity, they still sold for a total of £271,000.

There are only three recorded privately-owned paintings Hitler completed himself, which were sold privately by Anni Winter, a former house keeper of his, in 1954.

Bart claims Hitler was only an active painter in Vienna between the years 1910 and 1913 and throughout this period, he only produced watercolours of the city's sights.

Discussing one of the oil paintings on offer, Ben Jones, a consultant at Mullock's, said in 2017: 'This is a remarkable painting in oil on canvas, showing Raubal's grave with floral tributes.

'However, this is unsigned so it is impossible to say whether it can be attributed to Adolf Hitler.'

In a new statement, a spokesman for the auction house added: 'We provide all information disclosed by vendors regarding history, provenance and how they obtained any item.

'We aim to answer any queries or questions with descriptive, sufficient responses so potential purchasers can establish their own opinion and bid accordingly or not at all.

'Should any issues or suspicions arise prior to any of our auctions, we of course act appropriately and with due diligence.'

Bart claims Hitler was only an active painter in Vienna between the years 1910 and 1913 and throughout this period, he only produced watercolours of the city's sights

Doubts over authenticity of 'Hitler' paintings sold at Shropshire auction house

Mullocks Auctioneers, based in Church Stretton, held 13 auctions between 2009 and 2018 to sell 77 lots of watercolours, oil paintings and sketches, apparently signed by the Nazi.

However, the auction house's experts have always said they were uncertain over whether Hitler painted the pictures in pre-auction notes.

Now Dutch journalist Bart FM Droog, 52, has added his voice to the debate claiming the paintings could be forgeries – as he says most of the works attributed to Hitler worldwide are not authentic because the style and materials of the works do not match.

The auction house said neither the vendors nor the auctioneers are responsible for the authenticity of works, as this falls to the purchaser, and said it was made clear before the sale the works might not be authentic.

Bart was commenting ahead of the sale of a new 'Butterfly' Hitler watercolour which is due to be auctioned later this month.

He said: “The majority of 'Hitlers' which surfaced after 1945 can be dismissed at first sight as forgeries.

“I don’t want people to be buying this rubbish – almost all alleged Hitler artworks and other Hitler items offered by auction houses are fakes.

“Between 1910 and 1913 Hitler only produced watercolours depicting Viennese city sights, and only signed these works with 'A. Hitler' or 'A.H’.

“From his WWI period only one authentic Hitler work is known – a very clumsy watercolour portrait of one of his army buddies, made in 1915.

“But as far as we can tell, Hitler only ever painted in watercolour, whereas the portraits sold by Mullocks are also in oil and pencil."

Failed painter

Between 2009 and last year, Mullocks sold 77 lots of art which were apparently signed by Adolf Hitler, including watercolours, oil paintings and sketches.

This included two from the early 1900s, which bore the signature ‘A. Hitler’ and were expected to sell for £7,000 each.

The other signed paintings were still life works showing fruit, flowers and a clock, an Alpine bouquet with edelweiss, and the town gate and a street scene at Durnstein in the Wachau valley, a popular tourist destination in his homeland of Austria.

There was also a fifth, unsigned painting of the grave of Hitler’s half-niece Geli Raubal.

The dictator – a failed painter who was famously twice rejected by the prestigious Vienna Academy of Fine Arts as a young man – was said to be infatuated by Geli and his constant attentions drove her to suicide in September 1931.

While the auction house accepted the paintings were most likely not authentic in pre-sale notes, as they didn’t fit the general description of Hitler’s watercolours, are in a different style to known authentic Hitler art and were accompanied by fraudulent certificates of authenticity, they still sold for a total of £271,000.

There are only three recorded privately-owned paintings Hitler completed himself, which were sold privately by Anni Winter, a former house keeper of his, in 1954.

Bart claims Hitler was only an active painter in Vienna between the years 1910 and 1913 and throughout this period, he only produced watercolours of the city’s sights.

Discussing one of the oil paintings on offer, Ben Jones, a consultant at Mullock’s, said in 2017: “This is a remarkable painting in oil on canvas, showing Raubal’s grave with floral tributes.

“However, this is unsigned so it is impossible to say whether it can be attributed to Adolf Hitler.”

In a statement, a spokesman for the auction house added: “We provide all information disclosed by vendors regarding history, provenance and how they obtained any item.

“We aim to answer any queries or questions with descriptive, sufficient responses so potential purchasers can establish their own opinion and bid accordingly or not at all.

“Should any issues or suspicions arise prior to any of our auctions, we of course act appropriately and with due diligence.”

Actor Bruno Ganz, who played Adolf Hitler in 'Downfall,' dies at 77

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Actor Bruno Ganz, who played Adolf Hitler in 'Downfall,' dies at 77

Swiss actor Bruno Ganz, who played Adolf Hitler cooped up in his Berlin bunker in "Downfall" and an angel in Wim Wenders' "Wings of Desire," has died.

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The Associated Press Published 3:43 p.m. ET Feb. 16, 2019

BERLIN (AP) — Swiss actor Bruno Ganz, who played Adolf Hitler cooped up in his Berlin bunker in "Downfall" and an angel in Wim Wenders' "Wings of Desire," has died. He was 77.

German news agency dpa reported that Ganz's management said Saturday he died in Zurich.

Ganz, a prominent figure in the German-language theater world, shifted into movies in the 1970s, appearing in Werner Herzog's "Nosferatu" and Wenders' "The American Friend" among others. In one of his more recent appearances, he starred as Sigmund Freund in "The Tobacconist," released last year.

Actor Bruno Ganz died at his home in Zurich, Switzerland, late 15 February at the age of 77. (Photo11: JUAN HERRERO, EPA-EFE)

Berlin Mayor Michael Mueller said Ganz was "one of the greats" of the screen and stage. He said that "the death of Bruno Ganz is a great loss for the German-speaking theater and film world."

Related: Reports: Lee Radziwill, sister of Jackie Kennedy Onassis, dies at age 85

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