Germany, NSDAP. A Rare 1927 Letter from the Office of AH, with Rudolf Hess Signature

(Brief mit Unterschrift von Rudolf Hess). An interesting and historically-significant letter, presented on off-white paper with typewritten text, dated 17 February 1927 and featuring the letterhead of the office AH at its Schellingstraße (Munich) location, addressed to Rudolf Schüssler (presumably Rudolf Schüßler, an early business manager and administrator of the NSDAP), expressing AH’s interest in Schüssler’s communications with a figure in the Austrian Legitimist movement, and a desire for further copies of “Schwarz-Gelb” (“Black-Yellow”, an Austrian Legitimist publication), measuring 22.5 cm (w) x 28 cm (h), closing with the handwritten signature of Rudolf Hess in his capacity of private secretary, demonstrating some tearing to one edge along with two reinforced perforations consistent with previous album storage, while an original date of “1925” has been overwritten with a “7” as part of a typo, rare example in extremely fine condition.

Footnote: The Austrian Legitimist movement emerged in the wake of the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, abolition of the monarchy, and exile of the Habsburg family from Austrian soil in the absence of a formal renunciation of claims to the Austrian throne. Rooted in Catholic conservatism and dynastic legality, Legitimists generally sought the restoration of the Habsburg monarchy within the confines of the postwar Austrian Republic, and were notable for opposition to both fascism and republicanism. Accordingly, this placed the movement at odds with the NSDAP, as the rising party sought unification between Austria and Germany under a National Socialist government. The movement faded from view following the 1938 Anschluss, and is generally seen to have formally ended with Otto von Habsburg’s abandoning of claims to the Austrian throne in 1961.