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RARE NAZI ORDER OF THE DAY 20 JUNE 1940
Third Reich Tagesbefehl
VICTORY OVER FRANCE
ANNOUNCED IN A RED AND BLACK BORDERED
NAZI ARMY TAGESBEFEHL
(ORDER OF THE DAY)
This is a splendid historical piece and it is most likely that very few of them survived the last 60+ years. The 9-3/4 x 13-7/8 inch piece of white paper is bordered in the German national colors of black, red and white with an eagle and swastika at the top above the word TAGESBEFEHL! or “Order of the Day”. At the bottom is the stamped seal of Feldpost Number 35312, the facsimile signature of the German Generalmajor in charge of Belgium, and the name of the soldier to whom it was given: Gefreiter Alois Salzer.

The text of the Order begins with the statement “The war in France has been won. The French have capitulated in a few days and the Führer has given us the most celebrated military victory in world history.” The text goes on to mention the heroism and sacrifice of German soldiers of all forces in making the victory possible. It ends with thanks to the soldiers and the words “Sieg Heil unserem Führer!” or “Hail the Victory of our Leader!”. It is dated Stabsquartier 20 June 1940.
Nazi eagle swastika seal
The soldier who received this document apparently folded it and kept it in his knapsack where it was water stained. Later in life he taped it with three pieces of scotch tape. It is however, the only such document we have ever seen, and for its 60+ years of age it is in very good condition.
It is a great memento of the very last time any substantial number of French soldiers participated in a military action of any kind.

From the collection of Josephine & Ray Cowdery, authors of the full-color Nazi identity document guidebook, “Papers Please!”
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