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ALL THREE RARE ISSUES OF THE ILLUSTRATED NAZI PARTY POLITICAL LEADERSHIP MAGAZINES 'DER HOHEITSTRÄGER' FOR THE YEAR 1937

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The organizational genius of the Nazi Party, Reichsorganisationsleiter Dr. Robert Ley was in charge of Der Hoheitsträger, its contents and its distribution (they were published only for the orientation of competent, high-ranking party leaders and were not be loaned out to other persons). Each of the three issues (October, November, December 1937) of the magazines in this lot has the word Vertraulich or Confidential printed at the bottom of most of the pages!

So limited was the circulation of this 9 x 12-5/8 inch heavily illustrated magazine that written in German across the bottom of the front cover of each issue was a statement that translates “Only For Service Use - Confidential”.

There was no more important magazine circulated in Nazi Germany than Der Hoheitsträger (The Standard Bearers). It was published during the Third Reich for distribution to Gauleiters, Kreisleiters and other high officials of the Nazi Party and its paramilitary organizations such as Generals of the SS, SA, NSFK, NSKK, etc. It was circulated to the Commandant and a select group of Officers at each of the Ordensburgen and to the highest ranking people in the Hitler Youth, Reichsarbeitsdienst, Deutsche Arbeitsfront, etc. - people responsible for the entire “political appearance of the Nazi Movement” within their zone (Gau, Kreis, Ortsgruppe, etc.). People representing the Nazi Party at institutions that were responsible for setting the right example and behavior, maintaining discipline and order, as well as supervising all members in their sphere of responsibility.

Each issue contained very sensitive information about how to make the Nazi Party look better to the press and public, Nazi ceremonies, Nazi organization, book reviews and even a critique of the Nazi Party members themselves. THESE ARE THE FIRST THREE ISSUES OF THE MAGAZINE THAT WERE EVER PRINTED AND ARE THE ENTIRE SET OF ISSUES FOR THE FIRST YEAR OF PUBLICATION - 1937. These are the rarest of all the issues of Der Hoheitsträger published between 1937 and probably into 1944.

There are pictures and illustrations accompanying the articles in these Hoheitsträger magazines showing examples of proper behavior, stance and the correct way to wear ones uniform (the concept of “Military Bearing” in the American military).

Above, two images used as examples of improper conduct in uniform by "Nazi Party Standard Bearers".

Taking off the uniform jacket, laying down on bleachers at public events, awarding prizes at HJ Youth events in sport clothing, cleaning up the barracks in uniform are all shown as being “not exemplary behavior” by political leaders. Other pictures of setting the right example show Gauleiter Mutschmann during a 25 kilometer march, Gauleiter Sprenger during a public swimming event, and Gauleiter Erich Koch in Königsberg.

Pictures also show new Nazi Party leadership facilities, the Reichsschulungsburg in Erwitte, Gaufilmstelle der NSDAP (Ford and Opel 'Blitz') trucks in action and more. Several statistics were created especially for these Hoheitsträger magazines and were clearly marked with the words Nachdruck Verboten (forbidden to be copied).

Each issue contains letters from Kreisleiter and Ortsgruppenleiter to the editor of Der Hoheitsträger, technical and organizational news, reviews of new books, Hitler quotes and patriotic song lyrics (suitable for educational use).

These three specific issues are those for October 1937, November 1937 and December 1937 with a total of 136 pages. The white front cover of each issue has the logo of the magazine (an eagle and swastika at the top of a column), the date and the words Der Hoheitsträger on it in black. On the back covers there are images of very important emblems that were among the most important icons of the Nazis some of which are shown in our first photo above.

Other articles cover the 1937 Reichsparteitag in Nürnberg, the Meaning of Leadership, Fundamental Questions about Education, Political Psychology, Educating the Nation to Become a Conscious Community, the Political Leadership System, the Use of Images in Education and Enlightenment of the Population, the SA Sportabzeichen, Reichswerke Hermann Göring, the Rotary Club, Political Leadership Qualities, new National Socialist Education Facilities and Hotels, Political Catholicism, Press within the NSDAP Ortsgruppe, Comparing Germany’s Birthrate and Population with the Rest of Europe, Decisions to be Made by Nazi Standard Bearers, Indiscreet Photos in the Press, the Gaufilmstelle der NSDAP and their Important Use of Film, as well as the annual Winterfeldzug der Reichspropagandaleitung, practical and technical guidelines for the intellectual framework for Nazi Party propaganda in each six month winter period.

Any issue of Der Hoheitsträger is highly collectible, and the October, November and December 1937 issues offered on this USMBOOKS web page, the first three issues ever produced, are exceeding rare especially in this fine condition!

There are chapters by Dr. Ley about Personal Shape and Behavior, Dr. F.H. Woweries (the Nazi politician responsible for the content of the Reichsschulungsbriefe der NSDAP magazine) contributed an article about the Educational Power and Possibilities of Nazi Leaders, Gauleiter Jakob Sprenger wrote about Political Physical Education (the importance of the unity of the body, soul and spirit) and prominent Nazi jurist Dr. Rudolf Klare’s lengthy article is titled “The Political Problem of Homosexuals”. The article by Benito Mussolini about leadership on a national level is accompanied by a full page bust of Il Duce by famous sculptor Josef Thorak.

The very hard-core and controversial Nazi content of these Hoheitsträger magazines is the reason that most examples were sought out and destroyed at the end of the Third Reich and World War II by Allied denazification personnel. Their controversial content was also used by the prosecution in their effort to convict Dr. Robert Ley and others at the International War Crimes Trials in Nürnberg.

After decades in an archive in the High Plains Desert climate of the Black Hills in western South Dakota, these carefully stored 85 year old magazines are perfectly dry and have no offensive odor. All three are complete and in very good condition.