The cutlery above—which include the monogram "AH"—were given to Adolf Hitler as part of a three thousand piece dinner service presented to him to honor his 50th birthday in 1939. The set was split throughout his homes in Munich and Berlin, and these are from his residence at Berchtesgaden—Hitler spent more time at the Berghof than anywhere else during World War II. So how did they end up in the hands of a NY financier, and eventually part of an upcoming exhibit at the New York Historical Society?
Berchtesgaden, which was the most widely known of Hitler's headquarters, was bombed by the Allies in 1945, first by the Royal Air Force and then by American air forces. A task force of American soldiers explored the bombed house a week after the attack, where they found these utensils as well as tableware and other items. One of the soldiers then gave this flatware to NY financier Carl M. Loeb, who was a German-Jewish immigrant.
This silverware will be on display at the NY Historical Society (NYHS) starting May 4th, as part of "Stories in Sterling: Four Centuries of Silver in New York." The exhibition features 150 of NYHS's "most aesthetically and historically compelling pieces, ranging from simple spoons to extravagant trophies, culled from a trove of over 2,500 objects." We suppose that means they won't have the Hitler floor rug as part of it then.
