German auction house pulls 26 ‘Hitler paintings’ on forgery fears

A German auction house yesterday scrapped the planned sale of 26 artworks attributed to Adolf Hitler, after doubts emerged about their authenticity just days before they were due to go under the hammer. Five other paintings signed “A. Hitler”, all of them watercolours, will still be auctioned off on Saturday as scheduled, according to the Weidler auction house in the southern city of Nuremberg. A vase, wicker armchair and table cloth presumed to have belonged to the late Nazi dictator also remain on offer in what Weidler has billed a “special auction”.

“Unfortunately we must inform you that some of the pictures have been dropped because of a review,” the auction house said in a statement sent to the Spiegel news weekly. Twenty-six of the works had been advertised for Saturday’s auction, consisting of watercolours, oil paintings and sketches.

German auction house pulls 26 Hitler paintings on forgery fears

A German auction house yesterday scrapped the planned sale of 26 artworks attributed to Adolf Hitler, after doubts emerged about their authenticity just days before they were due to go under the hammer. Five other paintings signed A. Hitler, all of them watercolours, will still be auctioned off on Saturday as scheduled, according to the Weidler auction house in the southern city of Nuremberg. A vase, wicker armchair and table cloth presumed to have belonged to the late Nazi dictator also remain on offer in what Weidler has billed a special auction. Unfortunately we must inform you that some of the pictures have been dropped because of a review, the auction house said in a statement sent to the Spiegel news weekly. Twenty-six of the works had been advertised for Saturdays auction, consisting of watercolours, oil paintings and sketches.