Dominic Winter Auctions
Lot 951
WWI - German Diary. A monumental fair copy transcript of the letters of Walter Berlin of the 8th Royal Bavarian Field Artillery Regiment, written to his mother Lina Berlin in Nuremburg, 1914-18, 9 volumes, written up 1933-37 for Walter's 50th birthday, neatly written in purple ink in a large and legible but very difficult hand to rectos and versos throughout, beginning at the start of the war in August 1914 and writing almost daily until the end of the war in 1918, 1914 as 1 volume, each year thereafter bound as 2 volumes, a total of approximately 3,500 numbered pages, a few scattered diagrams, some original letters, postcards, telegrams, memos, a menu, etc. tipped in, contemporary brown boards, each titled in gilt 'Weltkrieg' with year and part numbering, rubbed, one spine near detached, folio (33 x 22 cm) An incredible and thorough record of a German Jewish artillery officer's complete war. His regiment was on the Western Front and engaged actively from the beginning to the end of the war. It was present at the Battle of Alsace Lorraine, Verdun, Battle of the Somme, Battle of Arras and the big battles of 1918. Dr Walter Berlin (1887-1963) was born in Nuremberg. He studied law, obtaining his doctorate in 1913. Throughout the First World War he served in the 8th Royal Bavarian Field Artillery Regiment and was discharged as captain and battery commander. He was awarded the Iron Cross First and Second Class and the Bavarian Order of Military Merit Fourth Class with Crown and Swords. He also had the badge signifying that he'd been wounded. From 1919 Dr Walter Berlin practised as a solicitor in Nuremberg, and actively represented Jewish interests. He was a chairman of the Nuremburg branch, and a member of the National Board, of the Central Union of German Citizens of Jewish Faith (the 'Central-Verein') whose main purpose was the fight against anti-Semitism. In this capacity he gave evidence, in 1929, against the Nazi 'Gauleiter' Julius Streicher before a jury in a Nuremburg court. Streicher was sentenced to two months' imprisonment for incitement to class hatred. After the Nazis came to power in January 1933, Jewish lawyers were forbidden to represent 'Aryan' clients and Walter Berlin acted exclusively for Jews. In his efforts to help endangered Jews Walter Berlin was often supported by the Nuremburg police president, Dr Benno Martin. Later, during what became known as the 'Kristallnacht' on 9th and 10th November 1938, Berlin was arrested by SA-men and severely beaten resulting in the loss of one eye. He was released from prison at the end of November but had his right to practise as a lawyer taken away. In April 1939 Walter and his wife Rose emigrated to England, reuniting with their two children towards the end of the year in London. In London he joined fellow refugees from Germany and founded the Belsize Square Synagogue. Initially unemployed, he became a fire watcher during the Second World War for the owners of a London office building. His main task was to make German incendiary bombs harmless during air raids and for this he was awarded the British Defence medal. He took up accountancy learning the profession in the office building which he guarded. He worked as an accountant until the end of his life, dying in London on 21 August 1963 aged 76. (9)
