Hitler’s phone sold at auction

The phone used by Adolf Hitler in the Führerbunker has been sold at auction for $243,000 (around £160,000) to an anonymous telephone bidder.

The Siemens-manufactured phone, originally constructed of black Bakelite, had been painted a deep red and bears on the reverse an engraved NSDAP eagle and swastika above the recipient’s name, Adolf Hitler. It was gifted by Russian officers to Montgomery’s Deputy Chief Signals Officer, who had arrived at the Führerbunker only days after the fall of Berlin. Brigadier Sir Ralph Rayner was originally offered Eva Braun’s black telephone. He refused as he, “preferred the colour red.” The Russians then offered him Hitler’s telephone.

The phone was put up for sale by the Brigadier’s son, and the provenance included a fax from Rochus Misch, Hitler’s bodyguard and telephonist, a letter from Peter von Siemens offering manufacturing details of the telephone, as well as family photographs and letters.