Like most buildings on and around the Obersalzberg, Martin Bormann’s house was severely damaged by the RAF bombing raid of April 25, 1945. As Hitler’s right hand man, his residence was just up the slope from the Berghof – close enough to keep a watchful eye on visitors and guests, and be at his boss’s call at a moment’s notice.
Very few relics remain from the Bormann house, but occasionally they turn up. Here is one such example: part of his personal record collection, looted by Joe Ketarkus, from Racine, Wisconsin. Ketarkus was an ambulance driver in Germany during WW2, and visited the Obersalzberg presumably sometime after May 1945. Boxing up his treasures, he later mailed them to his folks back home, where they remained for the next 70+ years until surfacing several years ago.
There are approximately 30 records in total, held in 4 purpose-built folders stamped Eigentum Reichsleiter Bormann (“Property of Reichsleiter Bormann”). Bormann’s taste in music appears varied, with Richard Wagner, Franz Lehar and Johann Strauss all featuring. One folder is hand-marked Tanzlieder (“dance songs”) – which may well have made an appearance during the post-wedding celebrations of Gretl Braun and Hermann Fegelein, which were hosted partly at Haus Bormann.
Just one other example from Bormann’s record collection exists, in The Museum of the Liberation of Paris.
FOR SALE ONLY ONE FOLDER WITH SIX MUSIC RECORDS.