1937 F1 German Grand Prix Nürburgring Official Program Nazi Third Reich WWII Era For Sale

GERMAN GRAND PRIX
Großer Preis von Deutschland
25th July 1937
Official Nürburgring Nordschleife Program Published byWehrmacht
Cover Illustration by Reich Official War Artist Alfred Hierl
WARNING This historic program contains period images, language and historic text (German) which some may find distressing.
LOT DESCRIPTION, PLEASE READ
Complete official 1937 German Grand Prix program, 32 pages, large 30cm x 20cm format with full colour heavy card cover.
Pre dating F1 and F2 by some years, this program also includes other race categories as well as motor cycles as competitors in this era commonly competed in both car races and also motor bike racing, often on the same weekend.
Every page of this 1937 German Grand Prix program was designed as a piece of Nazi party-political propaganda by Adolf Hitlers Wehrmacht.
From the positioning of the Nazi Germany’s Reich and National Flag (Reichs- und Nationalflagge) flying centre stage, parallel to the Union Jack, to its opulent choice of materials, rich colors and oversize dimensions, being almost twice the size of a regular race day program.
Only weeks before the race Mercedes-Benz had pulled off another political coup by signing Britain’s foremost Grand Prix racing driver Richard “Dick” Seaman in a deal that saw the Englishman sign a contract worth £3000 per year plus a share of the German team’s winnings.
On 9 May 1937, Seaman made his debut for Mercedes-Benz at the Mellaha Circuit in Tripoli driving the powerful W125 Grand Prix car, where he played the role of a loyal Mercedes-Benz teammate, maintaining a steady distance behind the leader while still managing to set the fastest lap of the race. He is pictured on the podium being encouraged to \"salute\" by Hitlers team handlerAdolf Hühnlein.
As the Korpsführer (Corps Leader) of the National Socialist Motor Corps (NSKK), Hühnlein acted as the \"motoring impresario\" for the Third Reich.
Dick Seaman would soon move into a new home in Germany found for him thirty minutes from Munich and would go on to win the prestigious 1938 German Grand Prix, announcing his arrival on the world stage and claiming the prestigious Gold Star award from the British Racing Drivers Club (BRDC) for his feat.
By July 1937 Germany was a consolidated one-party dictatorship under the Nazi regime, focusing on internal \"purification\" and expanding its concentration camp system.
The regime significantly expanded its apparatus of state terror during the month of July.
Just ten days before the race on 15th July 1937 the Buchenwald concentration camp was established near Weimar. Initially holding about 1,000 prisoners, by the end of the month it became one of the largest camps in Germany.
On 1st July 1937, the Gestapo had arrested Pastor Martin Niemöller, a prominent leader of the Protestant opposition to Hitler, despite his own nationalist leanings.
Days after the race a ritual-murder trial of five Jews opened in Bamberg and the regime continued implementing racial policies that transformed Jews into social outcasts.
On 18th July 1937, Hitler opened the Haus der Deutschen Kunst in Munich, showcasing \"ideal\" Nazi-approved art. It featured works by artists like Chagall and Kandinsky, intended to mock and demonise modern art styles.
While 1937 is often viewed as a period of relative \"quiet\" before the radicalisation of 1938, several key developments occurred.
On 15 July 1937, the 1922 German-Polish accord on Upper Silesia expired. This allowed the Nuremberg Laws to be applied in that region, immediately stripping local Jews of their rights.
Germany continued its involvement in the Spanish Civil War, using the Condor Legion to test new military equipment and tactics.
Although not revealed publicly until November, Hitler was privately informing his top generals that he intended to seize Austria and Czechoslovakia by force.
The Nürburgring race itself was a showcase of the states incredible power by proxy in the shape of the \"Silver Arrows\" being Auto Union (soon to be Audi) and Mercedes-Benz whose factories were already subsidized by Nazi Germany with an annual stipend of two hundred and fifty thousand Reichsmark granted to each company by Hitler.
The 1937 season would feature the most powerful Grand Prix cars of the pre-war era; the Mercedes-Benz W125 producing nearly 650 bhp, power the likes of which would not be seen again in Grand Prix racing until the turbo-charged era of the 1980s.
Rudolf Caracciola, driving for Mercedes-Benz W125, took one of his greatest victories in front of an estimated 300,000 spectators.
Bernd Rosemeyer, driving an Auto Union Type C, set an all-time record lap during practice with a time of 9:46.2, underlining the all conquering power of their machinery.
COVER ILLUSTRATION
German artist Alfred Hierl (1910–1950) who illustrated the German Grand Prix program cover was most notable for his work as the official Reich war artist.Hierl won the silver medal in the Art Competitions at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, receiving the award in the category of graphic arts for his poster titled \"Internationales Avusrennen\" (International Avus Race).
He was renowned for his dynamic advertising posters for car and motorcycle racing during the 1930s and amongst his most famous works include the posters for the Nürburgring, German Grand Prix cover and the \"Eifelrennen\" race program.
During World War II, Hierl served as the official war artist for the Reich.
His work from this period often included dark drawings of exhausted Luftwaffe pilots and aircraft maintenance scenes, such as \"An Engine Change for a FW-190\".
Several of his wartime paintings are also held in the permanent collection of the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.
SPONSORSHIP DISPLAY ADVERTISINGMercedes-Benz, Auto Union (Audi), Continental Tyres, Supergriff Tyres Englebert & Co Gmbh, Dusseldorg, Bosch, Kotflugel, Varta Batteries, Naturlicher Schutz, Auto-Kollag, Bitburger Simonbrau Pilsner, Goetzewerk, Opel Cars, NSU D Rad, Kronprinz-Radern, Aluminiumwerke Nurnberg Gmbh, Ford, Jurid, Deutche Tecalemit Gmbh, Konigsbacher Pilsner, M. Dumont Schauberg . Koln,
1937 RACE RESULT
1st Rudolf Caracciola Daimler-Benz AG Mercedes-Benz W1252nd Manfred von Brauchitsch Daimler-Benz AG Mercedes-Benz W1253rd Bernd Rosemeyer Auto Union Auto Union CPROGRAM DIMENSIONS
Sized approximately 30cm x 20cm (approximately 12\" x 8\")
Weight approximately 143 grams prior to packaging.
CONDITION
Please refer to the many large format photographs provided which are of the actual program you are buying to reassure yourself of the condition.
Published in German language.
Generally in good condition, published on light art paper stock plus additional very light paper competitor entry forms and advertising, with a heavy color printed card cover.
This ninety year old program survived not only the German Grand Prix of 1937 but went on to survive WWII so hasSIGNS OFVISIBLE WEAR AND TEARincluding some light creasing, light folds, bumps, surface scuffs, some separation / minor tears, damp/water damage on some page bottoms, with some light foxing and discoloration throughout.
Unusually, there is no handwriting entries or graffiti in this program.
A unique and increasingly hard to find historic WWII, Silver Arrows, motor racing and pre-F1 document.
PAYMENT, SHIPPING & INSURANCE
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Take a moment to understand exactly what you are buying, ask questions and reassure yourself of condition by referring to the video and the many large photographs which accompany the listing and which are of the actual item you are buying.
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