Description
This is a Photo-Hoffman postcard of Dutch/German SS volunteer Gerardus “Gerard” Mooyman (sometimes in old dutch spelling also writen as Gerard Mooijman). It is in good condition.
The postcard is original signed by Gerardus Mooyman on the front of the postcard. It reads: “G. Mooijman SS Rottf.”, this is a textbook original autograph.
Mooyman autographs are among the very rarest of all SS autographs to find. The card was at one time glued in an album and there are paper remains on the back, the card itself is in good condition,there is only some extra paper glued to the back. This could perhaps be taken off, but i never mess with items myself. It does for not distract from the rarity of the autographed card.
EXTREMELY RARE
Background:
Gerardus Leonardus Mooyman (Apeldoorn, September 23, 1923 – Anloo, June 21, 1987) was a Dutchman who served in the Waffen-SS during the Second World War.
Mooyman was born in Apeldoorn and came from a Catholic middle-class family. His father was a milkman and became a member of the NSB during the crisis.
Mooyman volunteered for the SS-Freiwilligen-Standarte “Nordwest” in April 1941. His first front deployment was in January 1942 at the Volkhov front in the Dutch SS Volunteer Legion. As an anti-tank gun commander, he earned the Iron Cross 1939 Second and First Class for destroying several Soviet tanks. During the battle around Lake Ladoga in February 1943, Mooyman destroyed 13 enemy tanks in one day. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross on February 20, 1943. This made him the first Dutchman and the first non-German to receive the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross. In total he managed to take out 23 tanks.
The Nazis used Mooyman for a publicity campaign and set an example to Dutch youth. In many Dutch places streets and squares were named after him. During this period in 1943, the above postcard was signed, probably during a propagandameeting with dutchmen or dutch youth.
Mooyman then trained as SS-Scharführer (non-commissioned officer) in Radolfzell in the summer of 1943. At the end of August 1943 he left for officer training at the SS-Junkerschule in Bad Tölz; he was a cadet in the 11th Kriegsjunkerlehrgang. In the spring of 1944 he returned to the front at Narva as SS-Standarten-Oberjunker (cf. ensign) and was promoted to SS-Untersturmführer der Reserve (reserve second lieutenant) on June 21, 1944.
Mooyman became an American prisoner of war on May 4, 1945. A few days later he escaped and went into hiding in Germany. In March 1946 he was arrested in the Netherlands. During a transport from Scheveningen to Delft he escaped for the second time and was arrested again in August 1946. Mooyman came to trial in October and was ultimately sentenced to 6 years in prison, but was released at the end of August 1949. After his release, Mooyman led an inconspicuous life as an independent entrepreneur in the city of Groningen. Mooyman was married and had a daughter.