Description
(Dutch/Germanic SS) Gerardus “Gerard” Mooyman double signed / autographed postcard – EXTREMELY RARE.
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 double signed by Gerardus Mooyman on the front AND back of the postcard. It reads on the front: “G. Mooijman SS Junker” [officer aspirant], and on the back: “G. Mooiman SS Stand-Ju”. Both are textbook original autographs. It is known that Mooyman used to sign his card with the rank he held at the time of signing. There are aotographs known where he wrote “SS Rottf.”, but also here with “Junker” and “Stand. Junker” [Standartenjunker]. Interestingly this makes it for collectors pretty easy to determine when he actually placed the signature. In this instance we can read on the back Junker/Stand Ju, and this can only mean the card was signed at the period between august 1943 and early 1944, when Mooyman was granted by Himmler personally acces to officers training at the wellknown SS-Junkerschule in Bad Tölz! As he started there as a Junker and finished in early 1944 as Standartenjunker, we can ths easily determine the front signature was placed somewhere close to august 1943, and the reverse “Stand.-Ju” signature in early 1944 when he held this rank.
Mooyman autographs are among the very rarest of all SS autographs to find. Only a few are known and they are all signed at the lower right end of postcards. This card is no exception. However, the signaturecollector must have been close to Mooyman, as he 9or she?) managed to get the card signed two times -> in august or autumn 1943, and then again in earlt 1944. This makes the card an even more unique piece of history!
The card was at the wartime as can be read by the text on the back which is dated 14.1.44 part of a collection of several postcards that were then passed on Unfortunately the signature is illegible.
The card itself is in good condition.
EXTREMELY RARE signed Gerardus Mooyman card, and unique to have if double signed.
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.
