1420 - National Socialism

National Socialism Two black-and-white photographs of the execution of Karl Hermann Frank in 1946. Vintage prints. Silver gelatin prints. (Probably around 1950). Size: approx. 12 x 8 cm each. Bohemia and Moravia. — He rose to the rank of SS-Obergruppenführer and, as a Higher SS and Police Leader, was in charge of the Protectorate’s police apparatus, including the Gestapo, the SD, and the Criminal Police. He was responsible for the massacres in Lidice and Lezáky in June 1942, as well as the persecution of Czech students in November 1939. The United States extradited Frank to Czechoslovakia. The trial took place before the Extraordinary People’s Court (Mimorádný lidový soud) in Prague. It began on March 22, 1946. It was scheduled to last four weeks but actually lasted two months. The main charges were Frank’s orders to destroy Lidice and Lezáky, as well as to arrest and murder Czech students. Prosecutor Jaroslav Drábek demanded the death penalty on behalf of the Czechoslovak people and the widows and mothers of Lidice. In his closing statement on May 21, 1946, Frank denied any responsibility for his crimes. On the same day, the court handed down the death sentence. One report cites the conviction as “crimes against humanity.” The *Deutsche Biographie* cites treason and war crimes, while the German Wikipedia cites high treason. The sentence was carried out on May 22, 1946, in the courtyard of Prague’s Pankrác Prison, publicly and in front of spectators. It was the last public execution in Prague. Bohemia and Moravia. — Two black-and-white photographs of the execution of Karl Hermann Frank in 1946. Gelatin silver prints. Vintage prints. (Probably c. 1950). He attained the rank of SS-Obergruppenführer and, as Higher SS and Police Leader, was in command of the police apparatus of the Protectorate, including the Gestapo, the SD, and the Kriminalpolizei. He was responsible for the massacres at Lidice and Lezáky in June 1942, as well as for the persecution of Czech students in November 1939. The United States extradited Frank to Czechoslovakia. The trial took place before the Extraordinary People’s Court (Mimorádný lidový soud) in Prague. It opened on March 22, 1946. It had been scheduled to last four weeks but actually took two months. The main charges were Frank’s orders to annihilate Lidice and Lezáky and to arrest and murder Czech students. The prosecutor, Jaroslav Drábek, demanded the death penalty on behalf of the Czechoslovak people and the widows and mothers of Lidice. In his closing statement on May 21, 1946, Frank denied any responsibility for his crimes. On the same day, the court handed down the death sentence. One report cites crimes against humanity as the basis for the verdict. The *Deutsche Biographie* cites treason and war crimes, while the German Wikipedia cites high treason. The sentence was carried out on May 22, 1946, in the courtyard of Pankrác Prison in Prague, in public and before spectators. It was the last public execution in Prague. This lot is subject to standard tax. A 24.95% buyer’s premium applies to the hammer price, and 7% (books, art) or 19% VAT (manuscripts, screen prints, offset prints, photographs) applies to the final invoice amount within the European Union. This lot is subject to the standard tax regime. A 24.95% buyer’s premium applies to the hammer price, and 7% (books and art) or 19% VAT (manuscripts, screen prints, offset prints, and photographs) applies to the final invoice amount within the European Union.