BACKGROUND: "Organization Todt" was established in June of 1938 when the Inspector General for Roads, Dr. Fritz Todt, was tasked with the construction of the "West Wall" (also known as the "Siegfried Line"). Under army planning and supervision, the experienced civil engineers and workers provided by civilian contractors to the organization would also make significant contributions in constructing submarine pens, the "Atlantic Wall," and roads, bridges, buildings and field fortifications within Germany and the occupied territories. Over a million personnel were employed by the OT by May of 1943.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: An approximately 7" x 5", light brown paper envelope, open along its right facing edge. To the upper right of its obverse is a red and white postage stamp, featuring the profiled head of Hitler, with "Deutsches Reich" printed beneath, and "12" (Reichpfennig) printed to each upper corner. A circular ink stamp has been applied over this postage stamp, within which is "Schlangenbad," with "(Taunus)" and a December of 1942 date beneath it, and, in Gothic script, "Nervenbad," beneath that. A handwritten address to a woman in Denmark is to the center of the obverse, to the base of which is ink stamped what appears to be "B VIII." Along the left facing edge of the envelope is glued a section of paper, over part of which is a red, circular ink stamp, featuring a partial, spread-winged eagle with a wreathed, mobile swastika in its talons, around which is scrolled partial and indecipherable script. The section of paper itself has a similar ink stamp, in black, to it, with the discernible script "Oberkommando der Wehrmacht" (High-command of-the Armed-forces) above the eagle, and the letter "f" beneath it. To either side of this ink stamp is ink stamped "Geöffnet" (Opened). Beneath the upper edge of the reverse is handwritten a return address which establishes the sender as having belonged to an "O.T. Staffel" (Organization Todt Echelon). The envelope is lightly soiled, and has moderate wear along its top and right facing edges.

GRADE ***3/4                             PRICE $59.00