Wilhelm Bruckner | Hitler’s Adjutant

Group 4

Bruckner’s Medal Bar by Godet & Citations

Bruckner became Hitler's adjutant in 1923, and was heavily involved in the planning of the 9th November 1923 Putsch. Trusted by Hitler, and liked by many of the inner circle, Bruckner's influence was undermined by 1939, as Bormann conspired behind the scenes. Bormann's manipulation led to Bruckner being superceded by Schaub, as Hitler's chief adjutant. 

The Bruckner grouping 4 includes one of Bruckner’s parade mounted medal groups by the prestigious Berlin firm of Godet. The group made up of seven medals, including, Iron Cross 2^nd Class 1914-1918, Bavarian Order of Military Merit 1^st Class with Swords, Honour Cross 1914-1918 (maker marked Godet), Bavarian Landwehr Service Medal, Entry into Austria Medal, Entry into Czechoslovakia with Prag Bar, Hungarian War Commemorative Medal. The reverse of the medal bar nicely finished with mouse grey felt, and a woven silk Godet makers label.

Additionally included, Bruckner’s citation for the Iron Cross 2^nd Class 1914-1918 awarded while serving in the 3.Bayer.Inf-regt – Prinz Carl Von Bayern. The citation states Bruckner was awarded the Iron Cross for bravery at the battle of Paschendale in October 1917. A citation for a Freikorps related commemorative medal given in 1919.  A citation for the Bulgarian Order of Civil Merit dated 1936. A citation for the Hungarian Commemorative Medal dated 1939.

Condition report: The Bruckner medal bar clean. The medals remaining unpolished and free from damage. The reverse mouse-grey backing with a few moth nips and holes. The ciations with folds, generally clean.

Background to Wilhelm Bruckner: Brückner was born in Baden-Baden. Later studying law in Straßburg, In the First World War, Brückner was an officer in a Bavarian infantry regiment and was discharged as a lieutenant. Directly after the war, Brückner joined the Freikorp Epp  In late 1922 he joined the Nazi Party and the Sturmabteilung (SA). On 1st February 1923, Brückner became leader of the Munich SA Regiment. Brückner was among those who were active in spurring on the Putsch. He warned Adolf Hitler early in November "We have so many unemployed in the ranks, men who have spent their last on uniforms, that the day is not far off when I won't be able to keep a hold on them unless you act. If nothing happens, we will lose control".

It was in 1923 that Brückner became Hitler's adjutant and one of his bodyguards. At the time there were only five men in the personal squad, including Ulrich Graf, Emil Maurice, Christian Weber, and Julius Schaub. Brückner was well liked by the men.

On 9th November 1923 Brückner took part in the Beer Hall Putsch in Munich, and was found guilty of aiding and abetting high treason. On 1st April 1924 Bruckner was sentenced to fifteen months imprisonment. Pretrial confinement time was deducted from his sentence, and as such, he (along with Wilhelm Frick and Ernst Röhm) walked out of the courtroom as free men on probation. Once free, Bruckner took over his old SA regiment's leadership.

Brückner was appointed Chief Adjutant to Hitler on 20th February 1934, and retained that role until being dismissed on 18th October 1940. In that role he supervised all of the Führer's personal servants, valets, bodyguards, and adjutants. He thereby counted among those who were in Hitler's innermost personal circle. On 9th November 1934, Bruckner was appointed an SA-Obergruppenführer by Hitler.

Brückner was liked by applicants and everyday visitors at the Reich Chancellery for his straightforwardness and affability. However, due to Bormann’s manouervering  Bruckner was replaced in October 1940 by Julius Schaub (Schaub being closer to Bormann). Brückner joined the Heer (army), becoming a colonel in the elite ‘Infanterie Regt.List’. Bruckner survived the war, and died on 18th August 1954.

Provenance: The Bruckner grouping was originally acquired by the Californian-based military antiques firm of Wolfe & Hardin in the 1970s. The grouping had originated as war booty, brought to the USA by a serving American soldier returning from Germany in 1945.

The well-known collector, Robert McCarthy purchased the Bruckner grouping from Wolfe & Hardin in the early 1980s. One collection since. Included in the sale, copies of documents & photographs showing the whole Bruckner grouping as acquired by Wolf & Hardin in the 1970s.