JOSEF MENGELE

JOSEF MENGELE
(1911 - ca. 1980) Nazi 'doctor' who plied his trade at Auschwitz, he was the most brutal and detestable of all the camp doctors. It was Mengele's decision as to whether camp inmates would be used as forced labor or sent directly to the gas chambers, and he as well performed hideous experiments on inmates, especially twins. After the war, Mengele fled to Argentina where he avoided capture until his death. A.Ms.S. on both sides of a lined 8vo. sheet torn from a notebook, two poems in Mengele's hand originally from a grouping of 32 journals written by Mengele while in hiding in South America, sold by us in 2011. The first poem is titled 'Blooming', reading in full: 'Flowers my friends, Dandelion and buttercups, See you at the early hour, 'Good Morning': greeting you, Glittering in silver dew, Bluebell and green clover. I see you dying, Don't be afraid of death, Columbine and Daisy, Flowers wither and fade, But not your strong roots'. The second poem on the verso is untitled, reading: 'Bellyache in the heart, And a blue bruise...From a fall too high, 12 working hours, And more work...Better days, Time will bring! But when? The question, For now I don't care!'. One corner of the page is lost with no effect to text, else very good.