Original Item: One-of-a-kind. Few artifacts can claim such a direct connection to one of the most important judicial proceedings in world history. This is an original autograph from the remarkable Daniel Roman Nuremberg Collection, an archive of 118 signatures assembled during the immediate aftermath of World War II by an American soldier who served as a guard at the Nuremberg Prison while many of the Third Reich's most notorious figures awaited trial, testimony, sentencing, or execution.

This is a paper with four handwritten signatures of Erhard Milch (1892–1972), Nikolaus von Falkenhorst (1885–1968), Bernd von Brauchitsch (1911–1974), and Franz Halder (1884–1972), all prominent German military officers during WWII. Three of these individuals subsequently participated in proceedings connected with the Nuremberg Trials, while Falkenhorst was separately prosecuted by a British military tribunal. The document measures approximately 3 ⅞” x 7” (9.8 x 17.8 cm) and bears each officer's signature beside his corresponding typewritten name.

The document contains the German declaration "BESTAETIGE HIERMIT MEINE HEUTIGE ZAHNUNTERSUCHUNG," translated as "I hereby confirm my dental examination today." A date stamp in the upper right corner reads 15. OKTOBER (October 15), although the year is partially obscured. The declaration appears to have served as an administrative acknowledgment of dental examinations, possibly during the period of Allied detention following Germany's surrender.

This signature is part of the collection featured in the IMA series The Cache with Alex Cranmer, giving it an additional modern history alongside its considerable German WWII and Nuremberg Trials collector appeal.

Erhard Milch was one of the highest-ranking officers of the German Luftwaffe, attaining the rank of Generalfeldmarschall in 1940. A former aviation executive, he played a central role in the development of German military aviation and served as State Secretary in the Reich Aviation Ministry under Hermann Göring. During WWII, Milch held considerable authority over aircraft production, procurement, and the organization of the German aviation industry. His responsibilities expanded as Germany sought to increase aircraft production to meet the demands of the war.

Following Germany's defeat in May 1945, Milch was captured by Allied forces and subsequently appeared as a defense witness before the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg in March 1946. He was later prosecuted in the second of the twelve Subsequent Nuremberg Trials, formally known as United States v. Erhard Milch. The proceedings examined his responsibility for the employment and exploitation of forced laborers within Germany's wartime aircraft industry. On April 17, 1947, Milch was convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity and sentenced to life imprisonment. His sentence was subsequently commuted to fifteen years, and he was released in 1954.

Nikolaus von Falkenhorst was a German Generaloberst best known for commanding Operation Weserübung, the German invasion of Denmark and Norway in April 1940. He subsequently became the senior German military commander in Norway, overseeing the occupation forces stationed throughout the country. Norway remained strategically important to Germany because of its naval facilities, access to the North Atlantic, and position along the northern European coastline.

After the war, Falkenhorst was arrested and prosecuted before a British military tribunal in Brunswick, with proceedings taking place between July 29 and August 2, 1946. The charges concerned his responsibility for implementing the German Commando Order, which authorized the execution of captured Allied commandos under specified circumstances. Falkenhorst was found guilty of war crimes and sentenced to death, although his sentence was subsequently commuted to life imprisonment. He was released in 1953. His prosecution was conducted separately from the Nuremberg Trials but formed part of the wider Allied effort to prosecute German military personnel responsible for wartime atrocities.

Bernd von Brauchitsch was a German Luftwaffe officer and the son of Field Marshal Walther von Brauchitsch, Commander-in-Chief of the German Army from 1938 until 1941. During WWII, Bernd served as a military adjutant to Hermann Göring and eventually became his chief military adjutant, reaching the rank of Oberst (Colonel). His position placed him within Göring's immediate military staff and gave him direct knowledge of the organization and administration of the Luftwaffe's senior leadership.

Following the war, von Brauchitsch appeared as a defense witness at the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg on March 12, 1946, providing testimony concerning Göring's activities and responsibilities. He later testified during the separate trial of Erhard Milch on February 20, 1947. His participation in both proceedings is particularly relevant to this document, as it establishes a direct historical connection between two of its signatories, both of whom had served within Göring's Luftwaffe command structure.

Franz Halder was a German Generaloberst who served as Chief of the Army General Staff from September 1938 until September 1942, occupying one of the most influential military planning positions in the German Army. During his tenure, Halder participated in the planning and direction of major German military operations, including the invasions of Poland, France, and the Soviet Union. He became increasingly critical of AH's military leadership and was dismissed from his position in September 1942 following disagreements over the conduct of the war.

Halder was arrested in 1944 following the failed July 20 assassination attempt against AH and remained in German custody until the closing stages of WWII. Following Germany's surrender, he entered Allied custody and provided sworn statements used during the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg, particularly concerning the German military command structure and the activities of senior officials. He also appeared as a witness during the subsequent Nuremberg Ministries Trial in September 1948. After the war, Halder became involved in the U.S. Army's German military history program, contributing to the preparation of historical studies concerning German operations during WWII.

The collection was assembled by Daniel Roman, a member of Company D, 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, who was stationed in Nuremberg during the historic trials. According to a recently notarized affidavit signed by his daughter, Roman frequently spoke of his experiences guarding detained Third Reich officials and other individuals connected to the proceedings. He described how identification photographs were posted outside prisoners' cells so guards could verify identities. Over time, some guards began removing the photographs and obtaining autographs directly from the prisoners, often in exchange for cigarettes or small favors. Roman carefully preserved these signed photographs and documents for decades, creating what is today one of the most extraordinary surviving groups of Nuremberg-related autographs ever assembled.

This collection contains signatures from individuals connected not only to the International Military Tribunal, but also to the subsequent Nuremberg Military Tribunals, including the Doctors Trial, Industrialists Trial, Ministries Trial, and other proceedings that sought to bring accountability to those responsible for the crimes of the Third Reich.

Among the most notable names represented within the collection are senior Third Reich leaders, military commanders, industrialists, physicians, and key participants in the trials, including figures such as Hermann Göring, Albert Speer, Karl Dönitz, Baldur von Schirach, Hans Frank, Julius Streicher, Joachim von Ribbentrop, Wilhelm Keitel, Walther Funk, Hjalmar Schacht, Fritz Sauckel, Arthur Seyss-Inquart, Ernst Kaltenbrunner, and numerous defendants from the Doctors and Industrialists Trials. Many of these men stood accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and crimes against peace, while others appeared as witnesses, defendants in subsequent proceedings, or individuals interrogated by Allied authorities.

The provenance accompanying these signatures is exceptional. The notarized family affidavit is supported by original wartime documentation confirming Daniel Roman's service in Nuremberg, including:

● Provost Marshal Identification Card identifying Roman as serving with the 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division.
● Class B Pass dated April 15, 1946.
● Army Ration Card dated October 20, 1945.
● Permanent Pass dated May 18, 1946.
● Nuremberg transportation pass dated September 8, 1946.

Historical records further confirm that the 26th Infantry Regiment assumed responsibility for the Nuremberg Trial prisoners in April 1946, directly corresponding with Roman's documented service at the prison facility.

Many of the original photographs in the collection retain small thumbtack holes near the upper edge. While such marks would normally be considered condition issues, in this case they provide compelling physical evidence supporting the family's account that these photographs were once displayed outside prison cells within the Nuremberg detention complex itself.

Each autograph in the collection has been carefully examined under magnification and exhibits the characteristics of a genuine period live-ink signature, rather than a printed facsimile or reproduction. The signatures remain exactly as obtained and preserved by Daniel Roman over seventy years ago.

Interest in the Nuremberg Trials remains as strong as ever, recently renewed by the Hollywood motion picture Nuremberg, which has introduced a new audience to the dramatic events, personalities, and moral questions surrounding these historic proceedings. Original artifacts with direct prison provenance have become increasingly difficult to locate, making this collection a rare opportunity for collectors, museums, researchers, and historians alike.

Included with Every Signature
To preserve the extraordinary provenance of this collection, every purchaser will receive:

● A printed copy of the notarized affidavit from Daniel Roman's daughter detailing the history of the collection.
● Printed copies of Daniel Roman's wartime identification cards, passes, and supporting Nuremberg service documents.
● A printed copy of a 1946 photograph showing Roman and fellow American Military Police personnel marching outside the Nuremberg courthouse complex.

A Direct Connection to History
Whether the individual represented was a principal defendant, witness, military leader, physician, industrialist, or other participant in the trials, each autograph from the Daniel Roman Collection offers a tangible connection to the historic effort to hold the leadership of Third Reich Germany accountable before the world. More than a simple signature, it is a surviving artifact from the very prison and courtroom complex where the foundations of modern international criminal law were established.

The signature offered in this listing is the exact example shown and comes from the documented Daniel Roman Nuremberg Collection, acquired directly from the family of the U.S. Army guard who assembled it during the trials themselves.