Lot 4044

Description

Silver, hand-hammered. Of oval form with cambered edge and handles, the border decorated with raised grapes and grape leaves. The face engraved with the dedication (tr.) "To Her Excellence Mrs. Eleonora Attolico with best wishes – Berlin, 9 May 1940 – Adolf Hitler". Dimensions ca. 58.5 x 40 cm, weight 1388 g.Bernardo Attolico (1880 - 1942), doctor of law, begins his diplomatic career as Italian representative in London 1915-18, gets promoted to envoy and minister 2nd class for his service as counsellor at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919. From 1928-30 he is ambassador in Brasil, until 1935 in the Soviet Union, and from 1935-40 in Berlin. Due to his critical attitude towards the German Reich and his attempts to dissuade Mussolini to join forces with Hitler and Germany and go to war, Hitler communicates on 18 March 1940 at a meeting at the Brenner that Attolico is a "persona non grata" in Berlin and that he wishes the latter's dismissal. When Attolico tries to dissuade Mussolini and Count Ciano to collaborate with Hitler after "Operation Weserübung" on 9 April 1940, his dismissal from Berlin and transfer as ambassador to the Holy See is announced and commented by Attolico as (tr.) "from the devil to the holy water".Eleonora Attolica, sister of the Italian diplomat Luca Pietromarchi (1895 - 1978), contributes largely to the Truce of Cassibile in 1943, travels to Berlin on 29 April to help her husband with his travel preparations, Hitler receives the couple for the last time in the Reichskanzlei on 9 May at 3 pm, Foreign Secretary Joachim von Ribbentrop invites them for dinner in the evening. On the next day the Attolicos invite the diplomatic corps to the Italian embassy for their farewell, but the start of the Battle of France on the morning of 10 May prevents this meeting.Condition: I - II Questions about the lot?