German schoolboy's chilling essay on Hitler to be auctioned

London, June 20 : A rare essay written by a 10-year-old German schoolboy, praising the Nazis is set to go under the hammer in Shropshire.

The essay was written by pupil Gunther Himpfel, as a gift for Hitler on his 50th birthday in 1939.

The 20-page booklet entitled 'The Fiftieth Birthday of the Fuhrer' is expected to fetch 150 pounds at the auction, reports the Telegraph.

The pupil received top marks for the essay in which he pays tribute to "greatest leader Germany have ever had" and says he hopes Hitler will live for many years to come.

"You never cease to be amazed at depths the Nazi propaganda machine plunged in the years leading up to the outbreak of World War II," said Richard Westwood-Brookes, a historical documents expert at Mullocks auctioneers, who is set to auction the booklet.

"Here you have a ten-year-old schoolboy who should be involving himself with childhood things, instead being used as a political pawn in the Nazis' evil game.

"It is a very rare item as it's not something the average German family would want to keep - they would usually give these type of things away or destroy it," he added.

"The essay tells how much the German people love Hitler and outlines how Germans now live all together in one state," said Dr Christoph Mick, from the department of history at the University of Warwick.

"It describes how the masses celebrated Hitler and that he is the greatest leader Germany ever had.

"The article also praises Hitler and his 'great friend' Benito Mussolini and expresses the hope that Hitler and Mussolini may be able to preserve peace.

"And the author hopes that Hitler may live for many years to lead the German people," he added.

ANI