Rare 3D Nazi stereo cards to go under hammer in January

London, Dec. 22 (ANI): A rare box of 100 three-dimensional stereo cards, which allowed affluent Nazi families to witness the progress of the German army as it conquered the West right in their homes, is set to be auctioned next month.

Created by Hitler's propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels, the set called Der Kampf show the German army conquering Holland, Belgium and France and are dated 1940.

A British war collector living in Germany had these cards in his possession so far. But now he is hoping they fetch a good price on January 19 at a Mullocks auction at Ludlow Racecourse in Shropshire.

Dr Frank Mulller of the University of St Andrews', said: "You could have these things created on anything back then and they would give a remarkable 3D effect to the viewer. They were made using a photography apparatus that was made up of two cameras mounted on a frame."

"These cameras would take a picture of the same thing but from a different angle. When they are placed in the glasses frame the brain merges them together and create an impression of depth that is still incredible today."

"In 1940 was when things were going relatively well for the Nazis, so I think it's likely these were made to brag about their success. Items like these were very popular and you could get stereo cards of athletes, events, even pilots - they were a bit like the football cards of their day," he added.

Mulller also said that rich Nazi families, who were able to buy the cards with special viewing glasses, were the target audience for the goods because Goebbels believed that those who could afford the luxury items would be more likely to produce people of officer class material.

"They would only by available in Harrods-type shops and would have cost the equivalent of about £100 today. These go all the way back to Goebbels, things like this always were," he said.

"He would use and means possible to capture the hearts and minds of the country. You can see the finest detail when you are looking at them, the technique is that good," he added. (ANI)