Craig Gottlieb
Encyclopedia
Craig Gottlieb, is a military antique dealer, writer and lecturer. Born in Miami, Florida, he is best known for uncovering Adolf Hitler's desk set used to sign the 1938 Munich Pact.
in Ithaca
, New York
, and served as a commissioned officer (Major) in the Marine Corps. After several collector websites he started succeeded in the 1990s, Gottlieb grew from an obscure private collector to a leader in the militaria
field. He currently lives in San Diego, California
.
to sign the Munich Pact of 1938. Procured from Hitler's Munich office by 2nd Lieutenant Jack McConn in 1945, it had been with their family ever since. He recently sold a pair paintings of Hitler's mother and father. Lost since the end of the war, Gottlieb discovered them in Southern California, in the hands of the family whose relative liberated them from Hitler's Berghof. Responding to criticism that he is a war profiteer capitalizing on the Nazis and the Holocaust, Gottlieb reminds critics that he is preserving history and making money for veterans who served their country.
, is due out in 2012.
Personal life
Of Jewish ancestry, Gottlieb, whose father was a veteran of the Pacific Theater in WWII, started collecting coins as a six-year-old boy. He earned a degree in Philosophy from Cornell UniversityCornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in Ithaca
Ithaca
Ithaca or Ithaka is an island located in the Ionian Sea, in Greece, with an area of and a little more than three thousand inhabitants. It is also a separate regional unit of the Ionian Islands region, and the only municipality of the regional unit. It lies off the northeast coast of Kefalonia and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and served as a commissioned officer (Major) in the Marine Corps. After several collector websites he started succeeded in the 1990s, Gottlieb grew from an obscure private collector to a leader in the militaria
Militaria
Militaria are artifacts or replicas of military, police, etc., collected for their historical significance. Such antiques include firearms, swords, knives, and other weapons such as; uniforms, helmets, other military headgear, and armour; military orders and decorations; challenge coins and...
field. He currently lives in San Diego, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Military Antiques Dealer
Gottlieb travels the world to pursue rare and historic artifacts. His expertise is regularly called upon to authenticate and appraise on behalf of museums, private collections and auctions. He operates one of the largest volume military antique dealerships in the world from his offices in Solana Beach, and launched CGM Auctions in 2011 after leaving the now-defunct Empire Military Auctions, citing creative differences.Famous Historic Artifacts Discovered by Gottlieb
In 2010, Gottlieb discovered the desk set used by Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
to sign the Munich Pact of 1938. Procured from Hitler's Munich office by 2nd Lieutenant Jack McConn in 1945, it had been with their family ever since. He recently sold a pair paintings of Hitler's mother and father. Lost since the end of the war, Gottlieb discovered them in Southern California, in the hands of the family whose relative liberated them from Hitler's Berghof. Responding to criticism that he is a war profiteer capitalizing on the Nazis and the Holocaust, Gottlieb reminds critics that he is preserving history and making money for veterans who served their country.
Media
Gottlieb has authored two books: The SS Totenkopf Ring: An Illustrated History from Munich to Nuremberg and History's Jackpot: Investing in Antique Collectibles. He has been featured in newspapers world-wide, appeared on Fox, NBC, and other news outlets. His third book on the political structure of the NSDAP's system of Governing after the GleichschaltungGleichschaltung
Gleichschaltung , meaning "coordination", "making the same", "bringing into line", is a Nazi term for the process by which the Nazi regime successively established a system of totalitarian control and tight coordination over all aspects of society. The historian Richard J...
, is due out in 2012.