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There is a lot of information about the works of well-known German artist Professor Hans W. Schmidt (1859-1950) available online. Trained at the Weimar Art School, he received the title of Professor in 1903 and produced many realistic German landscapes, Napoleonic and World War I battle paintings and paintings of biblical scenes. Some of his paintings filled entire walls while others were used to produce postcards.

Offered for sale on this USMBOOKS web page is a very rare salesman's sample of a foldable 27 x 39 inch oil cloth bound print of a picture painted by Professor Hans W. Schmidt dated 1939/40. The title is Unser Führer bei seinen siegreichen Truppen in Polen - Übergang über die Weichsel (Our Führer with his Victorious Troops in Poland - Crossing the Vistula River) and shows Adolf Hitler in an open Mercedes-Benz Nazi staff car surrounded by celebrating men of many different branches of the Wehrmacht.

The detail of the painting is astounding! Seated to the left of Hitler in the giant Mercedes-Benz Geländewagen is Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt who lead Army Group South during the invasion of Poland in September 1939. There is another large, open Nazi Geländewagen behind the one carrying Hitler and Von Rundstedt, and the occupant is also a Field Marshal judging from the red lapels. There are motorcycles with Wehrmacht license plates in the foreground, a large bridge over the Weichsel river in the background, and the uniform accessories (ammo pouches, canteens, gas masks, rifles, etc) of the Nazi soldiers are superb.

The absolutely original Third Reich 27 x 39 inch leinen or oilcloth bound print may very well be unique! It was created from an original full-size print of the superb Schmidt painting that was actually sheared into eight separate panels each measuring about 10 x 13-¾ inches. None of the detail of the painting or print was cut out or lost in the shearing process. The eight sheared pieces of the print were reassembled backside-up and bound together using permanent gray oilcloth binding tape so that the resulting print could be neatly folded into a convenient, portable, attaché case size. The print could then be unfolded and refolded over and over again by a salesman or sales lady to show it to prospective customers and take their orders.

The lower left panel has sales information in red giving the price and different edition available, such as leather-like paper and oilcloth for schools, on cardboard with corners, etc. The Reichsmark prices are neatly written behind the options.

In very good used condition. We have never seen another example of the print, nor have we been able to find one online or in our reference material.