Further adding to its authenticity is the fact that the typed areas of the card and eagle give the appearance of being protected by a a slight wax covering when held on an angle in bright light, suggesting that it may have been waxed at one time by a previous owner to protect it, as was a common practice in the 30s and 40s. The slight wax look that is still present is virtually worn off, denoting many years of exposure to light and handling.
The historical significance of this card should also not be overlooked. To clearly understand this, it may be beneficial to better appreciate the close relationship that existed between the Fuhrer and a small handful of persons who comprised his old Munich comrades, of which Reichsleiter Amann, along with Gauleiter Wagner,
Christian Weber, Professor Trost and a few others certainly belonged.
Max Amann was the company first sergeant in which Corporal Hitler served during Worl War I. After the war, they
remained in close contact and when the disorganized NSDAP needed a business manager in 1921, who was better than the old first sergeant to fill this vital role. During the Beer Hall putsch on 9 November 1923, Max Amann again proved both his reliability and courage and was one of those who fought with the police until clubbed into submission and arrested. After his release from prison in 1924, he resumed his duties with the party
and took control of the Eher Verlag publishing company, which had been originally purchased in 1922. Using this
foundation, he became the managing editor of the Party's official newspaper the Volkische Beobachter (the
People's Observer) which was to eventually become an important element of the later success of the NSDAP.
In 1942, the Fuhrer was to describe Max Amann as "the greatest newspaper man in the world". Unlike many others
he maintained the Chancellor's trust and respect right to the very end of the war. While not a gifted public speaker, Amann was able to assemble a staff of people around him, such as the highly capable Rolf Rienhardt, who had a particular gift for being able to spin almost any story in the manner necessary to achieve those goals then being pursued by the national government.
Following the collapse of Germany in May 1945, Max Amann was arrested by the Allied occupation forces and eventually tried for his role in the rise of the NSDAP to power. Unable to find anything tangible to convict him of, since he never really held any office other than that of being a newspaper editor, he was simply convicted by the Central Denazification Court set up by the Allies as being a "Major Offender" in 1948 and sentenced to 10 years hard labor in a prison camp. Losing all of his property and assets, he was released early due to ill health ad age and died in Munich in 1957, having never repented his friendship with Hitler nor his role in the NSDAP.
