posted 02-02-2025 12:18 PM               

I've searched but haven't found many examples, and a quick search here only brings up a handful of old posts about looking to acquire the autograph. My questions:

• Is this an original signature?
  
• Is it desirable?
  
• Is it valuable?

posted 02-02-2025 12:37 PM               

Is it desirable? (if authentic) Yes, without doubt.

posted 02-02-2025 12:55 PM               

Though relatively hard to find, Dornberger's signatures I have seen are usually selling between $60 and $80. More if on his book, on a photo like below, or a rarer space cover.

Yours, looks authentic and on a German space cancel cover, would be on the lower end of the scale.

Found this image from a Heritage auction from 2016:

posted 02-02-2025 01:55 PM               

As you know, the German Army rocket pioneer leader was von Braun's military boss both at Kummersdorf and Peenemunde from 1931-1945.

posted 02-02-2025 02:22 PM               

I have to say I am a tad disappointed at the low valuations, at a cursory glance on eBay there is only one signed item by Dornberger at over $500. That being said I can’t imagine that there would be a huge amount of collectors with a particular interest in obtaining his signature.

It’s definitely not something I’d have framed on my wall, he was a very talented man but Operation Paperclip without a doubt saved his life given the atrocities attributed to him during the war.

posted 02-02-2025 02:41 PM               

His address was known and shared by many collectors back then. While desirable, they shouldn't be overly scarce or expensive.

posted 02-02-2025 03:14 PM               

Afterwards, once released, he came to the U.S. under the auspices of Operation Paperclip and worked for the U.S. Air Force on guided missiles as a top advisor throughout the late 1940's.

For the next 15 years the rocket pioneer leader worked for Bell Aircraft Corp. and was later promoted to vice president of that aerospace company. While there, he played a major role in North American's X-15 rocket-powered aircraft program and was a key consultant for the Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar project.

posted 02-02-2025 06:06 PM               

Huzel had been drafted into the German Army as a private shipped to the Russian front. All of that changed for him when a friend managed to have Dieter transferred back to Germany off the Baltic Sea to work on a secret program known as the "A-4 Project."

There are other favorites of mine, too, such as "The Birth of the Missile" by Ernst Klee and Otto Merk in 1963 as a more deeper look into those early German missile developments of weaponry that later became enhanced for space exploration vehicles.

posted 02-03-2025 07:36 AM               

Dr. Walter Dornberger was a prolific correspondent, I have a number of envelope covers from/to him.

It appears to me that the value, and rarity, lies entirely on the associated medium and not just the signature. That is, rarer, and therefore more valuable items are his signature on portrait photographs and significant anniversary covers such as Bob's Milestones of Flight cover.

As for his book, it is a very useful source reference being straight from the horse's mouth as it were. and is very readable. It is however more of an overview, and lacks real depth, and the chronology can be confusing.

I have found that reading it in tandem with Neufeld "The Rocket and the Reich" while also using Kennedy's "Germany's V-2 Rocket" as a background for images and tables, makes it a much better read.

As for Ken's recommendation: the Murray Barber book is excellent. The English edition is however out of print, and it will cost in the region of €300 to buy a hardback copy (I know, because it is on my try and get one cheaper list!)

posted 02-04-2025 10:21 AM               

Thank you all so much, I'm going to start scouring the auction sites for some of these books, and if anyone here has any spares for sale drop me an email.