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German field marshal (1882–1946) who served as chief of the German Armed Forces High Command during World War II. Convicted on all four counts at the Nuremberg trials, he was executed by hanging in 1946. ALS in pencil, signed twice “W. Keitel,” one page, 8 x 4.5, March 31, 1946. Handwritten letter in German headed “Zelle 8,” written from his cell in the Nuremberg prison during his trial before the International Military Tribunal, with “To Office” added across the top in another hand, in full (translated): “I request that the heating supply to my Cell 8 be shut off immediately. Despite the open window, it is too warm! Otherwise I cannot sleep!” Keitel underlines the words for “supply,” “heating,” and “shut off.” In very good to fine condition, with toning, a tear to the bottom edge, and light show-through from mounting remnants on the reverse. Accompanied by an original Associated Press wire photo, 10 x 7.75, showing Hermann Göring standing in the defendants’ dock to deliver his final statement at Nuremberg on August 31, 1946, with Keitel seated among the defendants in the front row.
As chief of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht from 1938 to 1945, Keitel was Hitler’s senior military staff officer, and he signed Germany’s unconditional surrender in Berlin on May 8, 1945. Imprisoned at Nuremberg as one of the major war criminals, he wrote this request just days before taking the witness stand in his own defense in early April 1946. He was convicted on all four counts, and on October 16, 1946, he was executed by hanging, less than seven months after writing this letter.
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