The ice skates of Hermann Göring
Any collector once find a couple of objects of which he does not know what he must think of it. That feeling also exists with a pair of English ice skates made by I. Sorby, Sheffield. On both platforms the signature of Hermann Göring can be seen as well as two impressions made with a dry stamp showing the German eagle with swastika.  
 


L
eft
 


R
ight
 

Hermann Göring (1893-1946) was born in a upper class family and educated in relatively luxury. He behaved himself as an adventurous bon vivant and developed autocratic behaviour. During the World War I he was trained as a fighting aviator which skills he used later on as a civil pilot with a Swedish company. In 1922, he joined the NSDAP of Adolf Hitler, whereupon a lightning career followed. He gave control to the SA, set up the Gestapo, put the Luftwaffe on legs, arranged the first concentration camps and became Hitler's confidant and substitute.  After the second world war he withdrew himself from a condemnation by committing suicide in October 1946 in a Neurenberg cell. 

And the ice skates of this man can be seen in The virtual ice Skates museum?!

On the Internet several signatures were found on documents signed by Hermann Göring. There seems no doubt. Also the stamp impressions are those of the German Wehrmacht in the nazi period. But is that sufficient proof? 

Nowhere an confirmation could be found that Göring were a devoted skater. But if at some moment this should proof true it would not surprise if he posessed a pair of ice skates that were rather typical for that time.

 
 


These ice skates are so called Fen skates.
A model that was
very popular with the English speed skaters
of the 19th century. They were made in
the tool factory of
Issac Sorby at Sheffield.

 


Issac lived around 1800, but the trademark was used by his successors up to approximately 1890, when the company was closed. 
As Hermann Göring
was born in 1893,
this would mean
that the ice skates
were already in possession
of the family
or bought second-hand.
 

If you obtain any information that can enlighten the situation, please, get in touch.

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