This 1933 production factory engraved Walther PP exhibits a set of "crown/N" proofmarks, the early 90 degree safety, and the standard Walther two-line factory markings that consist of "Walther" inside a banner next to "Waffenfabrik Walther, Zella-Mehlis (Thur.)/Walther's Patent Cal. 7,65 m/m" next to "Mod. PP". Excluding some blued small parts, the pistol is finished in nickel for both an eye catching bright appearance and a strong resistance to corrosion, a unique, seldom encountered special order feature on Walther's pistols. It features nearly full coverage exhibition presentation semi-relief Walther factory engraving, with dense punch-backed oak leaf motifs, zig-zag and punch dot borders, checkerboard panels on the trigger guard and butt, and other details. On the back strap, set into a deeply relief engraved oval panel, is the monogram "HF". Other examples of similar factory engraved presentation Walther PP and PPK pistols tied to noted high ranking SS individuals are pictured in "Walther Volume II" by James L. Rankin. The raised relief engraved monogram initials "HF" on the back strap are attributed as being specially made for Hermann Fegelein (October 30th, 1906-April 28th, 1945), a General of the German Waffen SS. According to information supplied by the consignor, this special Walther PP was acquired by U.S. Army colonel Michael Dizdar (January 1st, 1905-January 14th, 1995), the current consignor's uncle who they inherited this pistol from, that likely brought it home as a war trophy from Europe at the end of World War II. Unfortunately, the story behind when, where and how this pistol was liberated has been lost to history. This pistol is accompanied by a copy of a newspaper obituary of Michael Dizdar, indicating he received a master's degree from the University of Denver, was a resident of Hattiesburg, Louisiana since 1956, a retired colonel of the U.S. Army reserve, and was a bacteriologist at Puckett Laboratory for 23 years. Information related to his military service is sparse, but a Record of U.S. Army's European Theater of Operations dated January 15th, 1944 was located in which Michael Dizdar is listed, under the rank of captain, as stationed overseas at a port in Northern Ireland as part of the medical section, in which a large amount of personnel were stationed for training prior to the D-Day Normandy landings of June 6th, 1944; lending to a strong possibility Michael Dizdar may have partaken. Obergruppenfuhrer Hermann Fegelein was a respected member of Adolf Hitler's entourage, and a brother-in-law to Eva Braun through his marriage to her sister, Gretl Braun. Hermann Fegelein died on April 28th, 1945, one day shy of becoming brother-in-law to Adolf Hitler himself through Hitler's marriage to Eva Braun a day later on April 29th, 1945. Hans Otto Georg Hermann Fegelein (birth name) was born in Ansbach, Bavaria to retired Lieutenant Officer Hans Fegelein. As a young boy, he worked at his father's equestrian school in Munich, and became a skilled horse rider, participating in jumping events. This institute was made available as a meeting place for the SS, as well as a training facility for the equestrian units of the SA and SS as early as 1926. Hermann would officially join the SA in 1930, and transferred to the SS in 1933 working as an instructor and quickly became the leader of the SS-Reitersturm, the SS equestrian group based at the same administration started by Hermann's father. Hermann took over his father's administration in the mid-1930s. Hermann Fegelein oversaw preparation of the courses and facilities for the equestrian events of the Berlin Olympic Games, and himself even tried out for the German equestrian team although he was unable to make it past qualifying. On July 25th, 1937, Reichsfuhrer Heinrich Himmler, by special order of the Oberabschnitt, created the Haupt-Reitschule Munchen (SS Main Riding School) in Munich and appointed Hermann Fegelein as its commander along with a promotion. At the beginning of the invasion of Poland in September 1939, Hermann was in command of the SS Totenkopf Reiterstandarte (Death's Head Horse Regiment), which arrived right after the end of the Polish Campaign and was split up into smaller groups assigned to support policing activities throughout the Poznan district. Upon the German invasion of the Soviet Union beginning June 22nd, 1941, Hermann Fegelein was active on the Eastern Front with his unit, which suffered having to leave behind the majority of their horses due to exhaustion, although Hermann's unit would continue on to capture the Osoweic Fortress on June 26th, 1941, earning him the Iron Cross, First Class, and ten of his men the Iron Cross, Second Class. After various operations carried out under orders from Himmler himself, some nicknamed "special tasks", Hermann Fegelein's luck ran out when he was severely wounded on September 30th, 1943 during a defensive operation against a Soviet attack, and was subsequently awarded the German Cross in gold. At the beginning of 1944, Heinrich Himmler assigned Hermann Fegelein to Adolf Hitler's headquarters staff as his liaison officer and representative of the SS. An included consignor supplied letter states, "Fegelein was nicknamed Heinrich Himmler's 'Golden Boy'. His boyish face and subservient attitude gained him considerable favour with Himmler, who treated him like a son. Himmler granted him the best assignments, the best staff and generous budgets. When he was injured on the Russian front, Himmler brought him home to work in Hitler's Staff as Himmler's Adjutant and Representative of the Waffen SS." Hermann Fegelein married Gretl Braun on June 3rd, 1944, of which Hitler, Himmler, and Martin Bormann acted as witnesses at the ceremony. On July 20th, 1944, Hermann was present at the failed attempt on Hitler's life at the Wolf's Lair headquarters, receiving a minor wound to his left thigh from the bomb blast. Hermann often showed people the photographs of the men who had been executed as a result of the failed assassination attempt. Just under a year later, nearing the war's end, on April 27th, 1945, Hitler was notified that Fegelein was attempting to flee the country, and he was arraigned immediately before a court martial and sentenced to death for treason, with his execution taking place on April 28th, 1945, ironically one day before Adolf Hitler married his sister-in-law, Eva Braun, on April 29th, 1945, and two days before Eva Braun and Adolf Hitler's joint death by suicide on April 30th, 1945.

Excellent, retaining 97% plus original Walther factory nickel finish, showing a few small spots of surface corrosion around the engraved initials and on the butt, with crisp highly attractive factory engraving overall. The grips are also excellent, with a few light handling marks. Mechanically excellent. This early production factory presentation engraved Walther PP pistol, bearing "HF" initials, attributed to SS general Hermann Fegelein, nicknamed Heinrich Himmler's "Golden Boy", would make an excellent addition to any German military collection!