Get you up to speed: Article on Hitler’s Rise to Power Unearthed in Lincolnshire Renovation
Builders in Stamford, Lincolnshire, uncovered a 1933 Daily Herald detailing Hitler’s rise to power during a property refurbishment.
Property developer Danny Letts plans to collaborate with local history enthusiasts to further explore the significance of the 1933 Daily Herald newspaper found in Stamford.
Property developer Danny Letts is deciding the future use of the refurbished house in Stamford, considering resale, holiday rentals, or personal residence.
What we know so far
Builders renovating a property in Stamford, Lincolnshire, stumbled upon a significant historical find: a newspaper from 1933. The crumpled copy of the Daily Herald, uncovered while removing architrave from a doorway, is dated February 24, just weeks after Adolf Hitler ascended to power in Germany.
The article prominently features the headline “Germany Under Terror – Hitler Governing by Rifle and Gag,” highlighting the violent repression occurring under Hitler’s regime. It described how “Germany is moving rapidly to a wild reign of terror,” illustrating the bleak political climate of the time.
Property developer Danny Letts, who uncovered the newspaper, has created digitally-enhanced versions to preserve the findings. He noted the article’s stark warning about Hitler’s responsibility for numerous deaths, stating, “Little did they know what was to come.” The discovery has attracted interest from local historians and conservationists looking to research the property’s background further.
Letts is currently considering the future of the house, contemplating whether to resell it, convert it into holiday rentals, or make it his own residence once renovations are complete.
Read in full
Hitler’s rise to power captured in 1933 article found during house renovation in Lincolnshire | News UK
Builders uncovered a small scrap of history while working on a house in Lincolnshire.
The team were removing an architrave from around a doorway at the property in Stamford when they came across a newspaper published in 1933.
Dated Friday, February 24, the crumpled Daily Herald was printed shortly after Adolf Hitler rose to power and features the lead headline ‘Germany Under Terror – Hitler Governing by Rifle and Gag’.
The Nazi leader had been appointed as Chancellor of Germany a few weeks earlier on January 30, 1933.
‘Germany is moving rapidly to a wild reign of terror, with Hitler using shootings, jailings and intimidation,’ the articles reads.
Sign up for all of the latest stories
‘Destruction of all pretence of political liberty is threatened and the militarist cast aims at coming back to power.
‘No one is safe if the Hiltlerites disapprove of him. Shootings are common and deaths of opponents of the Nazis go unpunished.’
Property developer Danny Letts has tried to preserve the newspaper and created digitally-enhanced versions to share.
He said: ‘The building was in a poor state of repair but I was hoping to find a few hidden gems while we’re working on it.
‘Until now we had only found a 30 year old Heineken can and some newspapers from 1996.
‘But we found this old screwed up bit of newspaper which was initially just tossed aside. We later found it was dated February 1933.’
It’s interesting to see that it says Hitler was responsible for the deaths of 100 men. Little did they know what was to come.’
Another article tells of eight miners receiving the Edward Medal in the King’s New Year Honours for their bravery at the Bentley Colliery disaster in Yorkshire in 1931 when 45 people died.
The industrial correspondent also reported on farm worker Mr Davison who had been living rent free since 1919. He had been allowed to live in the cottage as part of his employment, but retired in 1919 and continued not to pay rent.
The newspapers have been shared with local history and conservation enthusiasts, who are also looking into the history of the property
Danny, who owns a number of rental properties through his company Belmont Places, is still deciding what to do with the house once the refurbishment is complete.
It will either be resold, made available for holiday rentals, or become Danny’s own home.