Elastolin - Personality Figures

Personality Figures

The "personality figures" include Hitler, von Hindenburg, Ludendorff, Goring, Hess, Goebbels, von Schirach, Großadmiral Raeder and Generalfeldmarschall von Mackensen. There are also two personality figures of Mussolini and one of Franco. A personality figure of SA leader Ernst Rohm was dropped from the line after he was executed during the so-called "Night of the Long Knives" (a purge of the socialist wing of the Nazi party) in 1934.

Hitler was represented by several uniformed figures; one was a walking figure of Hitler reviewing troops or perhaps a Nazi unit with his right arm up in his unique bent-arm salute. There was also a seated Hitler to ride in one of Elastolin's magnificent staff cars (German children knew the Führer always sat up front next to the driver and never in the back seat). There was also an early figure of Hitler in civilian attire.

Goring's high profile in the German leadership was reflected by the fact that he too was represented by figures showing him in SA, NSFK and Luftwaffe uniform. There was a walking figure (26/21) of Goring reviewing troops, and as Goring was promoted to Generalfeldmarschall and then to the unique rank of Reichsmarschall a figure was produced that showed "the Iron Man" holding an appropriately large marschall's "baton."

Premium grade figures of Hitler and Goring were made with headless composition bodies that were then fitted with special-made porcelain heads that captured their facial features and expressions with exceptional clarity. These command premium prices from collectors.

Mussolini was available as a walking figure (25/21N) and sitting astride a horse (25/496N). Generalfeldmarshall und Reichspresident von Hindenburg was still in the catalog for several years after his death in 1934 and was available in uniform (649), in civilian attire (648), and in uniform astride a horse.

All of the Nazi leaders (Hitler, HeB, Goring, Goebbels and von Schirach) were represented by at least one figure with a movable right arm that could be raised and positioned in the German greeting (aka the "Heil Hitler!" salute). The figures of Mussolini and Franco also had arms could also positioned in the Fascist-style salute (In contrast, Wehrmacht figures saluted/"greeted" each other with the traditional right-hand-touching-cap/helmet salute).