Who was Konrad Kujau?

Konrad Kujau was a German art forger and fraudster whose audacious scheme involving allegedly authentic Hitler diaries triggered one of the greatest media scandals in German post-war history in 1983. Through a combination of craftsman's skill, criminal energy and psychological manipulation, the trained painter managed to deceive not only collectors and private individuals, but also renowned historians, journalists and one of Germany's most influential news magazines.

The Path to Fraud

Kujau was born in 1938 in Löbau, Saxony and demonstrated early talent in artistic craftsmanship. After training as a painter, he began forging historical documents and artworks in the 1960s. His career as a forger was initially successful on a regional level – he sold forged paintings, drawings and signatures of famous artists and historical figures to unsuspecting buyers.

Kujau's criminal activities remained under the radar of authorities for a long time. The reason was that many of his victims were too ashamed to report being defrauded, or did not even realize they had purchased forgeries. This situation allowed Kujau to perfect his craft and increase his ambitions.

The Hitler Diaries Project

In the early 1980s, Kujau conceived a bold plan: he would forge the lost diaries of Adolf Hitler. Kujau conducted intensive research into Hitler's life, his handwriting and the historical context. Using meticulously sourced materials – paper from the Nazi era, ink and binding materials from the same period – he began composing and writing diary entries.