 On 21 June 1939, Hitler set up the "Sonderauftrag Linz" ("Special Commission Linz") in Dresden and – at the recommendation of art dealer and Nazi Party member Karl Haberstock – appointed Hans Posse, director of the "Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister" ("Dresden Painting Gallery"), as a special envoy.A few days later, on 26 June, Hitler signed a letter intended to give Posse the authority he would need to do this job.He wrote