**Three watercolours believed to have been painted by Adolf Hitler have sold for 42,000 euros (£37,000) in Germany.**The auction was in the south-eastern city of Nuremberg, where the Nazi war crimes trials were held.
Auctioneer Herbert Weidler said they were sold to three phone bidders, with the one of Austrian town Weissenkirchen in der Wachau fetching 24,000 euros.
The signed paintings date from 1910 to 1911 when Germany’s World War II leader lived in Vienna as a struggling artist.
‘Modest quality’
Mr Weidler said he felt the watercolours’ quality was that of “village school art teacher who has learned how to draw”.
“Others might think differently but we say they’re of rather modest quality,” the auctioneer told Reuters news agency.
- Weissenkirchen in der Wachau (Austrian town): £21,000
- Zerschossene Muehle (Bullet-riddled mill): £10,000
- Haus mit Bruecke am Fluss (House with a bridge over a river): £6,000
There have been a number of auctions in recent years of Hitler’s artworks.
In April, 13 of what were believed to be his early works were sold in Shropshire for more than £95,000.
The pieces were apparently found by a British soldier in Germany in 1945.
Hitler is thought to have produced about 3,400 paintings between 1909 and 1945.
Correspondents say such sales are contentious, with some querying their authenticity and others questioning the morality of making money from the work of the Nazi leader.
Mr Weidler has sold other works by Hitler and reportedly said he donated his sales’ commission to a Jewish museum.