A NEW painting by Adolf Hitler has been discovered in what experts call a "unique historical document."
The work of art is an aquarelle painted by the man who would later become the Fuhrer of Nazi Germany.
The artwork was given to the Dutch Institute for War Documentation (NIOD) which after a thorough examination said it had indeed been painted by Hitler himself.
The painting shows the Neutor (new gate) of the old Vienna fortifications and is signed “A. Hitler”.
Between 1909 and 1913 Hitler lived in Vienna, trying to start a career as an artist, which ultimately failed as he was rejected twice by the city's art academy.
He repainted old postcards trying to make a living. As the Vienna fortifications had been razed in 1894, this work was likely repainted from a postcard.
The Dutch institute said that a woman, who wished to remain anonymous, donated the artwork.
She said that her father once bought it for less than a pound at a flea market, but only found out when he got home that the painting was signed by Hitler.
The woman said: "After he found out what kind of a sensitive object he had in his hands, he hid it out of fright."
Because there are many fake Hitler paintings in circulation, the NIOD decided to thoroughly examine the aquarelle in cooperation with several experts.
Paper conservator Bas van Velzen of the University of Amsterdam said: "We could not find anything that showed that this is a forgery."
NIOD director Frank van Vree said that "it is good that these items do not end up at an auction of Nazi paraphernalia."
He called the painting a "unique historical document" which fits in well with the collection of the institute.
Most artworks made by Hitler are nowadays part of private collections in such countries as the UK, US, Germany and Austria.
The US Army owns four paintings by Hitler that soldiers took during the Second World War as booty.
The Hitler painting was not the only unique piece of Nazi art to hit headlines this week.
A nude portrait believed to be of Adolf Hitler's lover Eva Braun is set to be auctioned after being valued at almost £9,000.
According to German local media, the painting "looks almost like a work ofRembrandt" showing a young woman sitting in a gold-brown setting.
The portrait however dates from the 1920s and the model is said to be none other than Eva Braun, Adolf Hitler's longtime companion and mistress and for fewer than 40 hours his wife, when the Red Army lay siege to the Fuhrer’s bunker in Berlin.
On December 9, the Eva Braun portrait will be auctioned by the Andreas Thies auction house in the south-western state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, which specialises in Nazi-era items.
The estimated auction price is €10,000 (£9,000).