NAZI GERMANY
OTHER POSTCARDS
1933
The 1933 postcard page has now been split into four separate pages as it was beginning to get unwieldy. All 1933 Official postcards are now on this page. Official postcards are cards that were issued by the Reich’s post office, had pre-printed (indicia) stamps and were widely available throughout German towns and cities.
Secondly Printed-to-Private-Order postcards are postcards that were generally issued by entities that were advertising an event or commemorating an anniversary, and also had pre-printed stamps, but were not widely available throughout Germany (most were only available at the event they were commemorating).
Other postcards are postcards that fall into the same general category as printed-to-private-order postcards, however they do not have pre-printed stamps.
Finally, Miscellaneous postcards is where you will find postcards that do not fit into the first three categories (i.e. they are not official, they do not have pre-printed stamps, and they do not commemorate an event). These are typically advertising postcards, plain postcards, or tourist type postcards. For the most part these cards have been postally used.
Quick Links:
THE ASSUMPTION TO POWER , NEW REICHSTAG - POTSDAM , 700th ANNIVERSARY SALZWEDEL , DAY OF NATIONAL LABOUR , 1,000th ANNIVERSARY BAUTZEN , 1st GERMAN JOURNEYMAN'S DAY , DONATION CARD , 18th GERMAN BOWLING COMPETITION , 15th GERMAN TURNFEST , 1st HITLER YOUTH MEETING , 5th ANNUAL NAZI PARTY RALLY , 700th ANNIVERSITY OF GERINGSWALDE , 1000th ANNIVERSARY of TANGERMÜNDE , HANDICRAFT WORKERS' DAY , The STEEL HELMETS , MECKLENBURG-LUBECK GAU WHW , WINTERHILFSWERK , ESSEN 5th EXHIBITION , 10th ANNIV of MUNICH PUTSCH , LUTHER DAY and SECURITY RESTRICTIONS
THE ASSUMPTION TO POWER
(Jan 1933)
On 30th Jan 1933 Hitler was inaugurated as the Chancellor of Germany, and this occasion was marked by the publication of a number of postcards. Several of them were similar to the one below where Hitler's portrait is seen alongside that of Friedrich the Great, Otto von Bismarck and President Hindenburg. The message was clear: Hitler was part of a long line of Great Germans and deserved to stand alongside Germany's greatest heroes.
This was the first time a Nazi had attained a position of real power, so they wanted to align themselves with popular figures from Germany's past. For a fledgling party, newly thrust into the limelight, it was a way of gaining legitimacy with the German people.
Click here for more examples of these postcards.
NEW REICHSTAG - POTSDAM
(Mar/Apr 1933)
In addition to the P248 above, there were numerous other postcards issued to mark this occasion.
Click here for more cards published to commemorate the occasion.
The front of this postcard shows Adolf Hitler bowing to Hindenburg during the ceremony at the Garnifon Church in Potsdam.
The reverse shows the postcard is Nr 173 from the Rex-Verlag printers in Potsdam.
700th ANNIVERSARY SALZWEDEL
(May/Jun 1933)
This postcard was published to commemorate the 700th Anniversary of the town of Salzwedel, in Saxony-Anhalt, between Hamburg and Altmark.
Click here for the other cards from my collection.
700th Anniversary
FROM MY COLLECTION
DAY OF NATIONAL LABOUR
(MAY DAY)
(1st May 1933)
This Nazi inspired postcard was also issued to commemorate the May Day 1933 and carries the inscription "Es schaun aufs hakenkreuz voll hoffnung schon millionen Der Tag für freiheit und für Brot bricht an!" or 'Millions of people already look at the swastika full of hope, the day for freedom and bread is dawning!'.
DAY OF NATIONAL LABOUR
Another postcard issued to celebrate National Labour Day is shown below and was published by Kunstverlag Wentz and Co. in Berlin. The inscription at the bottom left-hand side of the card reads:
"Das umseitige erscheint als hochkunstlerisch ausgeführtes Gedenkblatt im Formal 37.5x44.5cm. Es ist in allen Buch, Kunst und Papierwarenhandlungen ober direkt beim Berlage zum Priefe von 75 Rpfg zu haben."
'The overleaf appearance as a highly artistic memorial sheet in the form 37.5x44.5cm. It is available in all book art and stationery stores or directly from Berlage for a price of 75 Rpf.'
At this time in 1933 the Nazi government was only a few months old, and there was a need to create a feeling of legitimacy after so many years of chaos. The imagery was typical of the time in that the engravings on the plinth are that of von Hindenburg and Hitler, and the message attempts to portray the unknown new Nazi government with the trusted German Empire leaders of the past. There is another, almost identical, version of this card where the images of Hitler and Hindenburg are replaced by a gold seal.
National Labour Day
FROM MY COLLECTION
1,000th ANNIVERSARY OF BAUTZEN
(3rd/11th Jun 1933)
This postcard was published to commemorate the 1,000th Anniversary of the town of Bautzen. The anniversary was celebrated over 7 days from 3rd to 11th Jun 1933.
Click here for more examples of these postcards.
1,000th Anniversary
FROM MY COLLECTION
1st GERMAN JOURNEYMAN'S DAY
(8th/11th Jun 1933)
This postcard was issued to commemorate the 1st German Journeyman's Day held in Munich from 8th to 11th Jun 1933. The inscription running along the pole of the flag is "GOTT UND VOLK - VOLK UND STAND - STAND UND STAAT" - 'GOD AND PEOPLE - PEOPLE AND STATE - STATE AND STATE'.
Journeyman's Day was a gathering of members of the Kolping Society (a group associated with the Catholic Church), identified by their orange and black banners and uniforms. For this particular event about 28,000 members from all over Germany travelled to Munich to attend the meeting. During the day of the 8th, Franz von Papen, German Vice Chancellor, addressed the crowds but things turned ugly during the evening when the group was attacked by Nazi SA troopers. Following the riots, the event was cancelled at the urging of the Bavarian Police. The Kolping Society was then dissolved until after the war when it was resurrected. [requires additional research].
Journeyman's Day
DONATION CARD
(1933)
This 'Donation Card' postcard was published to commemorate the Easter Meeting of the Hitler Youth held in Sobernheim. The diamond shaped image in the centre of the card is the symbol of the Hitler Youth Organisation and the letters 'HJ' are a short form of "Hitler Jugend" or Hitler Youth.
Donation Card
18th GERMAN BOWLING COMPETITION
(15th/23rd Jul 1933)
The 18th German Bowling (Skittles) Competition was held from 15th to 23rd Jul 1933 in the city of Frankfurt. The image depicts a bowler aiming at a set of 9 pins with the 'DKB' (Deutsche Bundes Kegeln) logo. The building on the lower right of the image is the Emperor’s Cathedral of St. Bartholomew (a.k.a Frankfurt Cathedral)
or 'Kaiserdom Sankt Bartholomäus'.
Bowling Competition
15th GERMAN TURNFEST
GYMNASTICS FESTIVAL
(22nd/30th Jul 1933)
The 15th German Gymnastics Festival was held in Stuttgart from 22nd to 30th Jul 1933. The postcard below is one that was published to commemorate the festival.
The patron for the event was President Paul von Hindenburg and an estimated 600,000 people attended the competitions at the newly renamed 'Adolf Hitler Arena'. 120,000 people actively participated in the events and this was the occasion of one of Hitler's first mass propaganda addresses. Hitler only attended the festival on the last day, together with Vice Chancellor Franz von Papen, Foreign Minister Konstantin von Neurath, and head of propaganda Joseph Goebbels. Stuttgart was chosen as the venue as early as 1918 and the event was held once every 5 years.
You can find more information Here.
Click here for more postcards from the festival
(1)
Gymnastics Festival
Gymnastics Festival
COMING SOON
1st HITLER YOUTH MEETING
(19th/21st Aug 1933)
This postcard was published to commemorate the 1st Meeting of the Munich Hitler Youth Organisation "Hochland" district (area 19), from 19th to 21st Aug 1933. The image is that of a Hitler Youth member blowing a bugle with the Hitler Youth flag hanging from it. Around 30,000 boys attended the event, designed to select those boys that would be the best candidates to lead Germany's youth under the Nazis. From 1928 until 1934 the Munich branch of the Hitler Youth Organisation was led by Emil Klein.
Hitler Youth Meeting
5th ANNUAL NAZI PARTY RALLY
The RALLY of VICTORY
(1st/3rd Sep 1933)
The postcard below left commemorates the Nazi Party Rally (Reichsparteitag) held in Nürnberg from 1st to 3rd Sep 1933. The card was published by 'Verlag Frz. Fher Rachf.', Munich. The front of the card is inscribed 'Einig das Volk, Stark das Reich' - 'with the people united the Empire will be strong'.
There is also an inscription on the reverse side of the card, on the top left-hand side, which reads 'Festpostkarte | Reichsparteitag der N.S.D.A.P. | in Nürnberg 1.-3. September 1933'.
The card below-right, was also issued to commemorate the rally. If you are interested in more Reichsparteitag postcards with additional information, please click Here.
(1)
Nazi Party Rally
Nazi Party Rally
(2)
Nazi Party Rally
Nazi Party Rally
This third card features a view of NÜRNBERG Castle and was also issued to celebrate the rally.
(3)
Nazi Party Rally
Nazi Party Rally
700th ANNIVERSITY OF GERINGSWALDE
(2nd/4th Sep 1933)
FROM MY COLLECTION
1000th ANNIVERSARY of TANGERMÜNDE
(9th/17th Sep 1933)
This postcard commemorates the 1,000-year anniversary of the town of Tangermünde in the southeast of the Stendahl district of Saxony-Anhalt. The building in the background is Neustädter Tor or Stendaler Tor, built around 1300. The figure in the foreground is the 'Grete Minde' (from a novella by Theodor Fontane cc. 1879) and in her arms is the Tangermünde coat of arms. The text inscribed at the base of the card reads 'Tangermünde - Brückeneinweihung - Grete Minde Festspiel - Schwedensturm - S.A und Jungendtreffen -Sportsfeste' or 'Tangermünde - bridge inauguration - Grete Minde festival - Swedish storm - S.A and Youth meetings - sports festivals'.
There are at least three versions of this postcard each depicting a different view of Tangermünde (two of them feature Stendaler Tor, but from different angles), the other is a more generalised view from a distance.
Tangermünde Anniversary
HANDICRAFT WORKERS' DAY
(10th Sep 1933)
HANDICRAFT WORKERS' DAY
The STEEL HELMETS
(23rd/24th Sep 1933)
This postcard was published to commemorate the Reichsführer Conference of the Steel Helmet Association of Frontline Soldiers held in Hannover on 23rd and 24th Sept 1933. The front of the card features a portrait of Prussian General Gerhard von Scharnhorst. The 'Steel Helmet, League of Frontline Soldiers' or 'Der Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten' or 'Der Stahlhelm' for short, was a German first World War ex-servicemen's organization which existed from 1918 to 1935.
Steel Helmets' Conference
MECKLENBURG-LÜBECK WHW
(Oct 1933)
This postcard was published around Oct 1933 by the Gau Mecklenburg-Lübeck in order to raise funds for the 1933/34 Winterhilfswerk fund. The card features a number of different pins which were given out as a thank you for donations to the fund.
MECKLENBURG-LÜBECK WHW
WINTERHILFSWERK
(1933/34)
These two postcards were the Official 1933/34 Winterhilfswerk donation postcard, published to raise funds for the winter welfare fund. The reverse of the cards has the following inscription on the reverse top-left of the card "Offizielle Postkarte | für die Winterhilfe 1933/34 | der bayer, Beamtenschaft" - 'Official postcard | for winter aid 1933/34 | the Bavarian, Civil Service'.
WINTER RELIEF
FROM MY COLLECTION
WINTER RELIEF
FROM MY COLLECTION
ESSEN 5th EXHIBITION
(14th/22nd Oct 1933)
This postcard was published to commemorate the 5th Essen Radio Exhibition held from 14th to 22nd October 1933. The image is of a Reich's Eagle with radio waves emitting from it. The term VE301 refers to a model of radio made extremely popular by the Nazi's. The abbreviation refers to VE for Volksempfänger (People's Radio) and the 301 as a reminder of 30 January 1933 the day of the seizure of power of Hitler. See here for more details.
ESSEN EXHIBITION
FROM MY COLLECTION
10th ANNIV of MUNICH PUTSCH
(10th Nov 1933)
This rather dramatic postcard was designed by Gustav Goetschel and published by Verlag H. Hunsinger to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the failed Munich Putsch (9th Nov 1923). The SA man in the foreground is holding the 'blood flag' and carrying a wounded/dying comrade following the confrontation between the Nazi's and the Bavarian State Police on the night of 8th/9th Nov 1923. In the background is the Feldhernhalle in the Odeonsplatz where the skirmish occurred, and in the distance are the ghosts of the Nazi party members that were killed (15 in total) on that fateful night.
(1)
Commemorative Postcard
Commemorative Postcard
FROM MY COLLECTION
(1) This particular example was cancelled in Munich and has a regular CDS cancel inscribed "MÜNCHEN 1BP | 10.11.33" and a regular 6Pf Hindenburg Medallion stamp.
LUTHER DAY
(10th Nov 1933)
Luther Day
MARCOPHIL POSTMEN SERIES
(1933)
This series of 16 postcards features the uniforms worn by postmen in the various German states. The exact date of publication is unknown, however apart from the more common cards, that do not have pre-printed stamps, there were around 60 complete sets that had pre-printed 3Rpf Hindenburg Medallion stamps.
Click here for the rest of the cards in this series.
MARCOPHIL POSTMEN
FROM MY COLLECTION
RICHARD WAGNER YEAR
(1933)
This series of 6 postcards features oil paintings of Richard Wagner and scenes from several of his operas.
Click here for the rest of the cards in this series.
RICHARD WAGNER YEAR
FROM MY COLLECTION
SECURITY RESTRICTIONS
(1933)
This set of postcards likely appeared in 1933 as part of the Nazi government's demands to be freed from the restrictions of the Versailles agreement. There are at least three postcards, probably more, that highlight Germany's perceived, or otherwise, unfairness with the constraints of the treaty. [Much more research is needed on these interesting cards].
Click here for more examples.
SECURITY RESTRICTIONS
FROM MY COLLECTION
PILGRIMAGE TO St. ROCK
(1933)
FROM MY COLLECTION
