NAZI GERMANY
STAMPS
1941
MICHEL 762
STAMP DAY
(Tag der briefmarke)
Issued: 12th Jan 1941. The Day of the stamp was first celebrated in Austria in December 1935 and was the inspiration of Hans von Rudolphi. In Germany stamp Day was first celebrated in January 1936 on Heinrich von Stephan's (Postmaster General of the Third Reich) birthday. This stamp was designed by Erich Meerwald a German painter, artist and stamp designer (see also the National Automobile Exhibition stamps of 1939). 24 Pfennings were donated to cultural groups for each stamp sold. This stamp shows the Postillon (a coachman) blowing a posthorn with the globe behind. The stamp was engraved on unwatermarked sheets (10x5) at the Vienna State Printing Office and is Perf K14.
There were ten special postmarks, all with different military themes used with the release of this stamp. There were also 9 postcards released at about the same time, one was an official postcard with a 6Pf indicia Hindenburg stamp as well as a set of 8 postcards issued by the KdF Collectors Group.
MICHEL 763
GERMAN-ITALIAN FRATERNITY in ARMS
Issued: 30th Jan 1941. This Prof. Richard Klein designed stamp was produced on swastika watermarked paper in sheets of 50 stamps (10x5) and was valid until the end of 1942. It was Perf K 14. There was a special postmark used only on the 30th January 1941 in Berlin, Vienna and Munich.
MICHEL 764 to 767
LEIPZIG SPRING FAIR / (Leipziger Messe)
Issued: 1st Mar 1941 to celebrate the Leipzig Spring Fair. These 4 Eric Stahl designed stamps were printed at the State Prinitng Works in Vienna on unwatermarked paper in sheets of 50 stamps (5x10) and were Perf K 14. There were 6 different Special postmarks used between March 1st and 7th 1941 as well as two slogan postmarks.
The history of the Leipzig fairs dates back to around 1165. In 1937, Leipzig was renamed Reichsmessestadt Leipzig (Imperial Trade Fair City Leipzig) by the Nazis.
MICHEL 768 to 771
VIENNA SPRING FAIR
(Wiener Frühjahrsmesse)
Issued: 8th Mar 1941. The Vienna Spring Fair of 1941 was held the week following the Leipzig fair and was commemorated by this set of 4 Prof. W. Dachaur designed stamps. Again produced on unwatermarked paper these stamps were printed on sheets of 50 stamps (10x5) and were Perf K 14. A Special postmark and an accompanying slogan postmark were used between the 9th and 16th March 1941.
BREAKING NEWS: 24th Mar
General Erwin Rommel launches the first offensive in Cyrenaica as the war heats up in North Africa.
BREAKING NEWS: 6th Apr
Germany invades Yugoslavia and Greece in an effort to clean up Mussolini's mess.
MICHEL 772
HITLER's 52nd BIRTHDAY
Issued: 17th Apr 1941. Hitler's birthday in 1941 was commemorated by the issue of this E. R. Vogenaur designed stamp from a photo by Hitler's personal photographer Herman Hoffmann. Printed on swastika watermarked paper the stamp was manufactured on sheets of 50 (10x5) and is Perf 14¼ x 13½. There were also a series of 4 special postmarks available on the day itself, 20th April 1941. In addition there was a seies of 8 postcards availbale.
BREAKING NEWS: 9th May
The Royal Navy captures submarine U110 and with it an Enigma coding machine. The capture of this machine is pivotal in the Allies efforts to break Germany's wartime codes.
MICHEL 773 to 778
POSTAL EMPLOYEES'
& HITLER's CULTURE FUND
Issued: 16th May 1941. This series of 6 von Axster Heüdtlass designed stamps were printed on unwatermarked paper in sheets of 50 (5x10) by the Vienna State Printing Works and were Perf K 13½ x 14¼. There were no special postmarks but there was a postcard made available. There was a re-issue of these stamps in 1941.
with different colours and different surcharge amounts.
BREAKING NEWS: 20th May
German airbourne troops invade the island of Crete.
MICHEL 779
The BLUE RIBBON
Issued: 20th Jun 1941. This stamp was designed by Erich Meerwald and was engraved by Prof. F. Lorber for printing at the Vienna State Printing works. Produced on sheets of 50 stamps (10x5) on unwatermarked paper and Perf K 14. There is a special postmark depicting the Hamburg coat of Arms.
BREAKING NEWS: 22nd Jun
German troops invade Russia under Operation Barbarossa.
MICHEL 780
The BROWN RIBBON
Issued:: 20th Jul 1941. The 8th Brown Ribbon of Germany was held in the last week of July 1941. Prof. Richard Klein designed the stamp and it was printed on sheets of 50 (5x10) on unwatermarked paper at the Vienna State Printing Works and was Perf K 14. There are 2 special postmarks and a special slogan postmark marking the event.
BREAKING NEWS: 25th Jul
Germany introduces the world's first postal code system that will eventually be adopted by postal agencies all over the world.
MICHEL 781 to 798
HITLER HEAD DEFINITIVES
Issued: 1st Aug 1941. Michel Numbers 781 to 786 (1Pf through 8Pf) were designed by Prof. Richard Klein and printed at the State Printing Works in Berlin. They were printed Typography on coated paper and Perf K 14 x 14¼. Michel Numbers 787 through 792 (10Pf to 24Pf) were designed by Erich Meerwald and were produced by Recess printing on normal paper, again at the State Printing Works in Berlin.
Michel Numbers 793 through 798 (25Pf to 80Pf) were recess printed on coated paper from a design by Erich Meerwald (Michel 795, 42Pf, was printed only in 1941). Finally the remaining values 1RM through 5RM (Mi 799-802) were issued 20th Mar 1942 (perf A) and (perf B) by the State Printing Works in Vienna from a design by W.Dachauer and engraved by Prof E.Lorber.
The 3Pf, 6Pf, 8Pf, 12Pf, 40Pf, 42Pf, 1RM, 2RM and 3RM were also all printed imperforate on both yellowish and normal paper. There is also a series of 8 plain postcards associated with these stamps.
BREAKING NEWS: 8th Sep
The siege of Lennningrad begins.
MICHEL 803
BERLIN DERBY
Issued: 9th Sep 1941. Designed by E. Meerwald and recess printed at the State Printing Works in Berlin this unwatermarked stamp was produced on sheets of 50 (5x10). There were 2 special postmarks showing horses racing each other. These special cancels are very similar in that they differ only slightly in that one has 'ss' and the other has 'β' in the word 'Grosser' and they were only used on the day of the race, 14th Sep 1941.
MICHEL 804 and 805
VIENNA FAIR
Issued on 16th Sep 1941 and recess printed at the State Printing Works, Vienna these two commemorative stamps were designed by Prof. E. Puchinger (12Pf + 8Pf) and Prof. F. Zerritsch (15Pf + 10Pf). Mi804 depicts a view out of the window of the Belvedere Palace and Mi805 shows a view of the palace gardens.
There were two special postmarks and a slogan postmark.
BREAKING NEWS: 29th Sep
Babi Yar massacre – German troops, assisted by Ukrainian police and local collaborators, killed 33,771 Jews of Kiev, Ukraine.
MICHEL 806 to 809
INTEGRATION of STYRIA
CARINTHIA & CARNIOLA
Issued: 29th Sep 1941. Designed by E. Meerwald and printed Photogravure on coated paper by the State Printing Works in Vienna these stamps were available on sheets of 50.(10x5) Perf K 14. There were 4 special postmarks, one each from the towns of Marburg, Meistern, Pettau and Veldes.
BREAKING NEWS: 27th Nov
German troops get as close as they ever will to the city of Moscow in Russia.
MICHEL 810
150th ANNIV of MOZART's DEATH
Issued: 28th Nov 1941. Michel 810 was designed by H. Ranzoni and was valid for use until 31st Dec 1942. This 6+4Pf stamp depicts Mozart's profile and was produced on sheets of 50 (10x5). The printing is recess priniting from the Vienna State Printing Works. There is no watermark, the perforations are K 14 and the gum is glossy and yellowish in colour.
BREAKING NEWS: 11th Dec
Germany and Italy declare war on the United States.
