German Democratic Republic (DDR)
(East Germany)
Stamps of 1951
East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (Deutsche Demokratische, DDR), was a country that existed from October 1949 until 1990, when the eastern portion of Germany was part of the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War. It described itself as a socialist "workers' and peasants' state" and the territory was administered and occupied by Soviet forces at the end of World War II — the Soviet Occupation Zone of the Potsdam Agreement, bounded on the east by the Oder–Neisse line. The Soviet zone surrounded West Berlin but did not include it; as a result, West Berlin remained outside the jurisdiction of the DDR.
Michel 280 and 281
"Winter sports championships of the GDR, Oberhof"
Issued: 3rd Feb 1951, Perf: 13x13½, Watermark: 1. Designed by Prof. Kreische and issued to comemmorate the winter sports championships of the GDR, this year staged in Oberhof. Michel 250 features a 2 man bob-sleigh team whereas Michel 251 depicts a ski jumper.
Michel 282 and 283
"1951 Leipzig Spring Fair"
Issued: 4th Mar 1951. Perf: 13x13½, watermark Wz 1. Issued to commemorate the 1951 Leipzig Spring Fair.
Michel 284 and 285
"German Polish Friendship"
Issued: 22nd Apr 1951. Perf: K13½ and watermark Wz 1. Issued to commemorate German-Polish friendship and depicting Wilhelm Pieck, East German President and Poland's Boleslaw Bierut shaking hands above a dove of peace.
Michel 286 to 288
"German Chinese Friendship"
Issued: 27th Jun 1951. Perf: K13½, watermark Wz 1. Designed by Martens and issued to commemorate German-Chinese friendship. Michel 286 and 288 feature Chinese leader Mao Ze Dong, revolutionary and statesman. Michel 287 depicts peasants gathered in a field.
Michel 289 to 292
"World Festival of Youth and Students - Berlin"
Issued: 3rd Aug 1951. Perf: 13½x13, watermark Wz 1. Designed by Eigler and Bade and issued to commemorate World Festival of Youth and Students - Berlin. Michel 289 and 291 are the same except for the colour and depict a teenager hoisting a flag in front of Brandenburg Gate, Berlin. Michel 290 and 292 are also identical except for the colour and show folk dancers.
Michel 293
"First five-year plan"
Issued: 2nd Sep 1951. Perf: 13x12½, watermark Wz 1 and available on sheets (10x10). Designed by Koch and issued to commemorate the First 5 year economic plan. The stamp depicts a hammer, a sickle and a compass as well as a bold figure '5', symbolic of the fact that the plan had a heavy emphasis on workers and peasants.
Michel 294
"80th Birthday of Karl von Liebknecht"
Issued: 7th Oct 1951. Perf: K13½x13, watermark Wz 1 and available on sheets (10x5). Designed by Weiß and issued to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the birth of Karl von Liebknecht.
Michel 295
"Stamp Day"
Issued: 28th Oct 1951. Perf: K13½x13, watermark Wz 1 and available on sheets (5x10). Designed by Eigler and issued to commemorate Stamp Day 1951. The stamp depicts a mother with her two young children looking at a stamp album.
Michel 296 and 297
"German Soviet Friendship"
Issued: 1st and 15th Dec 1951. Perf: K13½, watermark Wz 1 and available on sheets (5x5). Designed by Gruner and issued to commemorate German-Soviet friendship. The stamps feature similar designs with the 12Pf depicting Stalin Prize winner Pawel Bykow and National Prize winner Erich Wirth. The 24Pf depicts Russian Premier Joseph Stalin and East Germany's first President Wilhelm Pieck.
