NAZI GERMANY
ANNEXATION of AUSTRIA
(8th Apr 1938)

There were a large number of private and other postcards issued prior to the Austrian vote (plebiscite) on whether or not to become part of a Greater Germany on 10th Apr 1938. Below is a selection of the postcards that were made available

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The postcard shown below was published by Verlag Heinrich Hoffmann, München on 8th Apr 1938 to highlight the upcoming vote on Austria's future. The text reads 'Volk Steht zu volk.| Wir Alle geh gehören dem führer.| Dein Dank, Dein Ja.| am 10.April.' translated as 'The People stand together. We all belong to the Führer. Your thanks, Your yes. on the 10th of April.' The self-adhesive stamp on the reverse has been cancelled with a LINZ CDS and special slogan cancel used at the time.

AUSTRIAN PLEBISCITE

FROM MY COLLECTION

The postcard shown below was published to highlight the upcoming vote on Austria's future. The text reads 'Ein Volk - Ein Reich | Ein Führer! | 10-4-1938' - 'One People - One Empire - One Leader'. The reverse of the card has the special issue Annexation Stamp (Austrian version) as well as the special cancel used in Vienna with the same inscription as this card.

AUSTRIAN PLEBISCITE

FROM MY COLLECTION

This series of postcards consists of 10 individual scenes from places of interest across Austria and bears the inscription "Volksabstimmung | 10. April 1938". The cards do not have any pre-printed stamps and are almost always found with special cancellations inscribed "10 April 1938", the date of the vote to decide Austria's future.

The cards are not numbered, the reverse side is blank and there are no publisher's details.

(1)
BRAUNAU AM INN
(Hitler's Birthplace)

FROM MY COLLECTION

(1)
BRAUNAU AM INN
(Hitler's Birthplace)

FROM MY COLLECTION

(2)
LINZ, HAUPTPLAZ

FROM MY COLLECTION

(3)
VIENNA, STEPHANSTURM

FROM MY COLLECTION

(4)
STEIERMARK, GRAZER SCHLOSSTURM

FROM MY COLLECTION

(6)
NIEDERÖSTERREICH

FROM MY COLLECTION

(5)
BURGENLAND, ROHRAU

FROM MY COLLECTION

(5)
BURGENLAND, ROHRAU

FROM MY COLLECTION

(7)
KÄRTEN
LANDHAUS IN KLAGENFURT

(8)
SALZBURG

(9)
VORALBERG

(10)
TIROL

This postcard was issued in BRESLAU to commemorate the plebiscite and exists with either a 3Rpf Hindenburg Medallion pre-printed stamp, a 6RPf Hitler pre-printed stamp, or without a pre-printed stamp. There was a special cancel used in BRESLAU and inscribed "BRESLAU | Rathaus | Ein Volk - Ein Reich - Ein Führer | 10.4.1938". This example from my collection does not have the special cancel.

Austrian Plebiscite

FROM MY COLLECTION

The following is another postcard published to commemorate the Austrian vote to rejoin with Germany on 10th Apr 1938. Again we have the same "Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein führer" - 'One people, one empire, one leader' slogan and a German and an Austrian shaking hands across the border.

Anschluss with Austria

This card shows a map of Germany and Austria combined, soon after this union postal stationary was inscribed 'GROSS DEUTSCHES REICH' or Greater German Empire, instead of just 'DEUTSCHES REICH'. An image of Hitler is shown smiling, as one of his longtime ambitions, to unite the German speaking peoples of Germany and Austria is now fulfilled.

The card was published by Verlag R. Adam of Dresden and sponsored by the Sachsen Gau.

FROM MY COLLECTION

This card was published to commemorate the Austrian Plebiscite. There is an almost identical re-issue of this card on the 1st May 1938 commemorating the National Labour Day. The only difference is the text inside the Oval above Hitler's head. In this issue it reads "Volks Abstimmung in Orsterriech, 10 April 1938", whereas the re-issued card reads "1. Mai 1938".

COMING SOON

On 13th Sep 1938 (5 Months after the vote) Publisher Leopold Stocker Verlag, Graz, issued a series of ten postcards commemorating a "Liberated Austria" from water-colours by Franz Köck. These cards were sold in packets of ten with a lengthy inscription.