GERMAN EMPIRE
OFFICIAL POSTCARDS
Please note the following for this website. Official Postcards are defined as:
1. Postcards of the German Empire issued by the Official German postal Authority, from 1873 until 1945.
2. Postcards that were generally available throughout the entire country and have a pre-printed (Indicia) stamp to cover the cost of postage.
The vast majority of official postcards have no printing on the reverse side so no image of the reverse side is provided, except in the few instances where there was something printed on the reverse of the card.
P2 and P4
(1873)
P2 and P4 are the only two official cards that have the 2 KREUZER stamp. P2 is a regular postcard and P4 is a double-sided reply or answer card.
P2
(POSTCARD)
Note that the reply/answer card can be confused with the postcard when the reply card is found divided or separated. A quick check of the border design running around the edge of the card will help you determine what you have. The P2 postcard has a series of flowers running around the border, whereas the reply/answer card has a series of waves. If your card has a 2 Kreuzer pre-printed stamp and a flower border then you have a P2 postcard.
P2 - POSTCARD
P4
(REPLY CARD)
The P4 reply card has a series of waves running around the border of the card. If your card has a 2 Kreuzer pre-printed stamp and a wavy border then you have a P4 postcard. When the P4 card is found divided in half it can be difficult to determine if you have a P4(F), question side or a P4(A), reply side. The inscription on each side of the card differs slightly. The 'F' side has the inscription 'Rückantwort bezahlt', and the 'A' side is inscribed 'Bezahlte Rückantwort' below the word 'Postkarte'.
P4 - REPLY CARD
MAIN REFERENCE SOURCES
1. MICHEL GANZSACHEN DEUTSCHLAND 2018. ISBN: 978-3-95402-225-02. BOREK GANZSACHEN-SPEZIAL-KATALOG DEUTSCHLAND ab 1933. ISBN: 3-87091-060-7
3. MICHEL BILDPOSTKARTEN- UND MOTIVGANSACHEN KATALOG DEUTSCHLAND 1997. ISBN: 3-87858-631-0
4. GANZSACHEN-HANDBUCH DES "DITTEN REICHES" 1933-1945 by FRECH. ISBN: UNKNOWN
