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.
POSTCARD P40 and REPLY CARD P41
There was only one postcard (P40) and one reply card (P41) issued that had the 2Pf, grey, number in ellipse with crown, stamp inscribed 'REICHSPOST'. They were issued in response to the postal rebate enacted by the German Reichspost, due to the closure of the private city post offices, that were in operation up until 31st Mar 1900.Caution: It is quite easy to misidentify a P41 (F) or (A) as a P40 when P41 has been torn in half. A P41 (F) has additional text "Die angebogene | Karte ist für die | Antwort | bestimmt." not found on P40 or P41(A). P41(A) has the word '(Antworte)' directly below the word 'Postkarte' and this is not found on either P40 or P41(F).
P40
(POSTCARD)
Issued: 1st Apr 1900. This postcard exists in eight possible varieties. Four have Wohnungs Type I, and four have Wohnungs Type II. Each Wohnungs type also has 4 possible varieties: Type 'Aa' measures 140 x 90mm is 'grey', Type 'Ab' measures 140 x 90mm and is 'light-blue'. Type 'Ba' measures 120 x 79mm and is 'grey' whereas 'Bb' measures 120 x 79mm and is 'light-blue'.
Type a
Grey
Grey
Type b
Blue
Blue
A P40 must have the following characteristics:
1) 2Pf, grey, number in ellipse with crown, stamp inscribed 'REICHSPOST'.
P40
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
Valid gap data:
P40 Aa I (Wohnungstype I): 599-, 599-- or 799-
P40 Aa II (Wohnungs type II): 599--, 799- or 799--
P40 Ab I (Wohnungstype I): 599-, 599--, 699-, 699--, 799, 799- or 899--
P40 Ab II (Wohnungs type II): 599--, 699-, 699--, 799-, 799--, 899-- or 300--
P40 Ba I and II: 599-
P40 Bb I and II: 599-
P40 Ab PF II: P40 can be found with a printing flaw. The top of the 'E' of 'REICHSPOST' has an extended bar
.
P41
(REPLY CARD)
Issued: 1st Apr 1900. This postcard exists in two variants and both are coloured slate-blue to light-blue. The design is the same as that of P40 above. P41 Type Ab I - (Wohnungs type I) and P41 Ab II - (Wohnungs type II).
A P41 must have the following characteristics:
1) 2Pf, grey, number in ellipse with crown, stamp inscribed 'REICHSPOST'.
P41
REPLY CARD
REPLY CARD
Valid gap data:
P40 Ab I (Wohnungstype I): 599--, 699-, 699--, 799- or 899--
P40 Ab II (Wohnungs type II): 599--, 699-, 699--, 799-, 899-, 899-- or 300--
P41 PF II: P41 can be found with the same printing flaw as P40 Ab PF II above.
.
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