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.
P285
(POSTCARD)
Issued: 27th Oct 1939. These 6 postcards were issued to raise funds for the German Winter Relief fund (Winterhilfswerk or WHW). Each card features a famous German on the left-hand pane and the value stamp is a large No 6 and small No.4 with the word "Winterhilfswerk" inscribed along the top.
A P285 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 6Pf + 4Pf brown, large No.6 and small No.4 pre-printed stamp, inscribed "Winterhilfswerk". And
(2) No inscription along the vertical divider.
P285/01
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
P285/02
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
P285/03
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
P285/04
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
P285/05
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
P285/06
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
P286
(POSTCARD)
Issued: 29th Mar 1940. Special postcard, re-issue of P285 above but now with brown inscription for the 6th Reichsstrasse collection of the DAF vertically along the central divider. The value stamp is a large No 6 and small No.4 with the word "Winterhilfswerk" inscribed along the top.
A P285 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 6Pf + 4Pf brown, large No.6 and small No.4 pre-printed stamp, inscribed "Winterhilfswerk". And
(2) Additional "Reichsstrasse" inscription along the vertical divider.
P286/01
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
P286/02
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
P286/03
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
P286/04
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
P286/05
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
P286/06
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
P287
(POSTCARD)
Issued: 27th Oct 1939. Special postcard to celebrate the re-integration of the Free City of Danzig into the German Reich. The value stamp is a large No 6 and small No.4 with the word "Winterhilfswerk" inscribed along the top.
A P285 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 6Pf + 4Pf brown, large No.6 and small No.4 pre-printed stamp, inscribed "Winterhilfswerk". And
(2) "DANZIG IST DEUTSCH" inscription on front of card.
P287
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
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
