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.
P77, P80, P89, P95, P101, P105 and DRP2
There was only one official replycard, (P80), and six official postcards, issued with brown, 3Pf Germania stamps, inscribed "DEUTSCHES REICH".
P77
(POSTCARD)
Issued: 1908. This design has a very simple layout when compared to the earlier cards. The only inscription on the card is "Postkarte" which is printed on the top left-hand side of the card. The address lines are now much shorter (86mm) and there are 4 dotted lines and a single solid line below the 3rd dotted address line.
A P76 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 3Pf Germania stamp with "DEUTSCHES REICH" inscription. And
(2) Short Address lines (86mm). And
(3) Only "Postkarte" is inscribed on the card. And
(4) Watermark: Yes, type 3.
P77
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
Valid Watermarks:
P77: 7 III
P80
(REPLY CARD)
Issued: 1908. The same design as P77 above, only now with additional text instead of "Postkarte", the text now reads "Postkarte mit Antwort | Carte postale avec réponse payée".
A P80 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 3Pf Germania stamp with "DEUTSCHES REICH" inscription. And
(2) Short Address lines (86mm). And
(3) Watermark: Yes, type 3.
P80
REPLYCARD
REPLYCARD
Valid Watermarks:
P80: 7 III
P89
(POSTCARD)
Issued: 1910/1911. Value stamp is now a Germania 3Pf stamp with "DEUTSCHES REICH" inscription. This card has the word "Postkarte" to the right of the central vertical dividing line. There is no other text on the card. Watermark 3.
A P89 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 3Pf Germania stamp inscribed "DEUTSCHES REICH". And
(2) The word 'Postkarte' is to the right of the vertical central diving line. And
(3) Watermark: Yes, type 3.
P89 I
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
Valid Watermarks:
P89: III-III
P95
(POSTCARD)
Issued: 1914. Value stamp is a Germania 3Pf stamp with "DEUTSCHES REICH" inscription. This card has the word "Postkarte" to the right of the central vertical dividing line. There is no other text on the card. This card is exactly the same as P89 above with the exception that it does not have a watermark.
A P95 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 3Pf Germania stamp inscribed "DEUTSCHES REICH". And
(2) The word 'Postkarte' is to the right of the vertical central diving line. And
(3) Watermark: No.
P95
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
P101
(POSTCARD)
Issued: 1914. Value stamp is now a Germania 3Pf stamp with "DEUTSCHES REICH" inscription. This postcard was a special postcards issued for the red cross in Wurttemberg. The reverse of the cover has a color picture of a sick person and the card background is white.
A P101 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 3Pf Germania stamp inscribed "DEUTSCHES REICH". And
(2) Special inscription "Offizielle Postkarte | des Würrt. Landesvereins v. Roten Kreuz 1914" on the left-hand pane.
P101
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
P105
(POSTCARD)
Issued: 1916/1917. Value stamp is now a Germania 3Pf stamp with "DEUTSCHES REICH" inscription. Another Simple design, this time the card only has the word "Postkarte" and it is situated directly above the vertical, central dividing line.
A P105 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 3Pf brown Germania stamp inscribed "DEUTSCHES REICH". And
(2) "Postkarte" directly above vertical, central dividing line.
P105
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
DPR2
(DRUCKSACHE-POSTKARTEN)
Issued: 1902. The word "Postkarte" has been replaced with the word "Drucksache" and the word "in" is vertically to the right of "Drucksache" and the line that follows is shorter.
A DRP1 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 3Pf Germania stamp with "DEUTSCHES REICH" inscription. And
(2) Long Address lines (121mm). And
(3) "An" further left than "Drucksache", "in" below and to the right of Drucksache" on the left-hand side of the card. And
(4) No print control data. And
(5) Watermark: No
DPR2
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
