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.
POSTCARDS
P58, P64, P73, P78, P90, P96
P100, P102, P106
REPLYCARDS
P61, P67, P75, P81, P92, P94, P98, P104
The 5Pf Germania stamp, inscribed "DEUTSCHES REICH" was used on 9 different official postcards and 8 different official replycards making it one of the most widely used postcards of the early 20th century (along with the 10Pf Germania stamp that was also inscribed "DEUTSCHES REICH").
P58
(POSTCARD)
Issued: 1902. Value stamp is now Germania 5Pf with "DEUTSCHES REICH" inscription. Long address form (121mm) with widely spaced lines. "An" further left than "Postkarte" and 'in' directly below "Postkarte". Also with "Wohnung | Straβe und Hausnummer" below "in". There are two variants: Type 'X' with a watermark 2 (letter and Arabic numeral only) and Type 'Y' without a watermark.
A P58 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 5Pf Germania stamp with "DEUTSCHES REICH" inscription. And
(2) Long Address lines (121mm). And
(3) "An" further left than "Postkarte", "in" directly below "Postkarte" on the left-hand side of the card. And
(4) No print control data. And
(5) Watermark: Yes (Type 'X'), No (Type 'Y').
P58
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
Valid Watermarks:
P58 X: I m Z, 2 m B, C, D, E, K, M, S, W, Z. K and W.
P61
(REPLY CARD)
Issued: 1902. Value stamp is now Germania with "DEUTSCHES REICH" inscription. Long address form (121mm) with widely spaced lines. "An" further left than "Postkarte" and 'in' directly below "Postkarte". Also with "Wohnung | (Straβe und Hausnummer)" below "in". Additional text "Die angebogene | Karte ist für die | Antwort | bestimmt." directly below "An" and to the left of "in" level with 3rd dotted address line.
A P61 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 5Pf Germania stamp with "DEUTSCHES REICH" inscription. And
(2) Long Address lines (121mm). And
(3) "An" further left than "Postkarte", "in" directly below "Postkarte" on the left-hand side of the card. And
(4) No print control data.
P61
REPLYCARD
REPLYCARD
P64
(POSTCARD)
Issued: 1902. Form change. Medium-length address form (104mm) with closely spaced lines. "An" and "in" centered directly under "Postkarte". There are two variations of this card; Type 'X' with a watermark 2 (letter and Arabic numeral only) and Type 'Y' without a watermark.
A P64 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 5Pf Germania stamp with "DEUTSCHES REICH" inscription. And
(2) Medium Address lines (104mm). And
(3) "An", "in" directly below "Postkarte" on the left-hand side of the card. And
(4) Watermark: Yes (Type 'X'), No (Type 'Y')
P64
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
Valid Watermarks:
P64 X: 2 B, C, D, E, K, M, S, W, Z. 3 B, C, D, E, K, M, S, St, W or Z. 4 B, C, D, E, K, M, S, St, W or Z. 5 B, C, D, E, K, M, S, St, W or Z
P67
(REPLY CARD)
Issued: 1902. The same design and layout as P64 only with additional text "Die angebogene | Karte ist für die | Antwort | bestimmt."
A P67 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 5Pf Germania stamp with "DEUTSCHES REICH" inscription. And
(2) Medium Address lines (104mm). And
(3) "An", "in" directly below "Postkarte" on the left-hand side of the card. And
(4) Watermark: No
P67
REPLY CARD
REPLY CARD
P73
(POSTCARD)
Watermark change, otherwise as P64. Medium length address lines (104mm). "An" and "in" centered under "Postcard". Watermark 3 (numbers and letters in diamond).
A P73 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 5Pf Germania stamp inscribed "DEUTSCHES REICH". And
(2) "Postkarte", "An" and "in" in a line vertically. And
(3) Watermark Type 3.
P73
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
Valid Watermarks:
P73: 6 II, 6 III, 7 II or 7 III.
P75
(REPLY CARD)
Watermark change, otherwise as P64. Medium length address lines (104mm). "An" and "in" centered under "Postcard". Watermark 3 (numbers and letters in diamond). The same as P73 but now with additional text "Die angebogene | Karte ist für die | Antwort | bestimmt."
A P75 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 5Pf Germania stamp inscribed "DEUTSCHES REICH". And
(2) "Postkarte", "An" and "in" in a line vertically. And
(3) Watermark Type 3.
P75
REPLY CARD
REPLY CARD
Valid Watermarks:
P75: 6 II
P78
(POSTCARD)
Issued 1908. New design with "Postkarte" on the left-hand side and no other text. Shorter address lines, now 86mm.
A P78 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 5Pf Germania stamp inscribed "DEUTSCHES REICH". And
(2) Postkarte on the top left-hand side. And
(3) Shorter address lines (86mm). And
(4) Watermark Type 3.
P78
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
Valid Watermarks:
P78: 7 II, 7 III, 8 II, 8 III, 9 II or 9 III
P81
(REPLY CARD)
Issued 1908. New design with shorter address lines, now 86mm. This card is inscribed "Postkarte mit Antwort | Carte postale avec réponse payée".
A P81 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 5Pf Germania stamp inscribed "DEUTSCHES REICH". And
(2) Postkarte on the top left-hand side. And
(3) Shorter address lines (86mm). And
(4) Watermark Type 3.
P81
REPLYCARD
REPLYCARD
Valid Watermarks:
P81: 6 II, 7 Ii, 8 II, 9 II,
P90
(POSTCARD)
Issued: 1910/1911. Value stamp is now a Germania 5Pf 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 P90 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 5Pf 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.
P90
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
Valid Watermarks:
P90 I: 9 II, 9 III, 9-9, I-I or III-III
P90 II: III-III
P92
(REPLY CARD)
Issued: 1910/1911. Value stamp is now a Germania 5Pf stamp with "DEUTSCHES REICH" inscription. This card has the word "Postkarte mit Antworte" to the right of the central vertical dividing line. There is no other text on the card. Watermark 3.
A P92 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 5Pf Germania stamp inscribed "DEUTSCHES REICH". And
(2) The words 'Postkarte | mit Antworte' are to the right of the vertical central diving line. And
(3) Watermark: Yes, type 3.
P92
REPLYCARD
REPLYCARD
Valid Watermarks:
P92: 9 II, I-I.
P94
(POSTCARD)
Issued: 1912/1913. Postcards with advertisements for the Wroclaw Centenary of the Wars of Freedom, left with text in frame. P94 I with graduation mark, text in ornamental antiqua, P94 II with eagle, text in Schwabach script. There are two main variations of this postcard. P94 I has text in an octagon on the left-hand pane and P94 II has a picture of a bird carrying a posthorn, with 8 lines of text below the image.
P94 I has a number of variations:
P95 I/01 - Black octagonal title block at top.
P95 I/02 - light-green octagonal title block at the bottom.
P95 I/03 - reddish-brown octagonal title block at the bottom.
P95 I/04 - dark brown square title block at the bottom.
P95 I/05 - Black octagonal title block at bottom.
P94 II also has several variations:
P94 II/01 - grey image.
P94 II/02 - brown image.
P94 II/03 - green image.
P94
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
P96
(POSTCARD)
Issued: 1914. Value stamp is a Germania 5Pf 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 does not have a watermark.
A P96 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 5Pf Germania stamp inscribed "DEUTSCHES REICH". And
(2) The word 'Postkarte' is to the right of the vertical central diving line. And
(3) Watermark: No.
P96
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
P98
(REPLY CARD)
Issued: 1914. Value stamp is a Germania 5Pf stamp with "DEUTSCHES REICH" inscription. This card has the word "Postkarte | mit Antworte" to the right of the central vertical dividing line. There is no other text on the card. This card does not have a watermark.
A P96 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 5Pf Germania stamp inscribed "DEUTSCHES REICH". And
(2) The words 'Postkarte | mit Antworte' is to the right of the vertical central diving line. And
(3) Watermark: No.
P98
REPLYCARD
REPLYCARD
P100
(POSTCARD)
Issued 1914. Special postcard for the German Red Cross Society. Inscribed "Deutsche Kriegskarte 1914" in the centre of the card. There are two variations P100 A has the photographer's name and P100 B does not have the photographer's name.
A P100 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 5Pf green Germania stamp inscribed "DEUTSCHES REICH". And
(2) Inscribed "Deutsche Kriegskarte 1914"
P100
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
P102
(POSTCARD)
Issued: 1914. Value stamp is now a Germania 5Pf stamp with "DEUTSCHES REICH" inscription. This postcard was a special postcard 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 P102 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 5Pf Germania stamp inscribed "DEUTSCHES REICH". And
(2) Special inscription "Offizielle Postkarte | des Würrt. Landesvereins v. Roten Kreuz 1914" on the left-hand pane.
P102
POSTCARD
POSTCARD
P104
(REPLY CARD)
Issued: 1915. Domestic postcard with inscription "Postkarte | mit Antwortkarte" to the right of the vertical, central divider. Without watermark
A P104 must have the following characteristics:
(1) 5Pf Germania stamp inscribed "DEUTSCHES REICH". And
(2) "Postkarte | mit Antwortkarte" to the right of the vertical, central divider. And
(3) Watermark: No
P104
REPLY CARD
REPLY CARD
P106
(POSTCARD)
Issued: 1916/1917. Value stamp is a Germania 5Pf 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) 5Pf green Germania stamp inscribed "DEUTSCHES REICH". And
(2) "Postkarte" directly above vertical, central dividing line.
P106
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
