- Ost-Afrika Post Offices
- Ost-Afrika Feldpost
- Ost-Afrika Navy Post
- Ost-Afrika Seepost
- Ost-Afrika Bahnpost
GERMAN COLONIES
OST-AFRIKA
OFFICIAL POSTCARDS
German East Africa was gradually occupied by the United Anglo-Indian, Belgian and African troops until the end of 1917. At the end of the war it was divided as a mandate area among England, Belgium and Portugal.
Quick Links: Lamu Vorlaufer, Zanzibar Vorlaufer, Other Vorlaufer, PESA overprint, Deutsche-Ostafrika Overprint, Deutsche-Ostafrika Overpint, Private Issue Crown/Eagle, Imperial Yacht PESA, Imperial Yacht 2, Imperial Yacht Private Issue, Imperial Yacht HELLER
LAMU VORLAUFER
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MICHEL VU12, VP14 & VP15
GERMAN EMPIRE 'PFENNIG'
Michel VU12
10Pf red
10Pf red
Michel VP14
10Pf red
10Pf red
Michel VP15
Reply Card
Reply Card
MICHEL VU13A- VU13B, VP21 and VP15
GERMAN EMPIRE 'CROWN / EAGLE'
Michel VU13A/B
10Pf carmine
10Pf carmine
Michel VP21 & VP25
10Pf red
10Pf red
ZANZIBAR VORLAUFER
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MICHEL VP15
GERMAN EMPIRE 'PFENNIG'
Michel VU12
10Pf red
10Pf red
MICHEL VU13A & VU13B, VP20 & VP24, VP21 & VP25, VP23 & VP27
GERMAN EMPIRE 'CROWN / EAGLE'
Michel VU13A & VU13B
10Pf carmine
10Pf carmine
Michel VP20 & VP24
5Pf green
5Pf green
Michel VP21 & VP25
10Pf carmine
10Pf carmine
Michel VP23 & VP27
Reply Card
2x 10Pf carmine
Reply Card
2x 10Pf carmine
OTHER VORLAUFER
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MICHEL VU13A & VU13B
GERMAN EMPIRE 'CROWN / EAGLE'
Michel VU13A and VU13B
10Pf carmine
10Pf carmine
MICHEL VS8
GERMAN EMPIRE 'CROWN / EAGLE'
Michel VS8
3Pf brown
3Pf brown
MICHEL VK1, VK3, VK4, VK6, VK8
GERMAN EMPIRE 'CROWN / EAGLE'
Michel VK1, VK3, VK4, VK6, VK8
10Pf carmine
10Pf carmine
MICHEL VP20, VP24, VP28, VP30, VP32 & VP36
GERMAN EMPIRE 'CROWN / EAGLE'
Michel VP20, VP24, VP28, VP30, VP32 & VP36
10Pf red
10Pf red
MICHEL VP22, VP26 & VP31
GERMAN EMPIRE 'CROWN / EAGLE'
Michel VP22, VP26 & VP31
Reply Card
2x 5Pf green
Reply Card
2x 5Pf green
MICHEL VP21 & VP25
GERMAN EMPIRE 'CROWN / EAGLE'
Michel VP21 & VP25
10Pf carmine
10Pf carmine
MICHEL VP27
GERMAN EMPIRE 'CROWN / EAGLE'
Michel VP27
Reply Card
2x 10Pf carmine
Reply Card
2x 10Pf carmine
MICHEL P1 to P4
CROWN EAGLE
(PESA & Value Overprint)
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MICHEL P1
Issued from 1893. Postcards measure 140 x 90mm. Black, horizontal, one-line overprint of the new value and 'PESA' on postcards of the German Reich. Michel P1
3 PESA on 5Pf green
3 PESA on 5Pf green
MICHEL P2
Michel P2
5 PESA on 10Pf carmine
5 PESA on 10Pf carmine
MICHEL P3
Michel P3
Reply Card
3 PESA on 5Pf green
Reply Card
3 PESA on 5Pf green
MICHEL P4
Michel P4
Reply Card
5 PESA on 10Pf carmine
Reply Card
5 PESA on 10Pf carmine
MICHEL P5 to P8
CROWN EAGLE
(Deutsches-Ostafrika | Pesa Overprint)
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MICHEL P5
Issued from 1896. Postcards measure 140 x 90mm. Diagonal Black, two-line overprint 'Deutsche-Ostafrika | Pesa' on postcards of the German Reich. Michel P5
3 Pesa on 5Pf green
3 Pesa on 5Pf green
MICHEL P6
Michel P6
5 Pesa on 10Pf carmine
5 Pesa on 10Pf carmine
MICHEL P7
Michel P7
Reply Card
3 Pesa on 5Pf green
Reply Card
3 Pesa on 5Pf green
MICHEL P8
Michel P8
Reply Card
5 Pesa on 10Pf carmine
Reply Card
5 Pesa on 10Pf carmine
MICHEL P9 to P12
CROWN EAGLE
(Deutsches-Ostafrika | Pesa Overprint)
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Issued 1899 and valid for use until 30th Sep 1901.MICHEL P9
P9 without watermark. Michel P9
3 Pesa on 5Pf green
3 Pesa on 5Pf green
MICHEL P10
P10 without letters after the print date. Michel P10
5 Pesa on 10Pf carmine
5 Pesa on 10Pf carmine
MICHEL P11
P11 without letters after the print date. Michel P11
Reply Card
3 Pesa on 5Pf green
Reply Card
3 Pesa on 5Pf green
MICHEL P12
P12 without letters after the print date. P12 is also known with a white line in the frame. Michel P12
Reply Card
5 Pesa on 10Pf carmine
Reply Card
5 Pesa on 10Pf carmine
MICHEL PP1 & PP2
PRIVATE ISSUE
CROWN / EAGLE
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MICHEL PP1
Michel PP1
3 Pesa on 5Pf green
3 Pesa on 5Pf green
MICHEL PP2
Michel PP2
5 Pesa on 10Pf carmine
5 Pesa on 10Pf carmine
MICHEL P13 to P16
IMPERIAL YACHT
'DEUTSCHES-OSTAFRIKA'
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P13 to P16 were issued from 1901 and depict the Kaiser's yacht with the inscription 'DEUTSCH-OSTAFRIKA' in an arc across the top. The postcards were issued to coincide with the Ost-Afrika stamps which have the same design as the pre-printed stamps on these postcards. Unfortunately there are a lot of fake versions of these postcards available on the internet. Not only have the Ost-Afrika postcards been forged, but also all other colonial issues of these postcards as well. However the forgeries and the real versions can be differentiated by looking closely at the pre-printed stamps. Below are two close up views of forged postcards (the genuine one is the Karolinen image and the forged is the Ost-Afrika image) in the Kaiser's yacht series to assist with determining which are fake and which are genuine.
Genuine
Forged
The genuine stamp has clearly defined white lines running up the two smoke stacks (chimneys), two parallel lines on each chimney. The fake versions are much less visible and almost disappear on the second smoke stack. The horizontal shading lines each side of the denomination are also much clearer on the genuine stamp. Finally the smoke emitting from the genuine chimneys is much sharper than the blurred smoke of the fake version.
If you are looking to buy any of these postcards on the internet and the image posted is too small for you to make a positive identification, then it should be noted that the fake postcards look much newer and fresher than the genuine items. These postcards are over 100 years old and should not look like they are fresh of the printing press.
MICHEL P13
Michel P13
3 PESA green
3 PESA green
MICHEL P14
Michel P14
5 PESA carmine
5 PESA carmine
MICHEL P15
Michel P15
Reply Card
2x 3 PESA green
Reply Card
2x 3 PESA green
MICHEL P16
Michel P16
Reply Card
2x 5 PESA carmine
Reply Card
2x 5 PESA carmine
MICHEL P17
IMPERIAL YACHT
'DEUTSCHES-OSTAFRIKA'
(HELLER)
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Issued 1905. Value in Heller, the international cards now without borders.MICHEL P17
Michel P17
3 PESA green
3 PESA green
MICHEL PP3
IMPERIAL YACHT
PRIVATE ISSUE
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MICHEL PP3
Michel PP3
3 PESA green
3 PESA green
MICHEL P18 to P21
IMPERIAL YACHT
'DEUTSCHES-OSTAFRIKA'
HELLER
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Issued 1905. Currency in Heller.MICHEL P18
Michel P18
4 HELLER green
4 HELLER green
MICHEL P19
Michel P19
7½ HELLER carmine
7½ HELLER carmine
MICHEL P20
Michel P20
Reply Card
2x 4 HELLER green
Reply Card
2x 4 HELLER green
MICHEL P21
Michel P21
Reply Card
2x 7½ HELLER carmine
Reply Card
2x 7½ HELLER carmine
MICHEL P22
IMPERIAL YACHT
'DEUTSCHES-OSTAFRIKA'
HELLER
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Issued 1909. Shortened address lines (85mm), only inscribed "postcard" and diamond watermark.MICHEL P22
Michel P22
4 HELLER green
4 HELLER green
MICHEL P23 to P25
IMPERIAL YACHT
'DEUTSCHES-OSTAFRIKA'
HELLER
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Issued 1910/1917. "Postkarte" to the right of the graduation mark (for P25 it is 25mm above the graduation mark).MICHEL P23
Michel P23
4 HELLER green
4 HELLER green
MICHEL P24
Michel P24
Reply Card
2x 4 HELLER green
Reply Card
2x 4 HELLER green
MICHEL P25
Michel P25
Reply Card
2x 7½ HELLER carmine
Reply Card
2x 7½ HELLER carmine
MICHEL P26 and P27
IMPERIAL YACHT
'DEUTSCHES-OSTAFRIKA'
HELLER
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Issued 1919. "Postkarte" 23mm above the graduation mark. without diamond watermark.MICHEL P26
Michel P26
2x 4 HELLER green
2x 4 HELLER green
MICHEL P27
Michel P27
2x 7½ HELLER carmine
2x 7½ HELLER carmine
MICHEL PP4
PRIVATE POSTCARD
IMPERIAL YACHT
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MICHEL PP4
Michel PP4
2½ HELLER brown
2½ HELLER brown