NAZI GERMANY
POSTMARKS
1933

21st Mar 1933
OPENING SESSION of NEW REICHSTAG
(Potsdam)

This commemorative postmark was used for a single day on 21.3.33 to celebrate the opening of the Reichstag. It is inscribed "POTSDAM REICHSTAGS EROSENUNG" - 'Reichstag opening'. There was also a series of postcards issued to commemorate the opening.

Special postmark only used on 21.3.33.

The seat of the German Weimar Government was the Reichstag building in Berlin. On 27 February 1933, just a month after Adolf Hitler was sworn in as the new German Chancellor, the Reichstag building was set on fire and burnt to the ground. Hitler blamed the fire on the Communists and used it to stir up fear of a Communist revolution. This led to the introduction of the "Enabling Act" which gave Hitler sweeping powers to remove his competition and effectively ban all other political parties. It is likely however that the fire was a Nazi inspired action and had nothing whatsoever to do with the Communists. The new Reichstag was a puppet entity that had almost no political power.

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1st Jul 1933
FRUIT and VEGETABLES
(Weltberühmte Braunschweigische Gemüse
und Obst Konserven)

Slogan Postmark celebrating "World famous Brunswick vegetables and fruit preserves"

11th to 13th Aug 1933
FIRST EAST BERLIN SS APPEAL
(Erster Schulz-Staffel-Appell
der Gruppe Ost in Berlin)

Slogan Postmark celebrating "First East Berlin SS appeal"

19th to 21st Aug 1933
ASCHERSLEBEN STAMP EXHIBITION

This special postmark was used advertise the Aschersleben Stamp Exhibition held in that town from the 19th to 21st August 1933. In addition to the postmark there was also a commemorative postcard.

Special postmark used to advertise the Stamp Exhibition

The design of the postmark and the design of the postcard are the same, featuring a postman blowing his post horn whilst galloping to deliver the mail.

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29th Aug 1933
MUSIC and SPORT
(Musikstadt and Wintersport)

Special postmark.

30th Aug to 3rd Sep 1933
REISCHSPARTEITAG NÜRNBERG
(Nazi Party Rally)

The 1933 Nazi Party Rally held in Nürnberg ran from the 30th of August through to the 3rd of Sept 1933.

Special Slogan postmark.

5th Sep 1933
50th ANNIV of SCHÜNWALD PORCELAIN FACTORY

Advertising postmark celebrating 50 years of the Porcelain factory in Schünwald.

15th to 21st Oct 1933
STUTTGART CRAFTWORK EXHIBITION

This slogan postmark advertises the Stuttgart Craftwork Exhibition from 15th to 21st October 1933. The inscription reads "Rollende Mark macht /handwerk stark! Deine Hand dem Handwerk" - 'Rolling Mark makes / crafts strong! Your hand to the craft'.

Special Slogan postmark.

50th CROSSING of ATLANTIC OCEAN
by the 'Graf Zeppelin' L.Z 127

Special Postmark.

The airship left Friedrichshafen on the evening of 15th October 1933 and landed, 63 hours and 41 minutes later, in Recife on the 17th of October. The arrival mark was 17.X.33. On the 18th of October she departed for Rio de Janeiro, mail was exchanged and franked 18 OUT 933 and 19 OUT 933. The return flight to Recife was franked 20.X.33.

17.X.33

18 OUT 933

19 OUT 933

20.X.33

On the 21st of October she flew on to Miami landing at noon on the 23rd. Arriving mail was franked "23.Oct.11am 1933". Continuing on to Akron, Ohio mail was later cancelled "25.Oct 5:30am 1933". Continuing onwards to the World's Fair in Chicago mail was franked "Oct.26 10.a.m 1933".

23.Oct 11am 1933

25.Oct 5:30am 1933

Oct.26 10am 1933

Oct.28 4pm 1933

The flight continued to Akron and then on to Sevilla arriving on the 31st of Oct. Mail was franked "29. 10. 33". In some cases, the mail was also stamped with an additional special violet postmark "Transportado per / Graf Zeppelin / A Friedrichshafen / Sevilla 1933".

Special Violet Postmark.

She finally arrived back in Friedrichshafen on the 2nd of November where a special green postmark was applied inscribed "Friedrichshafen (Bodensee) 2. 11. 33-8. / Mit Luftschiff / Graf Zeppelin / Befördert".

Special Green Postmark.

10th Nov 1933
450th ANNIV of MARTIN LUTHER's BIRTH

This special postmark was used in Martin Luther's birthplace, the town of Eisleben, to commemorate 450 years since his birth.

Special postmark marking 450 years since the birth of Dr. Martin Luther.

There was also a commemorative postcard issued to celebrate the occasion.

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GERMAN WELFARE FUND
(Deutsche Nothilfe)
Richard Wagner

"Richard-Wagner -National-Denkmal LEIPZIG 6 Marz 1934 GrundSteinlegung" - Richard-Wagner-National Monument LEIPZIG March 6, 1934 Foundation.

There were several other slogan postmarks which were associated with this issue and also for future charity issues.

"Abt nationale Solidaritat! Gebt! Helft!" - For National solidarity ! Give! Help!

"Gebt zur Winterhilfe! helft! " - Give to the Winter Charity! help!

"Kauft wohlfahrts-briefmarken fur die Winterhilfe!" - Buy charity stamps for th WHW!"

FIRST HERTHA ROCKET

Slogan Postmark celebrating mail "transported with the 1st steerable flying rocket "Herta" (System Sugar)"

4th Nov 1933
NIGHT ROCKET LAUNCH

Slogan Postmark celebrating "night rocket launch - hasselfelde - 4th Nov 1933"

NAZI GERMANY POSTMARKS 1933

21st Mar 1933 OPENING SESSION of NEW REICHSTAG (Potsdam)

1st Jul 1933 FRUIT and VEGETABLES (Weltberühmte Braunschweigische Gemüse und Obst Konserven)

11th to 13th Aug 1933 FIRST EAST BERLIN SS APPEAL (Erster Schulz-Staffel-Appell der Gruppe Ost in Berlin)

19th to 21st Aug 1933 ASCHERSLEBEN STAMP EXHIBITION

29th Aug 1933 MUSIC and SPORT (Musikstadt and Wintersport)

30th Aug to 3rd Sep 1933 REISCHSPARTEITAG NÜRNBERG (Nazi Party Rally)

5th Sep 1933 50th ANNIV of SCHÜNWALD PORCELAIN FACTORY

15th to 21st Oct 1933 STUTTGART CRAFTWORK EXHIBITION

50th CROSSING of ATLANTIC OCEAN by the 'Graf Zeppelin' L.Z 127

10th Nov 1933 450th ANNIV of MARTIN LUTHER's BIRTH

GERMAN WELFARE FUND (Deutsche Nothilfe) Richard Wagner