NAZI GERMANY
OTHER POSTCARDS
1940
The 1940 postcard page has now been split into four separate pages as it was beginning to get unwieldy. All 1940 Official postcards are now on this page. Official postcards are cards that were issued by the Reich's post office, had pre-printed (indicia) stamps and were widely available throughout German towns and cities.
Secondly Printed to Private Order postcards are postcards that were generally issued by entities that were advertising an event or commemorating an anniversary, and also had pre-printed stamps, but were not widely available throughout Germany (most were only available at the event they were commemorating).
Thirdly Other postcards are postcards that fall into the same general category as printed to private order however they do not have pre-printed stamps.
Finally, Miscellaneous postcards is where you will find postcards that do not fit into the first three categories (i.e. they are not official, they do not have pre-printed stamps, and they do not commemorate an event).
Quick Links:
STAMP DAY, OPFERTAG , 6th NATIONAL WINTER RELIEF FUND, ADOLF HITLER'S BIRTHDAY, LOST COLONIES, MUSSOLINI / ADOLF HITLER MEETING, ARMISTICE at COMPIEGNE, MIDDLE GERMAN COLONIAL SHOW, GERMAN RED CROSS FUND RAISER, DAY OF FREEDOM, HONOURING EMIL Von BEHRING, FELDPOST CHRISTMAS GREETING, MITGLIEDKARTE ENGINEERS , DONATION for the VDA SCHOOL COLLECTION , 700th ANNIV OF THE PHARMACY , ANTI-BRITISH PROPAGANDA CARD and GEORG von SLUYTERMAN v. LANGEWEYDE
STAMP DAY
(7th Jan 1940)
This postcard was issued to commemorate Stamp Day on 7th Jan 1940 and the 90th Anniversary of German Stamps sponsored by the Nürnberg Philatelic Club.
Nürnberg Stamp Club
OFFERING/SACRIFICE DAY
(20th/21st Jan 1940)
This postcard was issued to commemorate Offering Day/Sacrifice Day of the War Winterhilfswerk (W.H.W). The annual event had its roots in the early years of the First World War, when fundraising events would be held in many German towns and cities. The donations from the people were used to support the war effort as well as the German Red Cross and widows and orphans.
Click here for more examples.
Offering Day
COMING SOON
Offering Day
FROM MY COLLECTION
6th NATIONAL WINTER RELIEF FUND
(29th/31st Mar 1940)
This postcard was issued to commemorate the 6th National Winterhilfswerk (W.H.W) fund raising. There are quite a number of variations in the colour of the card, from white to brown. The example below shows the special cancel that was used in Berlin-Steglitz and Heilbronn (Neckar).
Winter Relief Fund
Winter Relief Fund
FROM MY COLLECTION
ADOLF HITLER'S BIRTHDAY
(20th Apr 1940)
This postcard was issued to commemorate Adolf Hitler's birthday on 20th Apr 1940. The image depicts the house where Hitler was born in the Austrian town of Braunau am Inn. The scene is surrounded by a wreath of oak leaves symbolising strength and longevity. The reverse of this example shows the special cancellation used in Vienna and depicts an Iron Cross medal flanked by a sword and a hammer with the inscription "Geburtstag des Führers". The image represents bravery, strength and hard work.
HITLER's BIRTHDAY
FROM MY COLLECTION
LOST COLONIES
(10th/30th Jun 1940)
Published 10th to 30th Jun 1940 to remind Germans of the colonies they lost after their defeat in the Frist World War. The postcard was available at the German Colonial Show and asks the question "Wie lange nach ohne Kolonien?" - 'How much longer without colonies?'. This was a reflection of the German feeling that Germany would not be treated as a leading nation, and hence an equal, on the world's stage if it did not possess any colonies.
==============================
The postcard design shows the continent of Africa
divided up into neat areas as a reference to the fact that Africa has already been divided up and distributed among other nations.
==============================
The postcard design shows the continent of Africa
divided up into neat areas as a reference to the fact that Africa has already been divided up and distributed among other nations.
==============================
Lost Colonies
COMING SOON
MUSSOLINI / ADOLF HITLER MEETING
(18th Jun 1940)
This photo-Hoffmann produced postcard was issued to commemorate the meeting between Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini in Munich on 18th Jun 1940. Mussolini was accompanied by his Foreign Minister, Count Ciano who later recorded in his diary that Mussolini had left the meeting feeling embarrassed that he was now playing second fiddle to Hitler, who's armies had just secured spectacular victories over France and the Low countries, without much assistance from Mussolini.
This example also has the special cancel used to commemorate the meeting on 18th Jun 1940
MEETING
ARMISTICE at COMPIEGNE
(25th Jun 1940)
This postcard was issued to commemorate the signing of the Armistice with France at Compiegne Forest. The dramatic imagery depicts German soldiers, Ju87 Stuka dive bombers and large artillery pieces swarming all over a map of defeated Belgium, Holland and Northern France. The inscription reads "Erinnerung an | den Waffenstillstand | in Compiegne 25. Juni 1940 | um 1.25 Uhr." - 'Memory of | the armistice | in Compiegne June 25, 1940 | at 1:25 am'.
The German's, wanting to make as big a show as possible out of France's humiliating defeat, shipped the same railway carriage used by the Germans to sign their defeat after the First World War, all the way from the museum where it was on display to a clearing in Compiegne Forest. True theatre.
Armistice at Compiegne
FROM MY COLLECTION
MIDDLE GERMAN COLONIAL SHOW
(29th Sep/13th Oct 1940)
This postcard was issued to commemorate the Middle German Colonial show held in Aussig from 29th Sep to 13th Oct 1940. There were two different design available, the one below and another depicting Africa in orange with white areas denoting the locations of the lost colonies and a large palm tree to the left. The colonies were clockwise from the top: DOA (Deutsche Ost Afrika), DSWA (Deutsche Südwest Afrika), Kamerun and Togo. This card bears the inscription "Mittledeutsche | Kolonialschau"
Design 1
Middle German Colonial Show
Middle German Colonial Show
Design 2
Middle German Colonial Show
Middle German Colonial Show
GERMAN RED CROSS FUND RAISER
(Oct 1940)
In Oct 1940 the German Red Cross issued a series of 6 postcards designed to raise funds for the organisation. The cards were sold for 1 RM in a set within an illustrated envelope inscribed:
'KREIGS-HILFSWERK FUR DAS DEUTSCHES ROTE KREUZ | KRIEGSJAHR 1940 | HERAUSEGEBEN VON DER NSDAP., KREISLEITUNG MUNSTER-WARENDORF PREIS 1.-RM.' - 'WAR-WELFAREK FOR THE GERMAN RED CROSS | WAR 1940 | PUBLISHED BY THE NSDAP., MUNSTER-WARENDORF CIRCUIT PRICE 1.-RM'.
The images feature linocuts designed by Georg Sluyterman von Langeweyde. The example below is No.3 in the series.
Click here for more details.
Red Cross Fund Raising
FROM MY COLLECTION
DAY OF FREEDOM
(26th Oct 1940)
Published 26th Oct 1940 to commemorate the 1st Anniversary of the 'Day of Freedom'. This issue was published by the Gaupropagandaleitung der NSDAP: Wartheland, and was re-issued using excess cards in 1941
==============================
The postcard design features a gold
Reichsadler holding an oak leaf wreath and
swastika in its talons and the inscription 'Wartheland'.
Below the eagle is a sword, and a plough
symbolising strength, power and hard work.
Below that is the inscription:
'TAG DER FREIHEIT' or 'Day of Freedom'
==============================
The postcard design features a gold
Reichsadler holding an oak leaf wreath and
swastika in its talons and the inscription 'Wartheland'.
Below the eagle is a sword, and a plough
symbolising strength, power and hard work.
Below that is the inscription:
'TAG DER FREIHEIT' or 'Day of Freedom'
==============================
Day of Freedom
COMING SOON
HONOURING EMIL Von BEHRING
(26th Nov 1940)
This postcard was issued to commemorate the life of Emil von Behring the developer of the Diphtheria antitoxin. The card features a portrait of von Behring with a short inscription below. There were two special cancels used with this event, one from Marburg and the other from Leverkusen.
Emil von Behring
FROM MY COLLECTION
FELDPOST CHRISTMAS GREETING
(Dec 1940)
This postcard was likely published in Dec 1940 and is a feldpost card inscribed 'Die Gedanken bei Euch | Kreigs Weihnacht 1940' - 'The thoughts with you | War Christmas 1940'. There was no pre-printed stamp on this card.
Feldpost Christmas Greeting
MITGLIEDKARTE ENGINEERS
(1940)
This Mitgliedkarte is inscribed "VEREIN DEUTSCHER INGENIEURE IM NS-BUND DEUTSCHER TECHNIK" - 'ASSOCIATION OF GERMAN ENGINEERS IN THE NS-BUND GERMAN TECHNOLOGY'.
MITGLIEDKARTE ENGINEERS
FROM MY COLLECTION
DONATION for the VDA SCHOOL COLLECTION
(1940)
These postcards, often called "Willrich cards" after the artist, and cost 20Rpf each. They were issued as part of an on-going series to raise money for the VDA. These postcards were usually sold in envelopes containing 5 postcards, all without a pre-printed stamp.
Click here for more examples of postcards in this series.
(1)
'Ein Bewährter Spähtruppführer'
A proven Scout Leader
'Ein Bewährter Spähtruppführer'
A proven Scout Leader
FROM MY COLLECTION
700th ANNIV OF THE PHARMACY
(1940)
This postcard was issued to commemorate the 700th Anniversary of pharmaceuticals (1240-1940).
FROM MY COLLECTION
ANTI-BRITISH PROPAGANDA CARD
(1940)
This postcard was most likely issued late 1940 and takes a humorous approach to the defeat of the British forces in Norway, Belgium, Holland and France with a cheeky dig at how easy it was to defeat them.
The character jumping from disaster to disaster is John Bull, the national personification of the British. The inscription has John Bull exclaiming "DEN NORWEGERN HABE ICH GEHOLFEN ... DEN HOLLÄNDERN UND BELGIERN AUCH ... ABER GANZ BESONDERS HALF ICH DEN FRANZOSEN! ... WER HILFT NUN MIR?" - 'I helped the Norwegians, the Dutch and Belgians too. I especially helped the French, Now who will help me?'. We got our answer to that question at the end of 1941 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and the Germans declared war on the US.
FROM MY COLLECTION
DAF GAUWALTUNG SALZBURG
(1940)
These two postcards were issued to commemorate the DAF STRASSBURG and the DAF SACHSEN GAU ADMINISTRATION DAY. I'm not sure if these two cards were published in 1940 but that seems like the most likely year [CONFIRMATION REQIURED].
DAF SACHSEN
FROM MY COLLECTION
DAF STRASSBURG
COMING SOON
--- FELDPOST CARDS ---
Back to Top
GEORG von SLUYTERMAN v. LANGEWEYDE
(1940)
I cannot verify 100% that these Feldpost cards were issued in 1940, however they share many of the same designs as the Red Cross postcards shown above and several of the cards in my collection were cancelled in 1942, so it seems likely that these cards were issued in 1939-1941.
Click here for more feldpost cards in this series.
(1)
FROM MY COLLECTION
(2)
FROM MY COLLECTION
