NAZI GERMANY
MY P290
IRON CROSS
This postcard was designed by Gottfried Klein and was published on 12th Jul 1940. The design features an Iron Cross medal suspended on a ribbon with an oak leaf cluster above it. The inscription in gold reads "Es Kann nur einer | siegen und das | sind wir" - 'Only one can win | and that is us'.
The medal was awarded principally for bravery in battle, and was open to all ranks, from the lowest to the highest in the Wehrmacht. The medal was first awarded by King Frederick William III of Prussia who established it on 17th Mar 1813 during the Napoleonic Wars. It has changed very little over the years and is still in use today. During the Second World War the Iron Cross was awarded in two classes, 1st Class and 2nd Class although you had to be awarded the 2nd Class medal before you could be awarded the 1st class.
IRON CROSS
PP122-C-102
(8th Nov 1939)
The first issue of this card was in 1939 and featured a 3Rpf Hindenburg Medallion pre-printed stamp.
PP122-C-102
3Rpf HINDENBURG
3Rpf HINDENBURG
IRON CROSS
VERLAG HOFFMANN
This version of the card was produced by Verlag Hoffmann and does not have a pre-printed stamp.
NO PRE-PRINTED STAMP
FROM MY COLLECTION
IRON CROSS
P290
(12th Jul 1940)
The pre-printed stamp features Adolf Hitler stood at a lecturn and is a semi-postal stamp: 6Rpf of the price went to pay for the postage and the remaining 19Rpf went to Hitler's Culture Fund.
P290
FROM MY COLLECTION
PRIVATE PRINTING
(3rd Dec 1940)
As well as P290 above, there was a private version published 6 months later in Dec 1940. The design of the card is the same, but now there is an additional inscription on the reverse, on the lower left-hand side that reads:
"Tag des groβdeutschen | Briefmarkenhandels | Wien 1, bis 3. Dezember 1940"
'Day of the Greater German | Postage stamp trade | Vienna 1st until 3rd Dec 1940'
The event being commemorated here is 'The Day of the Greater German Stamp Dealers' not a part of society that one typically associates with Iron Crosses and bravery in battle.
The example below also has the special cancel used in Vienna to commemorate the event, and this cancel was used from the 1st until the 3rd of December 1940.
PRIVATE PRINTING