PROPAGANDA POSTCARDS
(1922)

This page was last updated
18-Mar-2023 02:23

GERMAN EVANGELICAL CHURCH FEDERATION
(May 1922)

BACKGROUND: This postcard was published by Verlag der Luther-Gesellschaft G.m.b.h to commemorate the foundation ceremony of the German Evangelical Church in Wittenberg. The card is inscribed "Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchenbund Gründungsfeier himmelfahrt 1922 in der SchloβKirche zu Wittenberg" - 'Federation of German Protestant Churches founding ceremony in 1922 in the Castle Church in Wittenberg'.

The Castle Church (or Church of Reformation) is an important Protestant Church, considered the starting point of the Reformation. Martin Luther had disseminated his 95 Latin theses for the disputation from here on October 31, 1517. It is this church that can be seen on the special cancellation on the cards below. This cancel was used on consecutive days from 24th to 27th May 1922.

There were at least four versions of this postcard, all had the same design, the differences being in the pre-printed value stamp.

PP39-C-1 has a 75Pf pre-printed Germania stamp.
PP40-C-1 has a 1¼ Mark pre-printed Germania stamp.
PP60-C-2 has a 40Pf 'number in large rectangle' pre-printed stamp and
PP61-C-1 has a 50Pf 'number in large rectangle' pre-printed stamp.

I have not seen any version of this card without a pre-printed stamp, but one might possibly exist.

SPECIAL CANCEL: There was a special Machine Cancel available that featured an image of Luther (Castle) Church in a circle, and this can be seen below.

PP39-C-1
75Pf Germania

This version of the postcard has a 1920 issue, 75Pf, Germania, Michel 148 or (Michel 197) pre-printed stamp.

ABOVE: PP39-C-1

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PP40-C-1
1¼ Mark

This version of the postcard has a 1922 issue, 1¼ Mark, Germania, Michel 198 or (Michel 151) pre-printed stamp. In addition, this particular example has the cancellation used in Wittenberg during the event on 25th May 1922.

ABOVE: PP40-C-1

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PP60-C-2
40Pf Large Number in Rectangle

This version of the postcard has a 1922 issue, 40Pf, 'large number in rectangle', Michel 163 or (Michel 182), pre-printed stamp. In addition, this particular example has the cancellation used in Wittenberg during the event on 25th May 1922.

ABOVE: PP60-C-2

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PP61-C-1
50Pf Large Number in Rectangle

This version of the postcard has a 1922 issue, 50Pf, 'large number in rectangle', Michel 164 or (Michel 183) pre-printed stamp. In addition, this particular example has the cancellation used in Wittenberg during the event on 25th May 1922.