PROPAGANDA POSTCARDS
(1935)

This page was last updated
19-Aug-2023 04:26

THE SAAR PLEBISCITE
(13th Jan 1935)

There were a great many postcards issued to commemorate the plebiscite (vote) held in the Saar region on 13th Jan 1935 to determine the region's future. Voters were given the option of becoming a part of France, a part of Germany, or to maintain the status quo (a League of Nations administered zone). French, German and neutral supporters published postcards as part of a campaign to sway the voters over to their side. Below are some, but by no means all, of the cards that were published.

The 13th Jan 1935 was a Sunday, and the post offices opened for an hour on that day in order to frank mail with the special cancels. All of the cards I have seen cancelled in Saarbrücken have a timing of '13', indicating that the postoffice was open at 1pm.

One of the notable features of these cards is the lack of swastika's, overt Nazi symbols and propaganda on the cards issued prior to the vote, and the proponderance of such imagery after the successful vote. Did the Nazi's intentionally keep a low profile in order not to unsettle undecided Saarland voters prior to the vote?

Over 90% of voters opted for reunification with Germany, with 9% voting for the status quo as a League of Nations mandate territory and less than 0.5% opting for unification with France. A resounding success by any means, and not entirely due to Nazi bullying and intimidation of the voters at the polling stations.

SOLIDARITY WITH THE SAAR
(26th Aug 1934)

This card was published several months before the vote by the German supporting faction. The publisher was Druckerei Henschel, Koblenz and the front of the card is inscribed "Es Bürgt Stolze Deutsche flar, | Daβ ewig bleibe Deutsche die Saar!" - 'German's will be proud that the Saar will remain German forever!'

The reverse of the card features 5 miners holding hammers and portable gas lights in front of a large, red empire eagle. The image of miners is significant in that the primary industry of the region was coal mining and would resonate with the majority of the population. Beneath the image is the inscription "Saar treue Kund gebung | AM 26.AUGUST 1934 KOBLENZ - EHRENBREITSTEIN" - 'Saar loyalty rally | ON AUGUST 26, 1934 KOBLENZ - EHRENBREITSTEIN'. Ehrenbreitstein is the name of a Fortress overlooking Coblenz and was presumably the venue for this loyalty rally.

WIR BLIEBEN TREU!
WE STAY TRUE
(1935)

Possibly my favourite of all the Saar freedom postcards is the one below. A large figure representing the Saar is standing with his chains broken, the industrial region of the Saarland in the background. Very symbolic in the German's eyes. The text below reads "Zur Erinnerung an die Ruckgliederung des Saargebiets am 1. Marz 1935" - 'To commemorate the reorganization of the Saar region on March 1, 1935'.

This example was postally used on 28th Feb 1935 in the town of SAARBRÜCKEN, the day before the Saar officially became part of Germany.

F. MAAS & SOHN AG
SAARBRÜCKEN

These two, almost identical postcards, feature German soldiers from the First World War and is a reminder to Saarlanders of their debt to Germany. The postcard on the left is inscribed "Wir starben für Dich! | Und du?" - 'We died for you! and you?". The postcard on the right is inscribed "Wir Starben für Euch! | Und Ihr wollt uns verraten?"" - "We died for you! And you will betray us?", a not too subtle message that the Saarland owes Germany.

The card on the left was published by F. Maas & Sohn AG of Saarbrücken and the one on the right by Hofer AB, also of Saarbrücken. Both cards feature special Saar issue stamps issued to commemorate the vote and cancelled on 13th Jan 1935, the day of the vote. In addition the card on the right has the special slogan cancel inscribed "Heute Volksabstimmung im Saargebiet" - 'Today referendum in the Saar area'.

WINTERHILFSWERK
NORTH WESTPHALIAN GAU

This striking postcard features a German Empire eagle swooping down to claim the Saarland for Germany. The inscription reads "Frei ist die Saar:" - 'The Saar is Free' and so was likely published after the vote. The reverse of the card is inscribed "Dankkarte anläβlich des Saarsieges" - 'Thank you card on the occasion of the Saar victory' and was sponsored on behalf of the Winterhilfswerk of the German People 1934/35 by the North Westphalian Gau.

OPFERKARTE
WESTPHALIAN GAU SOUTH

This impressive card is described as an Opferkarte, or Sacrifice card, and was published after the vote to commemorate the German victory. The card was cancelled in BOCHUM on 29th Oct 1935, six months after the vote and it also has an unrelated slogan cancel inscribed "Luftschutz | ist natioanle Pflicht | Werdet Mitglied im | Reichsluftschutzbund" - 'Air raid protection | is national duty | Become a member of the | Reichsluftschutzbund' which was used in 78 cities every year from 1933 until 1941 and again in 1943. .

GEBR. HOFER A.G.
SAARBRÜCKEN

The following card from Gebr. Hofer A.G of SAARBRÜCKEN is one of my favourite cards from this period. It features a hare running from the Saarland region into Germany pulling a trolley full of easter eggs. Each egg is inscribed with the name of a district within the Saar region.

The Easter Bunny is said to have originated in Germany and tells of an egg-laying bunny named 'Osterhase' or 'Oschter Haws' who would lay coloured eggs in nests made by children. In this card the bunny is giving the people of Germany the gift of the Saarland.









Another striking card from Gebr. Hoffer A.G. can be seen below.

HEIST und UNGER.
SAARBRÜCKEN

The inscription on the front of this card indicates that this card was produced after the vote and reads "Befreiungs Postkarte | zu Gunsten des Saar-hilfswerks | zu ehren der heimkehrenden." - 'Liberation Postcard | in favor of the Saar aid organization | in honor of those returning home.', referring to the Saarlanders once more becoming part of Germany. In addition the text in the orange rectangle is titled 'The Leader's thanks' and is followed by a message from Hitler loosely translated as:

"So, as the German People's Leader and the Reich's Chancellor, I utter these words to the nation on behalf of all Germans, whose spokesman I am at this moment, and I assure you of the happiness, which moves us at this hour, you are now back and will be fine as sons of our people and citizens of the new German Reich"

The reverse of the card is very 'busy', and bears the title "Der Weg ist Frei" - 'The way is free'. The images depict Saarlanders opening the prison gates to the new Reich, with a swastika sun rising in the distance indicating a new dawn for the people.

VERLAG TH. KLEIN OF SAARBRÜCKEN
(Jan 1935)

This postcard was published by Verlag Th. Klein of Saarbrücken and features a selection of stamps issued by the Saar post office prior to the plebiscite. The inscription reads "1935 | Die Saar ist | frei! | Andenken an die Saarabstimmung" - '1935 | The Saar is | free! | Souvenir from the Saar vote'

There are two identical cards, the only difference is that one has an additional "importé d' Allegmagne" (Imported from Germany) inscription on the reverse, and the other is without the inscription.





A private version of this card also exists with the following inscription "Erster Verkaufs-Tag der Sarre-Marken: 30. Januar 1920. Letzter Gültigkeitstag der Saar-Marken: 28 Febr 1935." - 'First day of sale of the Saar stamps 20th Jan 1920. Last day of validity of the Saar stamps: 28th Feb 1935'. The rest of the inscription goes on to say "The Saar returns home !. In memory of the festival days in the Saar region, I am sending my customers this card. With German greetings from J.L. Riedel. New address from March 1st: Postbox 69 Garmisch."




This postcard also exists in grey scale.







This is another TH. KLEIN publication. Both of the cards are the same only one has been postally used and the other favour cancelled. The images on the card are all scenes from around the town of Saarbrücken, the capital of the Saar region.

The card on the left was cancelled in Saarbrücken on the day of the vote and features the special slogan cancel used before the vote. The card on the right was also cancelled in Saarbrücken, this time on 1st Mar 1935 (after the vote), and has the special slogan cancel inscribed "Deutsch ist die Saar...".





Below is yet another postcard from the prolific TH. KLEIN publisher. This one proudly proclaims the Saar is German "for all time". Again this card was cancelled after the vote (3rd Mar 1935), and features the special cancel inscribed "Deutsch ist die Saar...".




Below is another Th. Klein production, this time a street scene filled with Nazi supporters after the vote.

ASTRA.WERKE of SAARLOUIS
(Jan 1935)

This postcard below left was published by Astra Werke of Saarlouis and is another variation on the Saar issued stamps. The inscription reads "Zur Erinnerung | an die Volksabstimmung im Saargebiet | 13. Januar 1935" - 'A reminder | of the referendum in the Saar region | January 13, 1935'

The card on the right was cancelled in SAARLOUIS on 1st Mar 1935 and has an identical design, but does not have any publisher details. There is also an additional inscription on the reverse which reads 'Die Saar Kehrt heim | Ende der Saarbriefmarken | 28. Februar 1935' - 'The Saar Returns Home, the end of Saar stamps, 28th February 1935'

GRUβ von der SAAR VOLKS
(Jan 1935)

This postcard is yet another Saar Plebiscite postcard featuring Saar issued stamps. The inscription on this one reads "Gruβ von der Saar Volksabstimmung 13.1.1935" - 'Greetings from the Saar referendum on 13.1.1935'. There is no inscription on the reverse and the publisher is unknown.

VERLAG VON EMIL HARTMANN
MANNHEIM

The following postcard is one of the more well known black and white photocards related to the vote. The image is that of the Winterberg Memorial in Saarbrücken. It was constructed to commemorate the German victory in the Franco-German war of 1870/71. Very little is left of the memorial as it was destroyed by the German army at the start of the Second World War. In 1929 a special stamp was issued in the Saar region commemorating the building.




This particular example may not be directly related to the Saar Plebiscite itself, as there is no inscription relating to the vote. The card, like others, does feature postage stamps of the Saar region. In this case the card was published by Verlag von Emil Hartmann of Mannheim and it features stamps, not only from the Saar region, but also stamps available throughout Germany, and issued by the Reich's Postal Authority.

FERD. BAYER. WIESBADEN
(Jan 1935)

This postcard was published by Ferd Beyer of Wiesbaden and features a Saar region coal miner shaking hands with a fellow German worker indicating that they are united as friends as the Saar region and Germany should be after the vote. The text reads "VOLKSABSTIMMUNG | AN DER | SAAR | 13. JANUAR | 1935" - 'VOTE AT THE | SAAR | JANUARY 13 | 1935' in addition there is an inscription "Saarland Treue | zeigt der Welt | Wie Deutsches Volk | zusammenhalt" - 'Saarland loyalty | shows the world | Like German people | cohesion'.

VERLAG OTTO HOPPE
BERLIN

This Otto Hoppe published card features the mother 'Gemany' welcoming her children home, the 'Saar' being one of her children. There had been other plebiscites after the war: in Schleswig (14th Mar 1920) and also in Upper Silesia (20th Mar 1921) and these had seen regions previously under League of Nations control voting, to a greater or lesser extent, to return to Germany. The other children in the picture are representative of these regions also returning home. The inscription on the left reads "Welcome to the family".

The front of the card has a Winterhilfswerk fund raising logo and the familiar "Deutsch ist der Saar" special cancel. There is also one of the commemorative stamps issued to mark the return of the Saar to Germany, and it has been cancelled in Saarbrücken on 4th Mar 1935.

SAAR MULTIVIEW #1

This card is a multiview card featuring various scenes throughout Saarbrücken. The inscription across the images reads "Treue Deutsche Grüβe | aus Saarbrücken | Abstimmungsjahr 1935" - 'Faithful German greetings | from Saarbrücken | Voting year 1935'. The card was cancelled in Saarbrücken after the vote on 1st Mar 1935, and features the special slogan cancel inscribed "Deutsch Ist die Saar ..." - 'The Saar is German'.

SAAR MULTIVIEW #2

Similar to the postcard above, this Emil Hartmann published card, is another multiview card featuring various scenes throughout Saarbrücken. The inscription across the images again reads "Treue Deutsche Grüβe | aus Saarbrücken | Abstimmungsjahr 1935" - 'Faithful German greetings | from Saarbrücken | Voting year 1935'.

SAAR MULTIVIEW #3

And another Emil Hartmann published card featuring various scenes from around the Saar. The text across the images has been revised slightly to read "Heilgruβ aus der deutschen Stadt Saarbrücken Befreiungsjahr 1935" - 'Greetings from the German city of Saarbrücken, year of liberation 1935'

STATUS QUO

Not all the postcards issued to commemorate the vote were in favour of reunification with Germany. There were many Saarlanders who distrusted and feared the Nazi's, whilst at the same time they were not in favour of a union with France. The only option available for these people was to vote for the status quo and remain under the control of the League of Nations. Here are a couple of examples of such postcards.

UNKNOWN PUBLISHER
SAARBRÜCKEN

This interesting postcard was from an unnamed publisher and features a German with his hand outstretched, welcoming the Saar region back into the German fold. The inscription on the front of the card reads "1935 - Saarabstimmung! | Wir an der Saar halten die Treue | Wir stehen für Ehre und Vaterland. | Denfst auch an uns?" - '1935 - Saar vote! | We of the Saar are loyal to | We stand for honor and the fatherland. | Do you think of us too?'.

The reverse side has a large swastika printed in the left-hand pane leaving no doubt which side of the debate released this postcard. In this example there is also the special slogan cancel inscribed "Heute | Volksabstimmung | im Saargebiet" - 'Today | Referendum | in the Saar area', available on the day of the vote.




Another postcard from an unknown publisher, again with the familiar inscription "DIE SAAR IST FREI" and depicting the Baroque Catholic church of St. Johann.




The next card from an unknown publisher appears to have been sponsored by the stamp dealer Walter Behrens. It bears the usual inscription "VOLKSABSTIMMUNG | 13. JANUAR 1935" inscription as well as an image of the Old Tower.

SAARBRÜCKEN CTO
13th Jan 1935

This favour cancel was applied in the Saarland on 13th Jan 1935. It features a 30c Saar Stamp and has a slogan cancel 'Heute | Volksabstimmung | im Saargebiet' - 'Today | Referendum | in the Saar area'.

SAARBRÜCKEN CTO
13th Jan 1935

Back to Top

Similar to the favour cancel above but this time with a 20c Saar Stamp and the same slogan cancel 'Heute | Volksabstimmung | im Saargebiet' - 'Today | Referendum | in the Saar area'.

DEUTSCHE DIE SAAR IMMERDAR

This striking postally unused postcard is inscribed "SAARABSTIMMUNG 1935" - 'SAAR VOTE 1935', "DEUTSCHE DIE SAAR IMMERDAR" - 'GERMANS, THE SAAR ALWAYS'. The card was designed by W. Schafer but the publisher is unknown.

The image is that of the Ludwigskirche (Ludwig's Church), the symbol of the city of Saarbrücken and one of the most important Protestant churches in Germany. During the war it was almost completely destroyed during an Allied bombing raid on 5th Oct 1944. Restoration work began in 1949 but the building has still not been completely restored. In the distance, behind the church, are images of the Saar region's industrial heritage.

VERLAG KRAMER

This striking design was produced by Verlag Kramer of Saarbrücken and depicts a simple map of the region showing the SAAR River and three places of interest: Porta Nigra, Deutsches Eck and the Winterburg Memorial.

DAS DEUTSCHLAND AN DER SAAR

This example is just half of a double card issued to encourage voters to vote for union with Germany

DUPLICATE POSTCARDS IN MY COLLECTION