OFFICIAL POSTCARDS
(1936)

This page was last updated
01-May-2023 07:00

1936 XI OLYMPIC GAMES SPECIAL CANCELS
BERLIN OLYMPIA-PRESSHAUPTQUARTIER
BERLIN OLYMPIC PRESS HEADQUARTERS

The 1936 Olympic Games held from 1st to 16th Aug 1936 in Berlin was a major propaganda event for the Nazis. The event was awarded to Germany prior to the Nazi's taking power in Germany and initially the Nazi's did not show much interest in the event. Only as the games drew closer did they realise what a golden opportunity the games would provide for the Nazi's to showcase Germany and the Nazi Party to the world.

In Philatelic terms the games provided a treasure trove of special stamps (eight special stamps were issued), postcards (4 official and countless private cards) and special cancellations (in excess of 100 different cancels including variations). This page is intended to show the various cancellations that were used and the times for which they were valid. line

OLYMPIC BELL

The most commonly found cancellation is a hand stamp used at various locations, that features an outline of the Olympic bell. The cancellation is circular, with text running around the edge, and inside the body of the bell is a Reich's Adler (Empire Eagle) and the 5 interlocking Olympic rings. Below the bell is the date of the cancellation, and each side of the date is a Nazi swastika.

This simple design exists in a number of different variants, depending on the specific Olympic venue that the cancel was used at. The venue can be determined by the text running around the edge of the cancellation. In addition, each of the cancels has a number of variations depending on the counter the stamp was used at. The counters used unique letters to identify where they were used and this letter can be found just below the cancellation date. Click on the links below to see examples of the counter letters that were available:

1. BERLIN OLYMPISCHES DORF
2. BERLIN AUSSTELLUNG DEUTSCHLAND
3. BERLIN GRÜNAU REGATTABAHN
4. BERLIN INT.SPORTSTUDENTEN-LAGER
5. BERLIN OLYMPIA-REITERPLATZ
6. BERLIN OLYMPIA-SCHWIMMSTADION
7. BERLIN OLYMPIA-STADION
8. BERLIN OLYMPIA-STADION(Presse)
9. BERLIN OLYMPIALAGER HEERSTRASSE
10. BERLIN OLYMPIA-PRESSHAUPTQUARTIER
11. BERLIN DEUTSCHLANDHALLE
12. BERLIN FAHRBARES POSTAMT
13. BERLIN INT.KANULAGER MÜGGELSEE
14. BERLIN K.d.F.-STADT
15. BERLIN ROLLER CANCELS
16. KIEL CANCELS

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10. OLYMPIC BELL HAND STAMP

Inscribed "BERLIN OLYMPIA-PRESSHAUPTQUARTIER". This cancel was used at nine different counters: acdefghik, and was valid from 27.7.36 until 18.8.36. (The k-stamp on 27.7. was for a short time available with the erroneous inscription "PRESSEHAUPTQARTIER” (missing 'U').