OFFICIAL POSTCARDS
(1936)
This page was last updated
01-May-2023 07:06
1936 XI OLYMPIC GAMES SPECIAL CANCELS
KIEL & KIEL PRESSEPOSTAMT CANCELLATIONS
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.
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.However in Kiel, during the sailing events, an alternative design was used for the cancel. It features a sailing dingy with the Inscription "KIEL | XI.Olympiade", the five Olympic rings and the words "Segeln 1936". There was a second similar design which has an additional "PRESSEPOSTAMT" text. These designs were only available in KIEL, and are most often found on favour cancelled Official commemorative cards P261 and P262.
Each of the cancels has at least two 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 word "KIEL" or "PRESSPOSTAMT". Click on the links below to see examples of the counter letters that were available at all of the venues:
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
16. OTHER OLYMPIC RELATED STEMPEL
KIEL
Inscribed "XI Olympiade Segeln 1936 KIEL". This cancel exists in 9 variations with counters -/abcdefg and was valid at the sailing venue in Kiel from 1.8.36 until 15.8.36
ABOVE LEFT: COUNTER '-'
ABOVE CENTRE: COUNTER '/'
ABOVE RIGHT: COUNTER 'a'
ABOVE LEFT: COUNTER 'b'
ABOVE CENTRE: COUNTER 'c'
ABOVE RIGHT: COUNTER 'd'
ABOVE LEFT: COUNTER 'e'
ABOVE CENTRE: COUNTER 'f'
ABOVE RIGHT: COUNTER 'g'
16. OTHER OLYMPIC RELATED STEMPEL
KIEL-PRESSEPOSTAMT
Inscribed "XI Olympiade Segeln 1936 KIEL-PRESSEPOSTAMT". This cancel exists in 2 versions with either counters 'a' or 'b'. It was valid at the sailing venue in Kiel from 1.8.36 until 15.8.36
ABOVE LEFT: COUNTER 'a'
ABOVE CENTRE: COUNTER 'b'
MAIN REFERENCE SOURCES
1. Katalog der Deutschen Gelegenheitsstempel - Julius Bochmann. Heft Nr. 11 Berlin - Birkenfeld. Page 420.
