PROPAGANDA POSTCARDS
(1936)

This page was last updated
04-Jan-2024 06:54

XI SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES
(1st/16th Aug 1936)

BACKGROUND: There were a large number of postcards published to commemorate the XI Summer Olympics Games held in Berlin from 1st to 16th Aug 1936.

SPECIAL CANCEL: There were 14 different special cancels featuring the Olympic Bell used at the various venues. The following list shows the unique inscription on each of the cancels, the counter numbers that were used (please note there was no counter 'j') and the dates of validity.

a. Olympisches Dorf. (all counters 'a' through 'u'). 27th May - 22nd Aug.
b. Ausstellung Deutschland. (all counters 'a' through 'g'). 18th Jul - 17th Aug.
c. Grünau Regattabahn. (all counters 'a' through 't'). 23rd Jul - 16th Aug.
d. Int.Sportstudenten-Lager. (all counters 'a' through 'e'). 23rd Jul - 17th Aug.
e. Olympia-Reiterplatz. (all counters 'a' through 'f'). 27th Jul - 17th Aug.
f. Olympia-Schwimmstadion. (all counters 'a' through 'g'). 27th Jul - 17th Aug.
g. Olympia-stadion. (all counters 'a' through 'x' and 'ab' through 'ap'). 27th Jul - 17th Aug.
h. Olympia-Stadion(Presse). (all counters 'a' through 'k'). 27th Jul - 17th Aug.
i. Olympialager Heerstrasse. (all counters 'a' through 'k'). 27th Jul - 18th Aug.
k. Olympia-Presshauptquartier. (all counters 'a' through 'k'). 27th Jul - 18th Aug.
l. Deutschlandhalle. (all counters 'a' through 'k').1st Aug - 16th Aug.
m. Fahrbares Postamt. (all counters 'a' through 'r'). 1st Aug - 16th Aug.
n. Int.Kanulager Miggelsee. (all counters 'a' through 'h'). 1st Aug - 16th Aug.
o. K.d.F Stadt. (all counters 'a' through 'l') 1st Aug - 17th Aug.

For the ambitious special cancellation collector that's a total of 177 different Olympic bell cancels to look out for (or 14 for the less ambitious).

OFFICIAL POSTCARDS

These first two postcards were the official cards published to commemorate the games. The first card features a pre-printed 6+4Rpf stamp and the second a 15+10Rpf pre-printed stamp. Both postcards have an image of the inside of the Olympic Stadium.




ABOVE LEFT: Official Postcard P259.
ABOVE RIGHT: Official Postcard P260.

These second two postcards were also official cards published to commemorate the games, this time for the sailing events held in Kiel from 4th to 14th Aug 1936. Both cards feature a yacht in front of the Olympic rings and the inscription "Olympische Segelwettkampfe | Liel 4.-14.August 1936".




ABOVE LEFT: Official Postcard P261.
ABOVE RIGHT: Official Postcard P262.

FLAGS OF THE COMPETING NATIONS

There are two almost identical postcards published by the Reichsportverlag, Berlin and they feature the flags of the competing nations. The title of the cards is "Die flaggen der teilnehmenden Länder" - 'The flags of the participating countries'.

This first example features one of the eight special edition Olympic Stamps as well as one of the nine special Olympic cancellations, this one only available at the swimming events at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin. The example in the right was postally usused.

Click here for more examples of this card from my collection.





There is a third card that also features the flags of the competing nations and is from an unknown publisher. Unlike the cards above that feature the flags of each nation in a somewhat random fashion, this card lists the coutries alphabetically.

TEN CARD FUND RAISING SERIES

There was also a 10-card series of cards published to raise funds for the games that was published by Reichsportverlag GmbH in Berlin.




ABOVE: Nr.1 The Olympc Bell.





ABOVE: Nr.2 Man is shorts with two figures either side.




ABOVE LEFT: Nr.3 Muntain Scene.
ABOVE RIGHT: Nr.4 Artist's view of the Olympic village from a disctance.




ABOVE LEFT: Nr.5 Racing Yacht.
ABOVE RIGHT: Nr.6 Man in shorts running with the Olympic flame.




ABOVE: Nr.7 Artist's view of the Olympic Stadium.





ABOVE: Nr.8 River course for the kayak event.




ABOVE LEFT: Nr.9 Aerial view of the Olympic Stadium.
ABOVE RIGHT: Nr.10 Long distance view of the Olympic venue.

THE OLYMPIC BELL
VERLAG HANS ANDRES

This card features an image of the Olympic Bell and was published by Verlag Hans Andres. The text below the bell reads "Olympia-glocke für die Olympischen Spiele in Berlin 1936" - 'Olympic bell for the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin'. This was one of a number of similar postcards from various publishers to feature the Olympic bell.

ANOTHER OLYMPIC BELL
LACOFOT

This card also features an image of the Olympic Bell.

THE OLYMPIC BELL
VERLAG ROBERT HÜGEL

This card also features an image of the Olympic Bell but this time I think it is a better photograph than the static images above. The bell looks to be in motion and you can almost hear the sound as it rings out. Verlag W.St.B also published an identical image to this one, only on their version the clapper of the bell is almost invisible.

VERLAG HANS ANDRES

This postcard was published by Hans Andres of Berlin and provides a guide to where the various sports venues are located.

VERLAG HANSA LUITPOLD GmbH

PHOTO HOFFMANN

Photo Hoffmann produced a series of postcards (quantity unknown) to commemorate the Berlin Olympic Games. A few examples are shown below.



ABOVE: No.3 in the series 'Olympia 1936' by Photo Hoffmann.



ABOVE: No.14 in the series 'Olympia 1936' by Photo Hoffmann.



ABOVE: No.42 in the series 'Olympia 1936' by Photo Hoffmann.

KLINKE & Co.

Klinke & Co. of Berlin was a prolific publisher of postcards on a whole range of subjects from the Wehrmacht to the Olympic Games. The series of cards that follows (quantity unknown but at least 14) features scenes from around the Olympic Stadium and related venues. These cards all have the Olympic rings on one side of the card. Klinke & Co. published many cards featuring buildings around Berlin, the Olympic Stadium and others included, but these were not directly related to the specific Olympic Games series that follows.



ABOVE: No.9 in the series of Olympic Games postcards from Klinke & Co.



ABOVE: No.10 in the series of Olympic Games postcards from Klinke & Co.




ABOVE: No.13 in the series of Olympic Games postcards from Klinke & Co.



ABOVE: No.14 in the series of Olympic Games postcards from Klinke & Co.

In addition to the numbered series above Klinke also published other cards in an unnumbered series as below.



ABOVE: Unnumbered card in a series of Olympic Games postcards from Klinke & Co.

REICHSSPORTVERLAG - PHOTOGRAPHIC SERIES

This series of postcards (quantity unknown) was a series of black and white photographs published by the Reichssportverlag in Berlin. The first example is card No.1 and it features a view of the East Gate of the Stadium.




This example below is card No.2 and it is titled "Osttor mit Blick auf die Deutsche Kampfbahn" - 'East gate with a view of the Deutsche Kampfbahn'.

STENGEL & Co.

Publisher Kunstanstatt Stengel & Co. of Dresden published the following image of the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.

VERLAG BRUNO DULLIEN

This interesting postcard was published by Verlag Dullien of Berlin.

W.St.B

This postcard was published by Verlag W.St.B and depicts the flags of the various competing nations.



ABOVE: No.708 in the series from Verlag W.St.B.

VERLAG PERD ASHELM

This postcard was published by Verlag Perd Ashelm of Berlin and depicts "Olympian Gate with Prussia and Bavaria Towers".

OFFICIAL ADVERTISING POSTER

AUSTRIAN OLYMPIC FEDERATION

This postcard was sponsored by the Austrian Olympic Foundation and was available with two different versions of the front of the card. The one featured below has Image and logo on the left-hand pane whereas the second version only has some text. Neither card had a pre-printed stamp.

EMBOSSED FOIL MEDALLION

THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE

The following postcard was an Olympic Publicity Postcard for the Games and features an aerial view of the Olympic village.

REICHSLUFTSPORTFÜHRER

Another publicity card, this time published by the Reichsluftsportfuhrer in Berlin and featuring a formation of aircraft flying low over an admiring crowd.

CALLING THE YOUTH OF THE WORLD

Another card featuring the Olympic bell, published by Verlag Werkstatt Albu of Berlin and inscribed "Ich rufe die Jugend der Welt" - 'I call the youth of the world'.

TORCH HOLDER

Another publicity card featuring the torch holder (the mechanical device, not the person), that was used to carry the torch used on the journey from Olympia in Greece to Berlin.

HANS v. TSCHAMMER PORTRAIT

This postcard has a portrait of Hans v. Tschammer u. Osten, the German National Sports leader and President of the German Olympic Committee at the time of the games, and was another offering from the Reichssportverlag.

DUPLICATE CARDS FROM MY COLLECTION
FLAGS OF THE COMPETING NATIONS

1. This card from my collection features one fo the eight commemorative stamps issued prior to the games and has been cancelled with the most common cancellation used at the games. This cancel is inscribed "BERLIN OLYMPIA-STADION | XI. Olympiade 1936".




2. The postcard below features a regular 6Rpf Hindenburg Medallion stamp and the special cancel inscribed "BERLIN OLYMPIA-STADION | XI.Olympiade 1936", in this case used on the penultimate day of the games.




3. Another example of this postcard, this one cancelled at the Olympic Village during the games on 7th Aug 1936. The destination was VIENNA. This card also has an additional handstamp inscribed "Reichssportfeld | Berlin".




4. Another example of the alternative design is shown below, this one unused.




5. The following example was cancelled at one of the mobile post offices on the penultimate day of the games. The card was sent to an address in HAMBURG 21.