PROPAGANDA POSTCARDS
(1937)

This page was last updated
08-Dec-2024 04:10

PARKFEST HEIDENAU
PARK FESTIVAL HEIDENAU
(30th May 1937)

BACKGROUND: This attractive postcard was published to commemorate the Park Festival held in Heidenau on 30th May 1937. Images kindly provided by Steve Risnyj. There are at least three versions of this card as follows:

1. PP122-C-49: With a pre-printed 3 Rpf indicia stamp and full inscription.
2. PP122-F-3: The same as the card below, with a pre-printed 3 Rpf indicia stamp but with the "30. Mai. 1937 Park-Fest" and inscription on the bottom edge missing.
3. The same as PP122-C-49 but without the pre-printed stamp.

There is an excerpt from a local newspaper "The Dresdner Tageszeiting" dated Monday 31st May 1937 which provides more details (in German) of the event, and this can be found here.

The images on the postcard include the low building in the background which is the “Upper Orangery” building in the Großsedlitz baroque garden where the event was held. The 18-hectare historic garden was built as a representative orangery. The facility is located near the city of Heidenau (Free State of Saxony).

"The inscription on the bottom of the card reads "Festspiel u. Franciscus Nagler-Urauffuhr. Stadt - Heidenau - Verk. Verein" - 'Festival and Franciscus Nagler premiere. City - Heidenau - Sales Association' an indication that the event was used by a local poet and composer Franciscus Johannes Nagler (22nd Jul 1873 - 4th Jun 1957), to present some of his latest works.

The figure on the top left-hand side of the card is one of the many stone figures that can be found in the baroque garden. The female figure to the right is unknown (possibly someone from one of Franciscus Nagler's works or maybe no one in particular).

SONDERSTEMPEL: The example below also has the special handstamp used to commemorate the event and is inscribed "HEIDENAU (SACHS) | Parkfest | Groβsedlitz | Schonster Barockgarten Sachsens". This handstamp [BOCHMANN Heft Nr: 10, Page 376, Number S1] was only used on 29th and 30th May 1937 and was the only special handstamp used exclusively in the city prior to 1945. The image on the handstamp is another of the stone statues that can found in the Baroque garden.

PP122-C-49

ABOVE: PP122-C-49: With a pre-printed 3 Rpf indicia stamp and full inscription.

PP122-F-3

This version of the card lacks the texts of PP122-C-49 above.