OFFICIAL POSTCARDS
(1938)

This page was last updated
06-Aug-2024 06:44

MICHEL P277
OFFICIAL POSTCARD
KÖLN CARNIVAL

VALIDITY: 16th Feb 1939 until 31st Dec 1939.

BACKGROUND: This card was issued to celebrate the 1939 Köln Carnival. There were two versions of this postcard, P276 with a green 6 Rpf pre-printed stamp was issued 31st Dec 1938, and P277 below, which was issued 16th Feb 1939, and has a brown 6 Rpf pre-printed stamp. Although issued in 1939 it has been placed here with P276 for convenience.

The cards feature a view of Wallraff Square during the Rose Monday Procession and were designed by local artist Rüdell. Produced by the M. Dumont-Schauberg company in Cologne they were printed by the Reichsdrukerei with a pre-printed 6 Rpf stamp designed by local graphic artist Rademacher, and featuring the Cologne Coat of Arms and a fool's cap.

These cards were only available from post offices in Cologne and from the collectors window in Berlin at 15 Rpf per card. As was now common practice the balance of 9 Rpf was a donation to Hitler's culture fund. With additional postage applied these cards were allowed to be sent overseas.

SONDERSTEMPEL: A special handstamp was availale, inscribed "KÖLN | Singendes, klingendes, | lachendes | Köln | Karneval 1939" - "COLOGNE | Singing, ringing, | laughing | Cologne | Carnival 1939', during the event.

VARIANTS TO COLLECT

The following are suggested variants that might make good additions to a collection:

1. Cancelled before the Official day of issue i.e. on 15th Feb 1939
2. Cancelled on first day of issue 16th Feb 1939
3. Cancelled with "Singendes, Klingendes, lachendes Köln" handstamp
4. Cancelled with "Köln, Karneval 1939" [Prinz Karneval] machine stamp
5. Cancelled with "Münster, Karneval 1939" handstamp
6. Cancelled with "Saarbrücken, Kommt zum Saarbrücker Karnevalszug" machinestamp
7. As a domestic long-distance card without any special features
8. As a foreign used card with 10 Rpf to CSR
9. As a foreign used card with 10 Rpf to Hungary
10. As a foreign used card with 15 Rpf
11. As a Registered Delivery card
12. As a local delivery Express Delivery card
13. Cancelled as a Hamburg Straβenbahnpost
14. Used as a Rohrpost (pneumatic) card in BERLIN
15. Domestic Airmail usage
16. European Airmail usage
17. Airmail usage to the USA
18. As a Zeppelin post card
19. Postally unused
20. Domestic Bahnpost usage
21. Invalid Usage - either after expiration date or with incorrect postage applied
22. With Special slogan cancels

POSTALLY UNUSED

CANCELLED BEFORE THE OFFICIAL FIRST DAY of ISSUE

Cancelled before the official issue date 16th Feb 1939, i.e. on 15th Feb

CANCELLED on OFFICIAL FIRST DAY of ISSUE

Cancelled on the official issue date 16th Feb 1939

CANCELLED WITH "Singendes, Klingendes, lachendes Köln"
HANDSTAMP

1. This first example is favour cancelled with the special handstamp used at the 1939 carnival.




2. This domestically used card was destined for "ZWINGENBERG" [Requires Confirmation] and was posted in KÖLN on 19th Feb 1939.




3. Below is another domestically used P277 card sent from KÖLN on 20th Feb 1939




4. Below is another example with the "Singendes, Klingendes, lachendes Köln" handstamp, this one cancelled on 16th Feb 1939

CANCELLED WITH "Köln, Karneval 1939" [Prinz Karneval]
MACHINE STAMP

This machine stamp is difficult to find on this postcard since it was only available for one day on the 17th Feb

CANCELLED WITH "Münster, Karneval 1939"
HANDSTAMP

The special handstamp used in MÜNSTER was only to be applied on regular and registered mail that featured the official WHW stamps, however it was also allowed on P276 and P277 as an exception.

CANCELLED WITH "Saarbrücken, Kommt zum Saarbrücker Karnevalszug"
MACHINE STAMP

DOMESTIC LONG DISTANCE WITHOUT SPECIAL MARKINGS

1. This domestically used example features a regular KÖLN CDS handstamp rather than the more usual special cancel. It was dated 17th Feb 1939, one day after the official release of the card, and before the special handstamp was available, and was destined for Speyr.

FOREIGN USE WITH 10 Rpf to CSR

FOREIGN USE WITH 10 Rpf to HUNGARY

FOREIGN USE WITH 15 Rpf

REGISTERED DELIVERY CARD

EXPRESS DELIVERY CARD

HAMBURG STRAβENBAHNPOST

Cancelled as a Hamburg Straβenbahnpost

POSTED AS ROHRPOST IN BERLIN

DOMESTIC AIRMAIL

EUROPEAN AIRMAIL

AIRMAIL TO USA

ZEPPELIN POST

GERMAN BAHNPOST

INVALID USAGE

SPECIAL SLOGAN CANCELS

MAIN REFERENCE SOURCES

1. MICHEL GANZSACHEN DEUTSCHLAND 2018. ISBN: 978-3-95402-225-0
2. BOREK GANZSACHEN-SPEZIAL-KATALOG DEUTSCHLAND ab 1933. ISBN: 3-87091-060-7
3. MICHEL BILDPOSTKARTEN- UND MOTIVGANSACHEN KATALOG DEUTSCHLAND 1997. ISBN: 3-87858-631-0
4. GANZSACHEN-HANDBUCH DES "DITTEN REICHES" 1933-1945 by FRECH. ISBN: UNKNOWN