PROPAGANDA POSTCARDS
(1938)

This page was last updated
06-Aug-2024 08:57

DEUTSCHES TURN-UND SPORTFEST - BRESLAU
BRESLAU GYNAMSTICS AND SPORTS FESTIVAL
(24th/31st Jul 1938)

BACKGROUND: The 1938 Breslau Gymnastics and Sports Festival was rganised by the 'Nationalsozialistischer Reichsbund für Leibesübungen' and it took place in Breslau (now Wroclaw in Poland) at the Hermann Göring Stadium, (now renamed as the Olympic Stadium) from 24th to 31st Jul 1938. This was the 18th German Gymnastics Festival and its main purpose was to celebrate the 125th Anniversary of Germany's liberation from Napoleonic rule. The event not only consisted of sporting activities, but also included traditional folk costume and military parades.

An estimated 150,000 participants from ten countries and the festival was one of the largest mass events of the Nazi era. The event saw the publication of quite a number of postcards, some of which can be seen below.

SONDERSTEMPEL: There was both a slogan cancel and a special cancel available. The special cancel is inscribed "BRESLAU | Deutsches Trun-u. Sportfest 1938" and features a similar eagle and swastika as the slogan cancel. The special cancel was also available from 23rd until 31st Jul at counters 'a' to 'i', 'k' to 'z', 'ab', 'ac' and 'ba' to 'bd'

SLOGAN CANCEL: The rectangular slogan cancel features an eagle with outstretched wings and a swastika symbol on its chest with the inscription to the right of the eagle "Deutsches Turn- | u. Sportfest | Breslau | 1938", and this was available from 23rd until 31st Jul 1938.

COMMEMORATIVE STAMPS: A set of four commemorative postage stamps was also issued to coincide with this event, they are Mitchel 665 to 668 and were designed by G. Fritz. Examples of these stamps can be seen on some of the postcards below.

UNKNOWN PUBLISHER

This pair of attractive postcards was produced by an unnamed published to commemorate the games and these are one of the most well-known postcards related to the event. The subjects are representative of the sports that were played at the games.





So, below is an interesting example. What do you make if this? This was available on eBay and to the unsuspecting eye it looks reasonable, sure the colours are a little too vivid perhaps, but what about the stamp on the reverse side. The stamp isn't what it seems, it's not a stamp at all. It is just the image of a stamp, added when this fake / reprinted piece of garbage was forged. The stamp is fake, the handstamp is fake and the card is also fake, buyer beware.

UNKNOWN PUBLISHER

Another set of two striking postcards, this time in black and white and celebrating the 125th anniversary of Germany's liberation from Napoleonic rule as well as the tournament in Breslau.





The card on the left also existed with a different design on the reverse side to commemorate the German Stenographers' Day in Hamburg from 12th to 16th Aug 1938. Does the card on the right have a similar variant?

UNKNOWN PUBLISHER

These four postcards depict scenes of the venue itself. The cards have all been favour cancelled with the special handstamp used during the games and the self-adhesive stamps were chosen to match the images on the cards themselves.

STAMPS - UNKNOWN PUBLISHER

The next postcard is more of a souvenir card than a postcard. There is room for the destination address and a short message on the reverse side. The front-side has one each of the four commemorative stamps Michel 665 to 668 that were issued to promote the event.

UNKNOWN PUBLISHER

These two postcards depicts dancers in traditional Silesian costume. The front of the cards has the tournament logo and there was no pre-printed stamp. The card below has a Michel 665 commemorative stamp affixed as well as having the special cancellation on the first day of the event.

ADOLF HITLER PORTRAIT

This postcard is an earlier issue card featuring Adolf Hitler, but now with an additional inscription that reads "Der Fuhrer in Breslau | 31.7.1938 | 1. Groβdeutsches Turnfest." The example below has the special cancel used at the tournament on 31st Jul 1938 and it also has a slogan cancel from the Brown Band horse races in Munich which took place over the preceeding two weeks.

UNKNOWN PUBLISHER

This single card depicts a javelin thrower and has a special red marking inscribed "Deutsches Turn.u Sportfest | Der Führer in Breslau | 1933" which was used on the day that Hitler attended the games. The card also has a Michel 665 commemorative stamp and the special slogan cancel.

VERLAG PHOTO HOFFMANN

This Photo Hoffmann publication was the only one they produced for the games (requires confirmation). The image is that of Adolf Hitler and beside him is Hans von Tschammer und Osten, the Reichssportführer or Minister of Sport, well known for his preference for wearing white suits.

This example from my collection features the special slogan cancel that was used from 23rd to 31st Jul 1938 and a regular BRESLAU CDS indicating it was likely posted in the city after spending the day at the event, rather than at the venue itself. The stamps are commemorative Michel 665 stamps.

UNKNOWN PUBLISHER

This single card was one that was re-used several times in 1938: firstly for the Annexation of Austria (with '10.4.1938' text), for these games (with 'Deutsches Trun und sportfest - Breslau 1938' inscription), for the Nürnberg Rally (inscribed 'Nürnberg') and finally for the occupation of the Sudetenland (inscribed 'Sudetenland'). This example has the special cancel as well as a Michel 666 commemorative stamp

FESTIVAL POSTCARD / ADMISSION CARD