OFFICIAL POSTCARDS
(1939)
This page was last updated
21-Feb-2025 06:32
MICHEL P281
OFFICIAL POSTCARD
DEUTSCHE OSTMESSE
VALIDITY: 16th Aug 1939 until 31st Dec 1940
BACKGROUND: This is one of two postcards issued to celebrate the German Eastern Fair held in Königsberg from 20th to 23rd Aug 1939. Both cards were sold exclusively at the Königsberg Post Office and the collector's counter in BERLIN W30 accepted written orders. P280 features a 6 + 19 Rpf indicia stamp whereas P281 features a 15 + 5 Rpf indicia. The cards were designed by Professor Marten and both postcards bear the inscription "27. Deutsche Ostmesse Königsberg Pr. 20 bis 23.August 1939".
As well as the official card there is at least one with additional private printing.
VARIANTS TO COLLECT
The following are suggested variants by FRECH [4] that might make good additions to a collection:1. Cancelled before the Official day of issue i.e. before 16th Aug 1939
2. Cancelled on first day of issue 16th Aug 1939
3. Cancelled with "KÖNIGSBERG (Pr), Deutsche Ostmesse" handstamp
4. As a domestic long-distance card without any special features
5. As a border traffic card to Switzerland without additional franking
6. As a foreign used card with 10 Rpf to CSR
7. As a foreign used card with 10 Rpf to Hungary
8. As a foreign used card with 15 Rpf
9. As a Registered Delivery card
10. As an Express Delivery card
11. Cancelled as a Hamburg Straβenbahnpost
12. Used as a Rohrpost (pneumatic) card in BERLIN
13. Domestic Airmail usage
14. European Airmail usage
15. Airmail usage to the USA
16. As a Zeppelin post card
17. Postally unused
18. Domestic Bahnpost usage
19. Invalid Usage - either after expiration date or with incorrect postage applied
20. With additional private printing
21. With Special slogan cancels
POSTALLY UNUSED
CANCELLED BEFORE THE OFFICIAL FIRST DAY of ISSUE
Cancelled before the official issue date i.e. before 16th Aug 1939
CANCELLED on FIRST DAY of ISSUE
Cancelled on the official issue date 16th Aug 1939
CANCELLED WITH "KÖNIGSBERG (Pr), Deutsche Ostmesse"
HANDSTAMP
1. and 2. The following two examples feature the special cancel used during the festival on 20th and 21st Aug 1939.
3. The next domestically used P281 was posted in KÖNIGSBERG on 20th Aug 1939 (the first day of the event) and was destined for RADEBEUL. This example has the related special cancel.
DOMESTIC LONG DISTANCE WITHOUT SPECIAL MARKINGS
BORDER TRAFFIC CARD TO SWITZERLAND
WITHOUT ADDITIONAL FRANKING
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: 978-3-95402-225-02. 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
