OFFICIAL POSTCARDS
(1939)

This page was last updated
21-Feb-2025 07:14

SONDERPOSTKARTE fur das WINTERHILFSWERK
P285 / 02
MARTIN LUTHER

VALIDITY: 27th Oct 1939 until 30th Jun 1940 (a mere 8 months)

BACKGROUND: Issued in stages from 27th Oct 1939, this was the first of a 6 postcard series released to raise funds for the 1939 War Winterhilfswerk charity drive. The 1939 P285-02 card should not be confused with the P286/02 which features the same designs and was issued to commemorate the 6th WHW Street collection. The 1939 cards lack the K.d.F symbol and additional text printed to the right of each of the portraits that is found on the 1940 cards.

The six cards are as follows:

P285/01: HEINRICH I
P285/02: MARTIN LUTHER
P285/03: ULRICH V. HUTTEN
P285/04: FRIEDRICH DER GROSSE
P285/05: V. BISMARCK
P285/06: CARL PETERS



ABOVE LEFT: 1939 P285 version
ABOVE RIGHT: 1940 P286 version with additional text and K.d.F logo

The card was designed by artist Hann Trier of Cologne, printed by the Reichsdruckerei, and features a 6 + 4 Rpf indicia stamp.

The left-hand side of the card features an image of Martin Luther, his signature as well as the text:

"Ich suche nicht das Meine, sondern allein des ganzen Deutschlands Glück und heil". "geb. 10.11.1483, gest. 18.2.1546". "Reformator und Begründer der deutschen Schriftsprache"

"I am not looking for mine, but only for the whole of Germany's happiness and health." "born. 10th Nov 1483, died 18th Feb 1546." "Reformer and founder of the German written language"

As well as the official card, several of the cards can be found with additional private printing.

P285/02
MARTIN LUTHER

VARIANTS TO COLLECT

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

1. Cancelled on official day of issue 27th Oct 1939
2. Cancelled with "WHW" handstamp
3. Cancelled with "WHW" machine stamp
4. As a domestic long-distance card without any special features
5. As a foreign used card with 10 Rpf to CSR
6. As a foreign used card with 10 Rpf to Hungary
7. As a foreign used card with 15 Rpf
8. As a Registered Delivery card
9. As a local delivery Express Delivery card
10. Cancelled as a Hamburg Straβenbahnpost
11. Used as a Rohrpost (pneumatic) card in BERLIN
12. Domestic Airmail usage
13. European Airmail usage
14. Airmail usage to the USA
15. As a Zeppelin post card
16. Postally unused
17. Domestic Bahnpost usage
18. Invalid Usage - either after expiration date or with incorrect postage applied
19. With additional private printing
20. With Special slogan cancels

POSTALLY UNUSED

CANCELLED on FIRST DAY of ISSUE

Cancelled on the official issue date 27th Oct 1939

CANCELLED WITH "WHW" HANDSTAMP

CANCELLED WITH "WHW Ein Volk hilft sich selbst" MACHINE STAMP

DOMESTIC LONG DISTANCE WITHOUT SPECIAL MARKINGS

FOREIGN USE WITH 10 Rpf to CSR

FOREIGN USE WITH 10 Rpf to HUNGARY

FOREIGN USE WITH 15 Rpf

NETHERLANDS

The following foreign used P285/02 postcard was sent from FRANKFURT (MAIN) to AMSTERDAM on 12.6.1940. To cover the 15 Rpf postal fee two self-adhesive stamps (6 Rpf and 3 Rpf) have been added.

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