PROPAGANDA POSTCARDS
(1939)

This page was last updated
21-Feb-2025 09:13

TANNENBERG MEMORIAL CEREMONIES
(27th Aug 1939)

BACKGROUND: The following official postcard is one of at least three cards published to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the Battle of Tannenberg (fought between Russia and Germany from the 26th until the 30th Aug 1914). Hindenburg was the architect of the German victory at the battle and his body was buried in the memorial after his death in 1934.

SPECIAL CANCEL: There were three special cancels used to commemorate the memorial as follows:

1. Inscribed "Tannenberg | Nationaldenkmal" used every year from 1927 until 1936.
2. Inscribed "Reichs | Ehrendenkmal Tannenberg" used every year from 1936 until 1940.
3. Inscribed "Staatsakt Tannenberg 27. August 1939 | 27. August 1914 | Schlacht bei Tannenberg | 8.39" used from 25th to 28th Aug 1939.

VERLAG HEINRICH HOFFMANN
OFFIZIELLE GEDENKKARTE
OFFICIAL MEMORIAL CARD

The Official Memorial Card shown below depicts Paul von Hindenburg's ghost behind the Tannenberg Memorial. Hindenburg and his wife were buried at the site until later in the war. With the Russians advancing, their son Oskar von hindenburg, had their bodies removed and sent to the western part of Germany. The memorial was eventually destroyed by Russian troops and the Hindenburgs currently lie in St. Elizabeth's Church in Marburg.

The example below has the third special cancel associated with the memorial.

OTHER TANNENBERG MEMORIAL POSTCARDS

VERLAG E. GRÜNEBERGER

The next three Tannenburg Memorial postcards were published by Verlag E. Grüneberger of Hohenstein, East Prussia.







THe special cancel seen on the postcard below is the second special cancel and was used every year from 1936 until 1940.

BÜROBEDARF, ALLENSTEIN

This postcard was published by Bürobedarf of Allenstein, East Prussia.