PROPAGANDA POSTCARDS
(1940)

This page was last updated
23-Feb-2025 01:16

NOT WORTH A PFENNIG - NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN

In the interest of propaganda, the feldpost was used to create mocking caricatures of Germany's enemies. Postcards and fieldpost folded letters were issued by private companies and sold in in the Wehrmacht canteens and in stationary stores at a price of 5 Rpf each. Initially, from 1st May 1940 only the Winston Churchill and Neville Chamberlain versions were available, and it wasn't until Germany invaded Russia that the Joseph Stalin mocking cards were published.

The mockery cards could only be sent postage free through the field post. Mockery cards or mockery letters with additional 6 Rpf or 12 Rpf franking from private senders were also requested, but more research is needed on these.

There were a number of different designs as follows:

DESIGNER HEINZ FEHLING

This first set of postcards was published in 1940 by Ferdinand Ashelm of Berlin-Lichterfelde, from a design by Heinz Fehling and features a stamp image of either Winston Churchill, Neville Chamberlain or Joseph Stalin. There were several print runs and the differences between them can be seen in the format of the word "feldpost" has six variations as can be seen below.



ABOVE LEFT: Type I
ABOVE CENTRE: Type II
ABOVE RIGHT: Type III



ABOVE LEFT: Type IV
ABOVE CENTRE: Type V
ABOVE RIGHT: Type VI

Various colour differences in the paper and print, as well as different cardboard thicknesses should be ignored, since these differences are due to war-time shortages in materials (paper, card and ink).

There are four versions of the Neville Chamberlain feldpostcard and one version of the feldpost letter. The card also exists without the ASHELM logo at the base of the vertical divider.

ASHELM 3503-25

Unused Ashelm 3503-25 Bild 1, Feldpost Type I and Type II cards.




ABOVE LEFT: NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN (ASHELM 3503 25) - BILD 1, FELDPOST TYPE I
ABOVE RIGHT: NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN (ASHELM 3503 25) - BILD 1, FELDPOST TYPE II

ASHELM 5503-25

This card from my collection is a Bild 1, Type 2, and was published by Heinz Fehling and has a feldpost circular cancel inscribed "Wehrmachtdienststelle | feldpostnummer 24565" (Stab Pionier-Landungs-Bataillon 86). The feldpost cancel dated 8.7.40 does not indicate a feldpost unit, neither does it have a Kenn number.

On the reverse is the customary "Heil Hitler" sign off.




ABOVE: (2) NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN (ASHELM 5503-25) - BILD 1, FELDPOST TYPE II

WITHOUT 'ASHELM' AT BASE OF CARD

ABOVE: Without the word ASHELM at the base of the card

Ed. GERST 4505

ABOVE: (3) NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN - (Ed. Gerst 4505)

NACHDRUCK WALTER DUNGS
RE-PRINT WALTER DUNGS

The following example is one of the post-war reprints that can be found frequently on the Internet. This particular reprint has the vertical text "NACHDRUCK. Walter Dungs, 46 Dortmund-Rohm, Zum Kniepacker 13". It is not unusual to find these complete with Hitler head stamps but these are philatelic creations.




ABOVE: (4) NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN - (Nachdruck verboten Walter Dungs)

NACHDRUCK VERBOTEN G, 4505

ABOVE: (5) NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN - (Nachdruck verboten G. 4505)

FELDPOST FOLDED LETTERS

There are two feldpost folded letters (Feldpost-Faltbriefen), one of Winston Churchill and the other of Neville Chamberlain, there is no feldpost letter depicting Stalin.



ABOVE: NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN

MATTHES POSTCARDS

In addition to the Fehling mockery cards above, there were also cards produced by Verlag Paul R. Matthes. They are very similar to the Fehling cards, however they do not appear in the "Michel Feldpost Catalogue" and more research is required in order to determine their validity.

KNOWN FORGERIES

Due to the interest these items generate among philatelists, the Heinz Fehling cards have been the subject of forgeries and unoffical reprints. The most common forgery has the word "Feldpostkarte", instead of "Feldpost".

These printings are considered forgeries but can often be found on eBay, and other such sites, being sold as the genuine atricle complete with stamps and cancellations. CAVEAT EMPTOR.



ABOVE: Feldpostkarte - Neville Chamberlain

KNOWN RE-PRINTS

There was also an unofficial printing in the 1960's that has the inscription "Nachdruck. Walter Dungs" on the vertical dividing line. Chamberlain, Churchill and Stalin postcards were all re-printed. These aren't considered forgeries as they clearly have the word "NACHDRUCK" or re-print on the reverse of each card. However there are many examples in existance with fake/forged cancellations that are intended to convince buyers that these are genuine 1940 issued cards, they are NOT, they were printed in the 1960's.