OFFICIAL POSTCARDS
(1943)
This page was last updated
09-Dec-2023 07:55
OFFICIAL P244
This postcard is an overprinted version of the 1941 card that was issued to foreign workers that were working in Dutch construction companies building the Atlantic Wall and airfield projects, following the fall of Holland, Belgium and France in 1940. Not all of the 1941 stocks were used up, so they were overprinted and cancelled and made available for use in Germany. As well as the basic version P244 below, there were a number of privately printed versions available.The basic card can be found either as the 'F' (question) or the 'A' (Answer) portion of the original card. The 'F' verion has the "avec réponse payée" text obliterated, whilst the 'A' version has "(Réponse)" obliterated.
You can see the difference between the two halves of the cards below. On the left is the modified "Question" (F) portion and on the right is the modified "Answer" (A) portion.
ABOVE LEFT: P244 F b
ABOVE RIGHT: P244 A b
MORE EXAMPLES FROM MY COLLECTION
Below are another two examples of the "Message" (F) version of the card.
ABOVE LEFT: P244 F b
ABOVE RIGHT: P244 F b
OTHER VERSIONS OF THIS CARD EXIST
There are a number of these cards that were used privately and have additional texts. HANNOVER STAMP CLUB
A Private version of the "A" variant exists that was printed for the Hannover stamp Club. There are actually two variations of this private card. The front of both cards is the same as the basic card, but the reverse of the cards has been completely used up by pre-printed text. The Type 01 version text begins "Gemeinschaft Deutscher Sammler | Briemarken ClubHannover e.V" and the Type 02 version texts begins "Briefmarken-Club Hannover E.V."
ARNO CRUSIUS - KIEL
Another private version of the "A" variant exists that has the heading "Briefmarken", followed by six lines of text. The fourth line of text reads "Arno Crusius".
GAU SCHWABIEN - MINDELHEIM & NEU ULM
Another private version of this card exists on both the "A" and "F" cards. This time the reverse side is blank, but the front side has been modified. On the lower half of the left-hand pane there are now 8 lines of pre-printed text beginning "GEMEINSCHAFT | DEUTSCHER SAMMLER e.V. | GAU SCHWABEN" and dated 12th Dec 1943. The 7th line of text shows the town of MINDELHEIM.
ABOVE LEFT: MINDELHEIM "F" Version
ABOVE RIGHT: MINDELHEIM "A" Version
This postcard also exists but now with the town name changed to "NEU ULM", and with a revised date "9th Jul 1944"
ABOVE LEFT: NEU ULM "F" Version
ABOVE RIGHT: NEU ULM "A" Version
ALFRED METZNER
Private versions of both the "A" and "F" cards exist with pre-printed text "ALFRED METZNER" on the reverse side.
ABOVE LEFT: "F" Version
ABOVE RIGHT: "A" Version
DIENSTPOST ALPENVORLAND
Another version of both the "A" and "F" cards also exist on official mail, with a "Durch Deutsche Dienstpost | Alpenvorland" text in black lettering, inside a red rectangular box.
ABOVE LEFT: "F" Version
ABOVE RIGHT: "A" Version
OTHER EXAMPLES
POSTALLY UNUSED
ABOVE LEFT: MINDELHEIM "F" Version
DOMESTIC USAGE
1. The following P244(F) was canceled in THALE (HARZ) on Thursday 23rd Mar 1944 and was destined for BERLIN, a distance of 225 Km to the north-east.
2. The following P244(A) was canceled in WARNSDORF on Friday 7th Jan 1944 and was destined for BERLIN, a distance of 340 Km to the south-east.
3. The following P244(A) was canceled in MAINZ on Wednesday 24th May 1944 and was destined for GÖPPINGEN, BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG, a distance of 250 Km to the south-east.
FOREIGN USAGE
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
GAU SCHWABIEN - MINDELHEIM & NEU ULM
Another private version of this card exists on both the "A" and "F" cards. This time the reverse side is blank, but the front side has been modified. On the lower half of the left-hand pane there are now 8 lines of pre-printed text beginning "GEMEINSCHAFT | DEUTSCHER SAMMLER e.V. | GAU SCHWABEN" and dated 12th Dec 1943. The 7th line of text shows the town of MINDELHEIM.
ABOVE LEFT: MINDELHEIM "F" Version
ABOVE RIGHT: MINDELHEIM "A" Version
This postcard also exists but now with the town name changed to "NEU ULM", and with a revised date "9th Jul 1944"
ABOVE LEFT: NEU ULM "F" Version
ABOVE RIGHT: NEU ULM "A" Version
ALFRED METZNER
Private versions of both the "A" and "F" cards exist with pre-printed text "ALFRED METZNER" on the reverse side.
ABOVE LEFT: "F" Version
ABOVE RIGHT: "A" Version
DIENSTPOST ALPENVORLAND
Another version of both the "A" and "F" cards also exist on official mail, with a "Durch Deutsche Dienstpost | Alpenvorland" text in black lettering, inside a red rectangular box.
ABOVE LEFT: "F" Version
ABOVE RIGHT: "A" Version
OTHER EXAMPLES
POSTALLY UNUSED
ABOVE LEFT: MINDELHEIM "F" Version
DOMESTIC USAGE
1. The following P244(F) was canceled in THALE (HARZ) on Thursday 23rd Mar 1944 and was destined for BERLIN, a distance of 225 Km to the north-east.
2. The following P244(A) was canceled in WARNSDORF on Friday 7th Jan 1944 and was destined for BERLIN, a distance of 340 Km to the south-east.
3. The following P244(A) was canceled in MAINZ on Wednesday 24th May 1944 and was destined for GÖPPINGEN, BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG, a distance of 250 Km to the south-east.
FOREIGN USAGE
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
ABOVE LEFT: "F" Version
ABOVE RIGHT: "A" Version
