SECOND WORLD WAR POSTCARDS
This page was last updated
10-Feb-2025 06:45
VERLAG DIE WEHRMACHT
SERIES 7-8
This series of postcards (from Verlag der Wehrmacht KG, Berlin) was published as part of an annual "Wehrmachts Kalender". The calander was published annually from 1938 until 1942 [REQUIRES CONFIRMAITON]. The designs for each calendar are very similar in that they show one week of the year (seven consecutive days) on the top half of the page and a detachable postcard on the other half. The images depict a military theme with a title in capital letters beneath the image.
On the reverse side, centrally and at the top edge is the word "POSTKARTE". Also in the centre, running vertically from top to bottom are the publisher's details between two verical lines. The outline of a stamp is located on the top right-hand side and the photographer's name on the bottom left-hand edge.
The images are very typical of the type of postcards that were being published in Germany in the early years of the Second World War and as you would expect from a series titled "Wehrmachts Kalender", all the braches of the military are represented from the Heer to the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine.
Since I do not have access to the complete calendars I have divided the cards into groups depending on whether the publisher's text ends with a "7-8", an "18/25", a "36" or a "37". This page relates to cards ending with a "7-8".
There is a known set of reproduction cards that sell for much less than the genuine article, but fortunately they can be differentiated by the line of publisher's text. The original cards have the words "BERLIN-CHARLOTTENBURG" separated by a "-", whereas with the reproduction cards the words "BERLIN CHARLOTTENBURG" are separated by a space. The text on the reproduction is also much clearer than the font used on the original.
ABOVE: Reproduction version publisher's text
In addition, the images on the reproduction cards are less well defined and somewhat darker as can be seen here. Another difference is the 'g' of "gröβte" in the small rectangle on the reverse top right-hand side. The original has a closed 'g' whereas the reproduction had an open 'g'.
No.1
KRADSCHUTZEN AUF DEM VORMARSCH DURCH EIN BRENNENDES DORF
MOTORCYCLE SHOOTERS ON THE ADVANCE THROUGH A BURNING VILLAGE
No.2
STOSSTRUPP DRINGT IM SCHUTZE EINES PANZERSPÄHWAGENS IN SOCHACZEW EIN
SHOCK TEAM ENTERS SOCHACZEW UNDER THE PROTECTION OF AN ARMORED SCREEN CAR
(28th Sep to 4th Oct 1941)
No.3
PIONIERE SPRENGEN MIT GESTRECKTER LADUNG EIN DRAHT
PIONEERS BLOW UP A WIRE OBSTACLE WITH A STRETCHED CHARGE
(5th to 11th Jan 1941)
No.4
GEBIRGSJÄGER BEIM ABSTIEG
MOUNTAIN HUNTERS DESCENTING
No. 5
VORMILITÄRISCHE AUSBILDUNG DURCH DIE SA
PRE-MILITARY TRAINING BY THE SA
No. 6
PANZERABWEHRGESCHÜTZ IN FEUERSTELLUNG
ANTI-TANK GUN IN FIRING POSITION
(1st to 4th Jan 1941)
No.7
DEUTSCHE TRUPPEN BEIM VORMARSCH DURCH SÜDNORWEGEN
GERMAN TROOPS ADVANCE THROUGH SOUTHERN NORWAY
No.8
UNTER DEM POLARHIMMEL: DEUTSCHER SPÄHTRUPP DER GRUPPE NARVIK
UNDER THE POLAR SKY: GERMAN SCOUT TEAM OF THE NARVIK GROUP
No. 9
EINZUG UNSERER TRUPPEN IN PARIS
ENTRY OF OUR TROOPS IN PARIS
No.10
HELDENGEDENKTAG
HERO'S MEMORIAL DAY
No.11
GENERALFELDMARSCHALL AUGUST V. MACKENSEN
No.12
DAS ERFOLGREICHE DEUTSCHE JAGDFLUGZEUG DIE "ME 109"
THE SUCCESSFUL GERMAN FIGHTER AIRCRAFT THE "ME 109"
No. 13
PANZERKAMPFWAGEN IM ANMARSCH GEGEN EIN FRANZÖSISCHES DORF
ARMOURED CAR ADVANCING TOWARDS A FRENCH VILLAGE
No. 14
DEUTSCHE ARTILLERISTEN HABEN EINE NORWEGISCHE KÜSTENBATTERIE ÜBERNOMMEN
GERMAN ARTILLERYMEN HAVE TAKEN OVER A NORWEGIAN COASTAL BATTERY
No. 15
DER JAGDFLIEGER HAT DEN GEGNER IM SCHUSSFELD
THE FIGHTER PILOT HAS THE ENEMY IN HIS FIELD OF FIRE
No. 16
ARTILLERIE GREIFT AN DEN STRASSENKAMPF UM EINE FRANZÖSISCHE STADT EIN
ARTILLERY INTERVENES IN STREET FIGHTING FOR A FRENCH CITY
No. 17
INFANTERIEGESCHÜTZ IM VORGEHEN
INFANTRY GUN IN ADVANCE
No. 18
STURZKAMPFFLIEGER IM ANGRIFF
DIVE FIGHTER PILOTS ON THE ATTACK
No. 19
EIN DEUTSCHES SCHLACHTSCHIFF AUF DER REEDE
A GERMAN BATTLESHIP IN THE ROADWAY
No. 20
AUF DER KOMMANDOBRÜCKE EINES ZERSTÖRERS
ON THE BRIDGE OF A DESTROYER
No. 21
SCHNELLBOOT DER DEUTSCHEN KRIEGSMARINE
FAST BOAT OF THE GERMAN NAVY
No. 22
WESTWALLARBEITER
WORKING ON THE WESTWALL
No. 23
EIN ZERSTÖRER LÄUFT AUS
A DESTROYER IS MOVING OUT
No. 24
DAS DEUTSCHE KREUZERGESCHWADER UNTER FÜHRUNG VON ADMIRAL HIPPER IM KAMPF MIT DEN ENGLISCHEN SCHLACHKRE / ZERGESCHWADER IN DER SCHLACHT VOR DEM SKAGERAK
THE GERMAN CRUISER SQUADRON LEAD BY ADMIRAL HIPPER IN FIGHT WITH THE ENGLISH IN THE BATTLE OF THE SKAGERAK
No. 25
REICHSARBEITSDIENST BEIM BAU VON HINDERNISSEN
EMPIRE LABOR SERVICE IN CONSTRUCTION OF OBSTACLES
No. 26
ARTILLERIE GREIFT IN DEN STRASSENKAMPF UM EINE FRANZÖSISCHE STADT EIN
ARTILLERY INTERVENES IN THE STREET BATTLE FOR A FRENCH CITY
No. 27
KÜSTENFLAK AUF EINER DEUTSCHEN INSEL
COASTAL FLAK ON A GERMAN ISLAND
No. 28
DEUTSCHE TRUPPEN AUF DEM VORMARSCH IN POLEN
GERMAN TROOPS ADVANCE IN POLAND
No. 29
U-BOOT BEI AUSFAHRT GEGEN ENGLAND
U-BOAT SETTING OUT AGAINST ENGLAND
No. 30
EINE KETTE SEEFLUGZEUGE BEIM START
A CHAIN OF SEAPLANES TAKING OFF
No. 31
SCHWERER MÖRSER
HEAVY MORTAR
No. 32
PANZERKAMPF-WAGEN BEIM VORMARSCH
ARMORED VEHICLES ADVANCE
ABOVE LEFT: Original version
ABOVE RIGHT: Reproduction version
