GELEGENHEITSSTEMPEL
OPPORTUNITY STAMP - SPECIAL STAMP
(1942)

This page was last updated
24-Jun-2023 03:05

NOTE: This page contains details of special postmarks that are directly related to official stamps issued in 1942. For special postmarks that are not directly related to the issue of commemorative stamps look here

INTRODUCTION:
The study of the various postmarks and cancellations used in 1942 is a difficult one due to the limited information available. Fortunately, we have the BOCHMANN catalogue to assist in identifying most of them. Whilst the catalogue covers most special cancellations and is a required source for this area of study, the information provided is limited and does not put the various postmarks and cancellations into context. The Bochmann catalogue forms the basis of this page, but I have provided additional information where possible. My apologies now for any errors and the inevitable omissions.

TAG DER BRIEFMARKE
THE DAY OF THE STAMP
11th Jan 1942

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN: Heft: 26, Page: 882, Number: 73
RELATED STAMPS: Michel 811
RELATED POSTCARD:

The special handstamp for the Day of the Stamp in 1940 was used in 133 different towns and cities. A commemorative stamp Michel 811 was also issued to mark the occasion.



ABOVE LEFT: HAMBURG (C)
ABOVE CENTRE: HANNOVER (C)
ABOVE RIGHT: HEIDELBERG (C)

HELDGENDENKTAG
HEROES' DAY
15th Mar 1942

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN: Heft: 26, Page: 882, Number: 74
RELATED STAMPS: Michel 812
RELATED POSTCARD:

The special cancel used in 1942 to commemorate Heroes' Day was used in three cities: BERLIN (4 counters), MUNICH (2 counter) and VIENNA (2 counters). Inscribed "SIE STARBEN FÜR GROSSDEUTSCHLAND" - 'THEY DIED FOR GREATER GERMANY' the special handstamp was only used on 15th Mar 1942. The version used in MUNICH differs slightly from the others in that it has the additional "HAUPTSTADT DER BEWEGUNG" inscription.



ABOVE LEFT: BERLIN Counter 'a' (P)
ABOVE CENTRE LEFT: BERLIN Counter 'b' (P)
ABOVE CENTRE RIGHT: BERLIN Counter 'c' (P)
ABOVE RIGHT: BERLIN Counter 'd' (P)



ABOVE LEFT: MÜNCHEN Counter 'a' (P)
ABOVE CENTRE LEFT: MÜNCHEN Counter 'b' (P)
ABOVE CENTRE RIGHT: WIEN Counter 'a' (P)
ABOVE RIGHT: WIEN Counter 'b' (P)

53rd BIRTHDAY of ADOLF HITLER
20th Apr 1942

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN: Hef: 26, Page: 882, Number: 75
RELATED STAMPS: Michel 813
RELATED POSTCARD:

The special handstamp used to commemorate Hitler's 53rd birthday on 20th Apr 1942 was used in six cities: BERLIN (4), BRAUNAU, MÜNCHEN (2), NÜRNBERG, STRASSBURG and WIEN (2).

Special handstamps, postcards and stamps were issued every year in 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943 and 1944 to commemorate his birthday.



ABOVE LEFT: BERLIN Counter 'a' (P)
ABOVE CENTRE LEFT: BERLIN Counter 'b' (P)
ABOVE CENTRE RIGHT: BERLIN Counter 'c'
ABOVE RIGHT: BERLIN Counter 'd' (P)



ABOVE LEFT: BRANAU AM INN (P)
ABOVE CENTRE LEFT: MÜNICH Counter 'a' (P)
ABOVE CENTRE RIGHT: MÜNICH Counter 'b' (C)
ABOVE RIGHT: NÜRNBERG (P)



ABOVE LEFT: STRASSBURG (P)
ABOVE CENTRE: WIEN Counter 'a' (P)
ABOVE RIGHT: WIEN Counter 'b'

GROβER DEUSCHLAND-PRIES DER DREIJAHRIGEN
GERMAN GRAND PRIX FOR THREE-YEAR-OLD'S
19th Jun 1942

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN: Heft: 10, Page: 358, Number: S 114
RELATED STAMPS: Michel 814
RELATED POSTCARD:

The special handstamp depicts the Coat of Arms of Hamburg and was used to commemorate the Blue-Ribbon horse race held in HAMBURG. Special handstamps were used only in HAMBURG on the 19th, 21st, 24th and 28th Jun (Raceday) and are inscribed "Grosser Deutschland pries der Dreijährigen". There are four different counters: 'a', 'b', 'c' and 'd' used on each day.

The 'a' counter exists in two versions: Type I where the stem of the 'a' ends vertically downwards and the Type II where the stem of the 'a' bends to the right.



ABOVE LEFT: 19th Jun counter 'a' Type I
ABOVE CENTRE LEFT: 19th Jun counter 'a' Type II
ABOVE CENTRE: 19th Jun counter 'b'
ABOVE CENTRE RIGHT: 19th Jun counter 'c'
ABOVE RIGHT: 19th Jun counter 'd'



ABOVE LEFT: 21st Jun counter 'a' Type I
ABOVE CENTRE LEFT: 21st Jun counter 'a' Type II
ABOVE CENTRE: 21st Jun counter 'b'
ABOVE CENTRE RIGHT: 21st Jun counter 'c'
ABOVE RIGHT: 21st Jun counter 'd'



ABOVE LEFT: 24th Jun counter 'a' Type I
ABOVE CENTRE LEFT: 24th Jun counter 'a' Type II
ABOVE CENTRE: 24th Jun counter 'b'
ABOVE CENTRE RIGHT: 24th Jun counter 'c'
ABOVE RIGHT: 24th Jun counter 'd'



ABOVE LEFT: 28th Jun counter 'a' Type I (COMING SOON)
ABOVE CENTRE LEFT: 28th Jun counter 'a' Type II
ABOVE CENTRE: 28th Jun counter 'b'
ABOVE CENTRE RIGHT: 28th Jun counter 'c'
ABOVE RIGHT: 28th Jun counter 'd'

9. DAS BRAUNE BAND VON DEUTSCHLAND
9th BROWN RIBBON RACE
20th Apr 1942

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN: HEFT: 16, Page: 561, Number: S 177 and S 178
RELATED STAMPS: Michel 815
RELATED POSTCARD:

Two special handstamps were used to commemorate the 9th running of the Brown Ribbon Race in 1942. The first (S 177) was only used on 19th Jul 1942 and commemorates the "MÜNCHEN-REIM | DEUTSCHER ALTENPRIES 1942" - 'GERMAN ALPINE RACE' and features the head of a horse.

The second handstamp (S 178) has the same design as the commemorative stamp with three horses galloping together. The inscription reads "MÜNCHEN-REIM | DAS BRAUNE BAND VON DEUTSCHLAND" and was only used on 26th Jul 1942.



ABOVE LEFT: 1st Special handstamp 19th Jul
ABOVE CENTRE: 2nd Special handstamp 26th Jul (P)
ABOVE RIGHT: Slogan cancellation (C)

10th ANNIVERSARY GERMAN GOLDSMITH'S SOCIETY
18th Oct 1942

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN: Heft: 10, Page: 364, Number: 10
RELATED STAMPS: Michel 816 and 817
RELATED POSTCARD: P293

The event was only commemorated in HANAU and there was only one special handstamp used, and then only for one day on 18th Oct 1942. The handstamp depicts the Coat of Arms of Hanau and is inscribed "HANAU | 18.10.1942 | Einweihung des | Deutschen Goldschmiedenhauses | der Stadt Hanau" - 'HANAU | 10/18/1942 | Inauguration of the | German goldsmith house | of the city of Hanau'.

Two commemorative stamps Michel 816 and Michel 817 were issued to mark the occasion.



ABOVE LEFT: HANAU handstamp on Michel 816 (P)
ABOVE RIGHT: HANAU handstamp on Michel 817 (P)

WEHRKAMPFTAGE DER STURMABTEILUNG
COMBAT DAYS OF THE S.A.
Sep 1942

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN: [BOCHMANN: Heft 26, Page 883, No's: 77 and 78]
RELATED STAMPS: Michel 818
RELATED POSTCARD:

A single stamp Michel 818 was issued to celebrate the foundation of the S.A. Sports Medal and the related SA Sports Days which took place in Sep and Oct 1942. This medal was a very prestigious award that was handed out to S.A. members who achieved a high standard in several events during S.A. Sports week. The competitions were held in different towns on different dates and each town had its own special handstamp, available only on that day.

There were four different designs: [REQUIRES MORE RESEARCH]

Design 1: Berlin, Bernburg, Bitterfeld, Genthin, Hamelyn, Linz (Donau), Magdeburg, München, Schönebeck, Stendal and Weissenfels.
Design 2 and 3: Hannover and Nürnberg
Design 4: Ilemnau, Quedlinburg and Wittenberg.

DESIGN 1 (13th Sep. to 11th Oct 1942):



ABOVE LEFT: BERLIN (P)
ABOVE CENTRE LEFT: BERNBURG (P)
ABOVE CENTRE RIGHT: BITTERFELD
ABOVE RIGHT: GENTHIN (P)



ABOVE LEFT: HAMELYN (P)
ABOVE CENTRE LEFT: LINZ (DONAU)
ABOVE CENTRE RIGHT: MAGDEBURG
ABOVE RIGHT: MÜNCHEN



ABOVE LEFT: SCHONEBECK
ABOVE CENTRE: STENDAL
ABOVE RIGHT: WEISSENFELS (P)

DESIGN 2 and 3:



ABOVE LEFT: HANNOVER (P)
ABOVE RIGHT: NÜRNBERG (P)

DESIGN 4 (20th Sep to 4th Oct 1942):



ABOVE LEFT: ILMENAU
ABOVE CENTRE: QUEDLINBURG
ABOVE RIGHT: WITTENBURG

400th ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF PETER HENLEIN
6th Sep 1942

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN: Heft: 16, Page: 597, Number: S 79
RELATED STAMPS: Michel 819
RELATED POSTCARD:

This special handstamp was used only in NÜRNBURG and only for one day on 6th Sep 1942 and depicts the Coat of Arms of Nürnberg. It was used to commemorate the 400th Anniversary of the death of Peter Henlein, the inventor of the pocket watch.



ABOVE: Special NÜRNBURG cancel (P)

EUROPӒISCHER POSTKONGRESS
EUROPEAN POSTAL CONGRESS
12th Oct 1942

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN: Heft: 22, Page: 768, Number: S 100
RELATED STAMPS: Michel 820 to 822
RELATED POSTCARD: P294

In an effort to reduce postal fees between Germany and the countries under her occupation or within her sphere of influence, Germany convened the European Postal Congress which took place in Vienna between 12th and 24th Oct 1942. Present at the meeting were representatives from Albania, Finland, Hungary, Denmark, Germany, Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, Norway, Holland, Romania, San Marino and Slovakia.

A single special handstamp was used during the conference and three commemorative stamps Michel 820 to 822, as well as an official postcard P294, were issued on the first day, 12th Oct 1942. As decreed by Amstblatt A42, Order No. M1302 the special handstamp was only to be used on mail bearing one or more of the commemorative stamps.



ABOVE LEFT: Michel 820 with special handstamp (P)
ABOVE CENTRE: Michel 821 with special handstamp (P)
ABOVE RIGHT: Michel 822 with special handstamp (P)

The new treaty was signed on 19th Oct 1942 and Germany commemorated the event by issuing the same set of three stamps Michel 823 to 825 but now with a "19.Okt.1942" overprint as well as a re-issue of the postcard P295, also similarly overprinted with the 19.Okt.1942 date. Although no special handstamp was produced to mark the signing, these three re-issued stamps and postcard are frequently found with the initial special handstamp applied.

REFERENCES:
1. JULIUS BOCHMANN - KATALOG DER DEUTSCHEN GELEGENHEITSSTEMPEL
2. ROBERT W. JONES - THE PHILATELY OF THE THIRD REICH GERMANY 1933-1945 - MAR PUBLISHING - 2011 - ISBN: 978-0-9765165-3-8