POSTAGE STAMPS
(1938)

This page was last updated
24-Jun-2023 02:58

1938 was a tumultuous year, not only in Germany but in other parts of Europe too. By the end of the year Austria will become a part of Greater Germany and Czechoslovakia will be dismantled and erased from the map of Europe. The appeasement of Adolf Hitler by the European powers would embolden Adolf Hitler to seek more and more 'lebensraum' and would ultimately lead the world to war in September of the following year. The major events are captured in the postal history of Germany in the form of stamps, postcards, special postmarks and propaganda posters. Astonishingly America's Time Magazine voted Hitler its "1938 Man of the Year".

MICHEL 660 & 661
5th ANNIV of ASSUMPTION of POWER

These two stamps were issued to commemorate the 5th Anniversary of the election of Adolf Hitler as Chancellor of Germany on 30th Jan 1933. The stamps depict a torchbearer and were designed by A. Kolb, engraved on swastika watermarked, coated sheets of 100 (10x10) stamps, Perf K14. The torch is meant to indicate the Nazi's leading Germany into the 'light' and the oak leave cluster in the torch bearers left hand is the sign of strength and longevity.



Mi 660: 6Rpf+4Rpf - black opal green - More Details
Mi 661: 12Rpf+8Rpf - blackish pink red - More Details

An official postcard and special postmark was issued to commemorate the 5th anniversary of Hitler's accession to power.

MICHEL 662 & 663
PLEBISCITE in AUSTRIA
(EIN VOLK - EIN REICH - EIN FÜHRER)

On 12th Mar 1938 Austria became part of "Greater Germany" when German forces crossed the Austrian border. A plebiscite (vote) was held on the 10th of Apr to 'legalise' the invasion and officially recorded a 99.7% 'Yes' vote in favour of union with Germany, from the Austrian people, however it is doubtful that the vote was free or fair. Apart from the stamps show below there were also an official postcard and various special postmarks.

The stamps were designed by Prof. Puchinger and Michel 662 was printed engraved at the Berlin State Printing Office on coated sheets (10x5) with a swastika watermark and were perf K 14. Michel 662 measures 23 x 28mm. Michel 663 was printed by the Austrian State Printing Office on coated paper on sheets (10x10) but this time without watermark and Perf K 12½. Michel 663 measures 21.5 x 26mm.



Mi 662: 6Rpf - black green - No Engraver's mark at lower left - (Berlin Printing) - More Details
Mi 663: 6Rpf - black green - Engraver's mark "E.P". At lower left - (Vienna Printing) - More Details

The stamps are engraved "EIN VOLK, EIN REICH, EIN FÜHRER" - "One people, one empire, one leader" suggesting that Germany and Austria were one people who should be united as a single country under a single leader. The Berlin printing of these stamps was produced on sheets of 50 and for those printed in Vienna on sheets of 100.

In addition to the two stamps above there was also a special card issued in VIENNA to commemorate the vote. The example below, from my collection, show this special card with the special cancellation used in VIENNA.

MICHEL 664
49th BIRTHDAY of ADOLF HITLER

This stamp was issued on the 13th of Apr to celebrate Hitler's 49th birthday on 20th Apr 1938. It was produced on sheets of 50 (10x5) and was designed by Prof. Richard Klein. The stamp was engraved on unwatermarked paper and Perf K 14.



Mi 664: 12Rpf+38Rpf - dark carmine red - More Details

A special handstamp and several commemorative postcards were also issued. The postmark was used only on the 20th of Apr in Berchtesgaden, Berlin, Munich, Nürnberg, Braunau, Graz, Linz and Vienna. Each of these towns and cities had a special link to Adolf Hitler during his life.

MICHEL 665 to 668
16th BRESLAU SPORTSFEST

This set of 4 stamps depicting major buildings in Breslau were issued on the 21st of Jun 1938. Designed by G. Fritz they were produced on sheets of 100 (10x10) stamps, did not have a watermark, and were Perf K 14.

This event was held between 23rd and 31st Jul 1938 and was attended by Adolf Hitler and the leader of the Sudeten Nazi's, Konrad Heinlein. At a speech during the games Hitler promised Sudeten Germans they would soon be freed (in October 1938, true to his word, the German army invaded the Sudetenland area of Czechoslovakia)



Mi 665: 3Rpf - black orange brown - Breslau Cathedral - More Details
Mi 666: 6Rpf - dark green - Herman Goering Stadium - More Details
Mi 667: 12Rpf - dark carmine red - Breslau Town Hall - More Details
Mi 668: 15Rpf - dark carmine brown - Centenary Hall - More Details

A series of commemorative postcards was issued along with a special handstamp and slogan postmark.

MICHEL 669 & 670
100th BIRTHDAY of FERDINAND von ZEPPELIN

These two commemorative Airmail stamps were issued on 5th Jul 1938 to honour the 100th Anniversary of the birth of Ferdinand Graf Zeppelin. Produced on sheets of 100 (10x10) stamps and designed by von Axster-Heüdtlass they were valid until 31st Dec 1939. The stamps were unwatermarked and Perf K 14. The 25Rpf stamp features von Zeppelin in the gondola of L.Z.4 on its maiden flight on the 20th of Jun 1908. The 50Rpf stamp shows the gondola of L.Z.129 the "Hindenburg" on its maiden flight on 4th Mar 1936 ('The Hindenburg' Airship famously caught fire and was destroyed whilst mooring on arrival in Lakehurst, New Jersey on 6th May 1937).



Mi 669: 25Rpf - blackish violet ultramarine - More Details
Mi 670: 50Rpf - blackish opal green - More Details

There were no official postcards issued to commemorate the event however there were several special handstamps, a slogan postmark and a commemorative card used for this event.



ABOVE: Special commemorative card (C)

MICHEL 671
DAS BRAUNE BAND von DEUTSCHLAND
The BROWN RIBBON of GERMANY

This stamp was issued on the 20th of Jul 1938 and was designed by Prof. Richard Klein. It was produced in sheets of 50 (5x10) on unwatermarked paper and was valid until 31st Dec 1939. The design pictures a rider celebrating victory in the race and holding the victor's wreath.

There are two versions of this stamp, Michel 671x which is dark brown and has vertical ribbed gum and Michel 671y which is light brown and has horizontal ribbed gum. The 'Y' version is the more common variant.



Mi 671: 42Rpf+108Rpf - brown - More Details

There are 3 special handstamps as well as a slogan postmark used during the event from 14th to 31st Jul 1938.

MICHEL 672
10th NÜRNBERG REICHSPARTEITAG
(NAZI PARTY RALLY)

The annual Reichsparteitag of 1938 was held in Nürnberg and was called the "Rally of Greater Germany" - 'Reichsparteitag Grossdeutschland' to commemorate the fact that Austria was now part of a 'Greater Germany' since the Anschluss in Apr 1938. A single stamp, designed by Prof. Richard Klein, was issued on 1st Sep 1938 and was valid for use until 31st Dec 1939. Produced on sheets of 100 (10x10) stamps they were issued on non-watermarked paper and were Perf K 14. There are two versions, type 'X' with vertical gum ribbing and type 'Y' with horizontal gum ribbing.



Mi 672: 6Rpf+19Rpf - blackish opal green - More Details

There were 2 special handstamps as well as a slogan postmark used during the event from 5th to 17th Sep 1938. Several commemorative postcards were also available as well as a series by Hitler's official photographer, Herman Hoffman.

MICHEL 673 & 674
OPENING of the SAAR PFALZ THEATRE

Issued on 9th Oct 1938, these two G. Fritz designed stamps commemorate the opening of the Saar Pfalz Theatre in the town of Saarbrücken. The stamps were printed in sheets of 100 (10x10) on coated, swastika watermarked paper and were Perf K 14.



Mi 673: 6Rpf+4Rpf - green - More Details
Mi 674: 12Rpf+8Rpf - red - More Details

A special handstamp as well as a slogan postmark was used only on the 9th Oct.

MICHEL 675 to 683
WINTERHILFSWERK
(WINTER RELIEF FUND)

Following the tradition of the last two years another set of 9 stamps was issued to commemorate the Winter Relief Fund on the 18th of Nov 1938. The stamps feature views of buildings and the Alpine flowers of Austria (now known as The Ostmark). The stamps were designed by Fritz and engraved on sheets of coated, unwatermarked paper (10x10) and were perf K 14.



Mi 675: 3Rpf+2Rpf - black orange brown - Forchtenstein Castle, Burgenland - More Details
Mi 676: 4Rpf+3Rpf - black grey blue - Flexenstrasse - More Details
Mi 677: 5Rpf+3Rpf - blackish yellowish green - Zell am See - More Details



Mi 678: 6Rpf+4Rpf - blackish green - Grossglockner - More Details
Mi 679: 8Rpf+4Rpf - orange red - Augstein Castle, Wachau - More Details
Mi 680: 12Rpf+6Rpf - dark brownish red - Wien (Prince Eugene Statue, Vienna) - More Details



Mi 681: 15Rpf+10Rpf - blackish brown purple - Erzberg Steiermark - More Details
Mi 682: 25Rpf+15Rpf - blackish cobalt - Hall-in-Tirol - More Details
Mi 683: 40Rpf+35Rpf - blackish lilac purple - Braunau - More Details

There are several WHW day of solidarity postmarks used in conjunction with this stamp issue. A set of six official postcards was also widely available as well as the special souvenir sheets shown below.



ABOVE LEFT: 1938 Souvenir Sheet (C)
ABOVE RIGHT: 1938 Day of National Solidarity


ABOVE: 1939 Day if the stamp souvenir sheet

WINTERHILFWERK

I'm not entirely sure what these items were for except that they were sold to raise funds for the WHW. They bear very similar designs to the official postcards but are on thin paper rather than card. There were six different designs, one for each month from Oct to Mar.



(1) - OCTOBER
(2) - NOVEMBER
(3) - DECEMBER



(4) - JANUARY
(5) - FEBRUARY
(6) - MARCH

MICHEL 684 & 685
SUDETENLAND PLEBISCITE

These stamps were available from the 2nd of Dec 1938 and consisted of 2 von Axster-Heüdtlass designed stamps. They were engraved on swastika watermarked paper in sheets of 100 (10x10) stamps. Perf K 14. Michel 684 can be found in two varieties, type 'X' with vertical ribbed gum and type 'Y' with horizontal ribbed gum.

The Munich Treaty was signed on 30th Sep 1938 and had officially ceded the Sudetenland to Germany on 1st Oct.



Mi684: 6Rpf+4Rpf - black opal green - More Details
Mi685: 12Rpf+8Rpf - carmine - More Details

The towns of Aussig, Karlsbad, Reichenberg and Troppau issued special postmarks on the 4th of Dec and there was also a slogan postmark used at the same time. In addition, there was a commemorative red Zeppelin cachet postmark used to mark the maiden flight of Zeppelin LZ 130 to the Sudetenland in Dec 1938. Private and Official postcards were also issued.

MICHEL 144 to 154
DIENSTMARKE
OFFICIAL STAMPS

This set of 11 Official stamps was issued on 26th Jan 1938 and was designed by Prof. Richard Klein. They were produced on sheets of 100 (10x10) and have a swastika watermark. They are Perf K 14:14¼.

There was a re-issue of these stamps in Mar 1942 and the re-issued stamps can easily be distinguished as they had no watermark. There are colour differences between both issues as well.



Mi D144: 1Rpf - brown black - More Details
Mi D145: 3Rpf - dark brown ochre - More Details
Mi D146: 4Rpf - bright ultramarine - More Details
Mi D147: 5Rpf - bright emerald green - More Details



Mi D148: 6Rpf - dark grey green - More Details
Mi D149: 8Rpf - yellowish red - More Details
Mi D150: 12Rpf - dark pink red - More Details
Mi D151: 16Rpf - dark green grey - More Details



Mi D152: 24Rpf - dark olive yellow - More Details
Mi D153: 30Rpf - dark brownish olive - More Details
Mi D154: 40Rpf - lilac purple - More Details