POSTAGE STAMPS
(1936)
This page was last updated
01-May-2023 05:03
SONDERMARKEN der DEUTSCHEN REICHSPOST
für die 11. OLYMPISCHEN SPIELE 1936
BACKGROUND: This souvenir sheet was widely available at the games and sold for 2 RM. It came with all eight of the commemorative stamps, Michel 609 to 616 already attached. The buyer was then free to visit any of the post offices and have his stamps cancelled with one of the many commemorative handstamps.
Due to the large size of the sheet it is not uncommon for them to have one or more edges trimmed in order for them to be fitted into an album.
There are two (at least) versions of this souvenir sheet: the one available in BERLIN has a three line title that reads "Sondermarken der Deutschen Reichspost | für die X1, Olympischen Spiele 1936 | in Berlin". The second version, available in KIEL, has a three line inscription the same as that in BERLIN, only now the third line reads "Segelwettkampfe in Kiel" - 'Sailing competitions in Kiel'.
STAMPS FROM MY COLLECTION
All stamps shown from here until the end of the page are from my personal collectionMIXED HANDSTAMPS
This first example has been cancelled with eight of the commemorative handstamps indicating that the buyer must have visited eight different counters and queued up at each one in order to get each stamp cancelled. In addition he/she must have visited the games at least four times since the stamps were cancelled on various days as follows:1st Aug: Olympia Stadion - Michel 609.
1st Aug: Olympisches Dorf - counter 'q' - Michel 611
1st Aug: K.d.F Stadt - counter 'h' - Michel 613
1st Aug: Olympia Presshauptquarter - counter 'k' - Michel 614
8th Aug: Olympia Schwimmsatadion - counter 'g' - Michel 610
11th Aug: Berlin-Grunau Regatta - counter 'n' - Michel 615
16th Aug: Fahrbares Postamt - counter 'f' - Michel 612
16th Aug: Berlin Ausstellung Deutschlands - counter 'c' - Michel 616
Some thought must have gone into this selection of handstamps since the only stamp to depict an event held in the pool is cancelled with the Schwimmstadion commemorative handstamp and the only stamp depicting a sailing event was cancelled with the Regattabahn handstamp.
OLYMPIA STADION HANDSTAMPS
By far the most common of the commemorative handstamps found on these souvenir sheets are from a single counter and those usually have one the many OLYMPIA-STADION cancellations.BELOW: Olympia Stadion Counter 'n'. These stamps were all cancelled with the Olympia Station counter 'n' handstamp on 4th Aug 1936.
BELOW: Olympia Stadion Counter 'ag'. These stamps were all cancelled with the Olympia Station counter 'ag' handstamp on the first day of the games, 1st Aug 1936.
BELOW: Olympia Stadion Counter 'ap'. These stamps were all cancelled with the Olympia Station counter 'ap' handstamp on the first day of the games, 1st Aug 1936.
KIEL HANDSTAMPS
The Olympic Stadium in BERLIN was not the only venue used for the XI Olympics. The sailing events took place in Kiel and that venue also had commemorative handstamps and a souvenir sheet available. The souvenir sheet below was cancelled with the KIEL counter 'g' handstamp on 14th Aug 1936.
