OFFICIAL POSTCARDS
(1932)

This page was last updated
24-Aug-2024 01:41

P214
CENTENARY of GOETHE's DEATH
15 Rpf

BACKGROUND: This postcard depicts a head and shoulders side view of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German writer and statesman. Goethe was born on 28th Aug 1749 in Frankfurt and he died at the age of 82 in Weimar on 22nd Mar 1832. The postcard features a carmine 15 Rpf indicia stamp and is made of buff card. The reverse side is blank.

VALIDITY: 1st Mar 1932 until 31st Dec 1935

As well as the official card there were several official cards with additional private printing.

SPECIAL CANCEL:

VARIANTS TO COLLECT

The following are suggested variants that might make good additions to a collection:

1. Cancelled on first day of issue 1st Mar 1932
2. With special Goethe cancellation
3. As a domestic long-distance card without any special features
4. As a foreign used card with 10 Rpf to CSR
5. As a foreign used card with 10 Rpf to Hungary
6. As a foreign used card with 15 Rpf
7. As a Registered Delivery card
8. As a local delivery Express Delivery card
9. Used as a Rohrpost (pneumatic) card in BERLIN
10. Domestic Armail usage
11. European Airmail usage
12. Airmail usage to the USA from Bodensee (Lake Constance)
13. Postally unused
14. Domestic Bahnpost usage
15. Invalid Usage - either after expiration date or with incorrect postage applied
16. With additional private printing
17. With Special slogan cancels

EXAMPLES FROM MY COLLECTION

POSTALLY UNUSED

WITH SPECIAL GOETHE HANDSTAMP

The card below features the special cancellation used to commemorate Goethe's anniversary. The inscription on the cancellation is "Gedenkt der | DEUTSCHEN | VOLKS-SPENDE | FÜR GOETHES | GEBURTSSTÄTTE" - 'Commemorates the | GERMAN | PEOPLE'S | DONATION | FOR GOETHE'S | BIRTHPLACE'. This particular example was a local delivery in BERLIN on 22nd Mar 1932.

CANCELLED on FIRST DAY of ISSUE

Cancelled on the official issue date 1st Mar 1932

DOMESTIC LONG DISTANCE WITHOUT SPECIAL MARKINGS

1. This domestically used card was a local delivery in DRESDEN on Friday, 11th Mar 1932. Also on this day Hitler issued a statement denying that the Nazi's were planning another Putsch to take over the government. ""All of the rumors circulating to the effect that the NSDAP is planning a putsch are false and to be seen as typical signs of our opponents' election campaign."




2. The following domestically used P214 was sent from BAD KISSINGEN to HOTEL BERGKRANZ in ALLGAU on 14th Feb 1933

FOREIGN USE WITH 10 Rpf to CSR

FOREIGN USE WITH 10 Rpf to HUNGARY

FOREIGN USE WITH 15 Rpf

GREECE

1. This following example is an interesting item sent from AACHEN on the 29th Oct 1932 to PIRAEUS in GREECE. Unfortunately the arrival stamps are smudged and unreadable. There is a common slogan cancel which reads "Vermeidet | RUNDFUNKSTÖRUNGEN!" - 'Avoid Radio Interference'

HOLLAND

1. The following example of a foreign used P214 postcard was sent from FRANKFURT (MAIN) to AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND on Tuesday, 14th Jul 1931. There is a promotional slogan concel inscribed "Frankfurt | stickt voller | Merkwürdigkeiten | Goethe" - 'Frankfurt | embroiders full | Oddities | Goethe' [Requires a better translation].




2. The following postcard was also sent to AMSTERDAM in HOLLAND and was posted in BONN on 30th May 1933.

ROMANIA

1. The next card was posted in RADEBEUL on 13th May 1933 and was destined for BUCHAREST in ROMANIA, where it was delivered two days later.

SPAIN

1. The following P214 postcard was posted in WANDSBECK on 16th Apr 1932 and was destined for the town of ZARAGOZA in SPAIN.

SWITZERLAND

1. The following P214 postcard was posted in FRANKFURT (MAIN) on 14th Jun 1932 and was destined for LUZERN in SWITZERLAND.




2. Another P214 postcard destined for SWITZERLAND, this time to the city of BASEL from MANNHEIM on 11th Mar 1932.

UNITED STATES of AMERICA

1. PHILADELPHIA, USA was the destination for the next P214 postcard. On this occassion the card was posted in EISENACH on 21st Dec 1932. I don't know what the message says but it ends with a 'Best Wishes for the New Year' greeeting and a statement indicating that a reply can be written in English.

REGISTERED DELIVERY CARD

EXPRESS DELIVERY CARD

POSTED AS ROHRPOST IN BERLIN

DOMESTIC AIRMAIL

EUROPEAN AIRMAIL

AIRMAIL TO USA FROM LAKE CONSTANCE

GERMAN BAHNPOST

INVALID USAGE

SPECIAL SLOGAN CANCELS

1. The domestically used example below was sent from DRESDEN to FREIBURG on 5th Aug 1932

REFERENCES

1. MICHEL GANZSACHEN DEUTSCHLAND 2021/2022. 23 Auflage ISBN 978-95402-374-5
2. KATALOG der DEUTSCHEN GELEGENHEITSSTEMPEL by JULIUS BOCHMANN.