OFFICIAL POSTCARDS
(1933)
This page was last updated
30-May-2024 06:28
P224 - 450th BIRTHDAY of Dr. MARTIN LUTHER
6Rpf HINDENBURG MEDALLION STAMP
Issued: 4th Nov 1933 to commemorate the 450th Anniversary of the birth of Dr, Martin Luther. The card features a portrait of Dr. Martin Luther on the left pane as well as a 6Rpf Hindenburg pre-printed stamp and long-tailed 'e' in 'Postkarte' on the right-hand pane.
Validity: 4th Nov 1933 until May 1945
SONDERSTEMPEL: A special cancel related to this issue was available inscribed "EISLEBEN | Dr. Martin Luthers | Geburtsstadt | 1483 - 10.11.-1933"
As well as the official card there were a number of official cards with additional private printing.
VARIANTS TO COLLECT
Frech [3] suggests the following variants might make good additions to a collection:1. Postally used before the offical release date of 4th Nov 1933
2. Postally used on the official release date of 4th Nov 1933
3. Postally used with the offical Eisleben Martin Luther sonderstempel
4. With the machine advertising stamp "Worms, Besucht die Nibelungen-Dom- und Lutherstadt"
5. As a domestic long-distance card without any special cancellations
6. With a rural or land cancellations
7. As a foreign used card with 10 Rpf to CSR
8. As a foreign used card with 10 Rpf to Hungary
9. As a foreign used card with 15 Rpf
10. As a Registered card
11. As a local delivery Express card
12. As a local delivery in the land delivery area
13. Cancelled at the HAMBURG tram post office
14. As a Rohrpost card in Berlin
15. Domestic Armail usage
16. European Airmail usage
17. Airmail usage to the USA from Bodensee (Lake Constance)
I would also add the following:
1. Postally unused
2. Domestic Bahnpost usage
3. Invalid Usage - either after expiration date or with incorrect postage applied
4. With additional private printing
5. With other slogan cancellations
EXAMPLES FROM MY COLLECTION
POSTALLY UNUSED
BEFORE FIRST DAY OF ISSUE
BEFORE 4th Nov 1933
The following example was postally used before the offical release date of 4th Nov 1933
FIRST DAY OF ISSUE
4th Nov 1933
The following example was postally used on the official release date of 4th Nov 1933
EISLEBEN MARTIN LUTHER SONDERSTEMPEL
Postally used with the offical Eisleben Martin Luther sonderstempel inscribed "EISLEBEN | Dr. Martin Luthers | Geburtsstadt | 1483 - 10.11.-1933"
WORMS ADVERTISING STAMP
With the machine advertising stamp "Worms, Besucht die Nibelungen-Dom- und Lutherstadt"
LONG-DISTANCE USAGE WITHOUT ANY SPECIAL MARKING
1. The following is an example of a domestic long-distance card without any special cancellations. It was posted in GELSENKIRCHEN on 7th Dec 1935 and was delivered to an address in HOFHEIM, approximately 250 Km to the south east.
2. The next card was also destined for VOGTLAND and was sent from DRESDEN on 17th Jan 1934.
3. The following example was posted in FRANKFURT (MAIN) on 30th Nov 1933 and was delivered to an address in RÜDESHEIM.
4.
RURAL LAND DELIVERY
1. This first card was cancelled with a GIERSTÄDT | ERFURT LAND cancellation on 15th Jan 1934.
FOREIGN USE TO CSR
The example below is foreign used card with 10 Rpf to the CSR
FOREIGN USE TO HUNGARY
The example below is foreign used card with 10 Rpf to Hungary
FOREIGN USE WITH 15 Rpf
The examples below all feature cards used as foreign postage with 15 Rpf postageFOREIGN USAGE
HOLLAND
1. This first example of a foreign or overseas usage card, was sent from BONN to an address in AMSTERDAM, Holland. The card was posted on 22nd Dec 1933 and would have arrived just in time for Christmas. The card has been overfranked by 1 Rpf for a total of 16 Rpf.
REGISTERED CARD
The example below is a registered mail item
EXPRESS DELIVERY CARD
The following example is a local delivery Express card
HAMBURG TRAM POST OFFICE
The following example was cancelled at the HAMBURG tram post office
ROHRPOST in BERLIN
The following example was used in BERLIN as a pnuematic mail item
DOMESTIC AIRMAIL
The card below is an example of domestic Airmail usage
EUROPEAN AIRMAIL
The card below is an example of European Airmail usage
AIRMAIL TO USE FROM LAKE CONSTANCE
The card below is an example of International Airmail usage to the US from BODENSEE (Lake Constance)
GERMAN BAHNPOST
The following is an example of domestic Bahnpost usage
INVALID USAGE
The following are examples of invalid usage: insufficient postage, undelivered mail and cards used after the expiration date
WITH OTHER SPECIAL SLOGAN CANCELLATIONS
1. This first domestically used postcard was sent from ASCHAFFENBURG. This particular example has a slogan cancel with an acorn and two leaves inscribed "Brecht | Arbeitsnot | Kauft | Deutsche Waren" - 'Break the labour shortage, buy German goods'. This cancel was used in 22 towns and cities in 1933, 34 and 35.
2. The following card was domestically used in LEIPZIG and sent to VOGTLAND on 6th Nov 1933. This example also has a slogan cancel inscribed "Gebt | zur Winterhilfe! | helft" - 'Donate to the Winter Relief Charity, Help'. This slogan cancel was used in 65 towns and cities in 1933, 34, 35, 36 and 37.
3. The next card was locally used in LEIPZIG on 25th Jan 1933. This card has another slogan cancel inscribed "Kämpft mit | gegen hunger | und Kälte" - 'Fight against hunger and cold' which was used in 67 towns and cities in 1933, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 and 45.
4. Posted at BERLIN NW7 on 25th Feb 1936 this P224 card was sent to an address in ESSEN.
5.The next example was a local usage in BERLIN posted on 12th Nov 1933 and featuring the special WHW slogan "Gebt | zur Winterhilfe! | helft!"
6. Below is another local usage, this time in DRESDEN on 17th Nov 1934 and featuring an alternate WHW slogan cancellation inscribed "KAUFT | WOHLFAHRTSBRIEFMARKEN | für die | WINTERHILFE!" - 'BUY WELFARE STAMPS for the WINTER RELIEF FUND!'
7. The following example was cancelled in DRESDEN on 27th Nov 1935 and was sent to HAMBURG. This particular example features a common slogan cancellation used at the time encouraging people to help the less well off.
REFERENCES
1. MICHEL GANZSACHEN DEUTSCHLAND 2021/2022. 23 Auflage ISBN 978-95402-374-52. KATALOG der DEUTSCHEN GELEGENHEITSSTEMPEL by JULIUS BOCHMANN.
3. GANZSACHEN-HANDBUCH DES "DRITTEN REICHES" by Hans Peter Frech. 2014 Edition
