PROPAGANDA POSTCARDS
(1936)

This page was last updated
16-Oct-2023 06:32

OLYMPIC POSTAL EXHIBITION
(1st/16th Aug 1936)

BACKGROUND: There are four different designs of postcard issued to commemorate the Olympic Postal Exhibition from 1st to 16th Aug 1936.

ABOVE LEFT: Design No.1 - Deutsche Arbeit
ABOVE RIGHT: Design No.2 - Deutsche Familie

The DEUTSCHE ARBEIT postcard features three stamps from the 1934 issue 'Deutsche Nothilfe' Professions set Michel 556 to 564. They are the 12Rpf farmer, 6Rpf Miner and 25Rpf Artist/Sculpture, all reflecting Germany at work (DEUTSCHES ARBEIT).

The DEUTSCHE FAMILIE postcard features 5 stamps that are somewhat connected to the idea of family. Reading clockwise from the top, the first stamp is a 1935, 15Rpf stamp from the Hitler Youth issue Michel 585. The next stamp a 6Rpf featuring a girl in Hitler Youth uniform, was not in fact issued as a stamp, but was pre-printed on the 1935 P256 official postcard. The third stamp is a 25Rpf from the 1935 Mother and Child, Saar Plebiscite set, Michel 565-568. Finally, the fourth stamp is a 12Rpf from the 'Soldier's and Heroes Day' set issued in 1935 and catalogued as Michel 569-570. The final stamp was also not issued as a stand-alone stamp but it was featured on the 1934 postcard P253.

ABOVE LEFT: Design No.3 - Deutsche Luftfahrt
ABOVE RIGHT: Design No.4 - Deutsche Musik

The DEUTSCHE LUFTFAHRT postcard depicts a Zeppelin airship and a small aircraft. The image on the left is that of Otto Lilienthal and on the right is Ferdinand von Zeppelin, both of who were depicted in the 1934 Issue DEUTSCHE LUFTPOST stamps, Michel 529-539.

The final card, the DEUTSCHE MUSIK' card, depicts the three stamps from the 1935 issue of German Composers, Michel 573-575. They are, from top to bottom: Georg Friedrich Händel, Johann Sebastian Bach and Heinrich Schütz. The person on the right is Wagner, one of Adolf Hitler's favorite composers. The image in the background is a scene from Wagner's 'Mastersingers of Nuremberg' opera and is depicted on the 6Rpf stamp from the 1933 issue, Michel 499-507.

SPECIAL CANCEL: There was a special cancel used at the show inscribed "DRESDEN AUSSTELLUNG | Der Briefmarke" and featuring three tulips and a posthorn design which was used in Dresden from 1st Aug until 16th Aug 1936. Another related special cancellation was also used at the National Garden Show which ran in parallel to this event and it is inscribed 'DRESDEN AUSTELLUNG | Reichsgartenschau' and was available from 16th May until 15th Oct 1936.

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There are multiple variations of each card. The main differences are the value of the pre-printed stamp as well as the text on the reverse of the cards.

The First set of cards was issued to commemorate the Olympic Postal Exhibition held during the Olympic Games from 1st to 16th Aug 1936. These cards have three lines of text on the front of the card inscribed "Olmpia - Postwertzeitchen - Ausstellung | Dresden | 1.- 16. August 1936" on the upper left-hand pane.

The Second set consists of only 2 cards, again issued to commemorate the Postal Exhibition but this time sponsored by the Reichsbund der Philatelisten (R.d.P) and inscribed with a two line inscription that reads "Werberschau der R.d.F Sammlergruppe Süd 10. Marz 1940 | Olympia - Postwertzeitchen - Ausstellung". In addition to the text there is also a large oval image with the inscription "MEIN LEIPZIG | LOB ICH MIR!"

The Third set has four cards. They have the same three line text of the first set ""Olmpia - Postwertzeitchen - Ausstellung | Dresden | 1.- 16. August 1936" but this has been crossed out with two diagonal lines and additional text inscribed "Briefmarken Werbershau | der R.d.F Sammlergruppe Süd Leipzig | den 10. Marz 1940 " has been added.

Finally the Fourth set consists of four cards. They have the same three line text of the first set "Olmpia - Postwertzeitchen - Ausstellung | Dresden | 1.- 16. August 1936" but this has been crossed out with two diagonal lines that look like an 'M' and a 'W' on top of each other, and additional text inscribed "30 Jahre Gruppe Süd | Werberschau am. 5th Okt 1941" has been added. These cards have pre-printed Hitler head stamps.

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TYPE I
OLYMPIC POSTAL EXHIBITION
(1st Aug 1936)

The first set of cards was issued to commemorate the Olympic Postal Exhibition held during the Olympic Games from 1st to 16th Aug 1936. These cards have three lines of text on the front of the card inscribed "Olympia - Postwertzeitchen - Ausstellung | Dresden | 1.- 16. August 1936" on the upper left-hand pane.

Two of these cards feature a pre-printed 3Rpf indicia Hindenburg Medallion stamp: one 'Deutsche Arbeit' and the other 'Deutsche Familie'), and the Frech catalogue lists them as PP122-C-28/01 and PP122-C-28/02.

ABOVE LEFT: (1) PP122-C-28/01 - DEUTSCHE ARBEIT - 3Rpf HINDENBURG
ABOVE LEFT: (2) PP122-C-28/02 - DEUTSCHE FAMILIE - 3Rpf HINDENBURG

The remaining three cards each feature an indicia stamp: 4Rpf Hindenburg - PP125-C-1, 5Rpf Hindenburg - PP126-C-13 and 5Rpf Airmail stamp - PP142-C-4

ABOVE LEFT: (3) PP125-C-1 - DEUTSCHE MUSIK - 4Rpf HINDENBURG
ABOVE RIGHT: (4) - PP126-C-13 - DEUTSCHE FAMILIE - 5Rpf HINDENBURG

ABOVE LEFT: (5) - PP142-C-4 - DEUTSCHE LUFTFAHRT - 5Rpf LUFTPOST

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WITHOUT PRE-PRINTED STAMP
(1st AUG 1936)

All four type I designs also exist without a pre-printed stamp as shown below.

ABOVE LEFT: (1) DEUTSCHE ARBEIT - No Pre-Printed Stamp
ABOVE RIGHT: (2) DEUTSCHE FAMILIE - No Pre-Printed Stamp

ABOVE LEFT: (3) - DEUTSCHE MUSIK - No Pre-Printed Stamp ABOVE RIGHT: (4) - DEUTSCHE LUFTFAHRT - No Pre-Printed Stamp

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TYPE II
RE-ISSUED for LEIPZIG STAMP EXHIBITION
(10th Mar 1940)

The Second set consists of only 2 cards, each with a two line inscription that reads "Werberschau der R.d.F Sammlergruppe Süd 10. Marz 1940 | Olympia - Postwertzeitchen - Ausstellung". The additional large oval image with the inscription "MEIN LEIPZIG | LOB ICH MIR!" is not part of the original card.

ABOVE LEFT: (1) PP122-C-109 - DEUTSCHE FAMILIE - 3Rpf HINDENBURG
ABOVE RIGHT: (2) PP142-C-46 - DEUTSCHE LUFTFAHRT - 5Rpf LUFTPOST

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TYPE III
RE-ISSUED for LEIPZIG STAMP EXHIBITION
(10th Mar 1940)

The Third set has four cards. They all feature 6Rpf Posthorn Pre-Printed Stamps and have the same three line text of the first set "Olympia - Postwertzeitchen - Ausstellung | Dresden | 1.- 16. August 1936", only this has been crossed out with two diagonal lines and additional text inscribed "Briefmarken Werbershau | der R.d.F Sammlergruppe Süd Leipzig | den 10. Marz 1940 " has been added.

ABOVE LEFT: (1) PP149-C-1/01 - DEUTSCHE ARBEIT - 6Rpf POSTHORN
ABOVE RIGHT: (2) PP149-C-1/02 - DEUTSCHE FAMILIE - 6Rpf POSTHORN

ABOVE LEFT: (3) - PP149-C-1/03 - DEUTSCHE LUFTFAHRT - 6Rpf POSTHORN
ABOVE RIGHT: (4) - PP149-C-1/04 - DEUTSCHE MUSIK - 6Rpf POSTHORN

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TYPE IV
30th ANNIVERSARY
LEIPZIG SOUTH COLLECTOR'S GROUP
(5th Oct 1941)

Finally the Fourth set consists of four cards and was a re-issue to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Leipzig South Collector's Group. They have the same three line text of the first set "Olympia - Postwertzeitchen - Ausstellung | Dresden | 1.- 16. August 1936" but this has been crossed out with two diagonal lines that look like two 'W's on top of two 'M's, and additional text inscribed "30 Jahre Gruppe Süd | Werberschau am. 5th Okt 1941" has been added.

This version of the cards has either a 3Rpf, 5Rpf or 6Rpf HITLER head pre-printed stamp, or there was no pre-printed stamp.