GELEGENHEITSSTEMPEL
OPPORTUNITY STAMP - SPECIAL STAMP
(1933)

This page was last updated
03-May-2023 07:53

NOTE: This page contains details of special postmarks that are NOT directly related to official stamps issued in 1935. For special postmarks that are related directly to the issue of commemorative stamps look here

INTRODUCTION:
The study of the various postmarks and cancellations used in 1933 is a difficult one due to the limited information available. Fortunately, we have the BOCHMANN catalogue to assist in identifying most of them. Whilst the catalogue covers the vast majority of special cancellations and is a required source for this area of study, the information provided is limited and does not put the various postmarks and cancellations into context. The Bochmann catalogue forms the basis of this page, but I have provided additional information where possible. My apologies now for any errors and the inevitable omissions.

OPENING SESSION OF THE NEW REICHSTAG
(21st Mar 1933)

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN: Heft Nr 17, Page 627, Nr S3.
RELATED STAMPS: Michel 479, 480 and 481
RELATED POSTCARD: P248

The opening session of the new Reichstag took place on 21st Mar 1933 and was marked by the issue of three official stamps, all of which feature a portrait of Frederick the Great. As well as the stamps there was an official postcard.

The handstamp was only used on 21st Mar 1933 and is rather plain. There is no image just a simple inscription "POTSDAM | REICHSTAGS EROFFNUNG" - 'POTSDAM | REICHSTAG OPENING'. To the left of the circular CDS are seven parallel lines.



ABOVE: Potsdam special cancellation on a postcard from my collection.

GRAF ZEPPELIN CHICAGO FLIGHT
(25th Sep 1933)

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN:
RELATED STAMPS: Michel 496, 497 and 498
RELATED POSTCARD:

The 50th crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by the airship Graf Zeppelin was marked by the use of a triangle shaped red cachet. The flight was primarily a propaganda exercise for the Nazi's as it was to visit the Chicago World's Fair and show the world the technical wonder that was the Zeppelin. Most of the mail carried on board was of a philatelic nature sent by dealers and collectors.

The design of the cachet shows a map of the world with a triangle linking GERMANY, BRAZIL and USA, the route to be taken and had the inscription "LUFTSCHIFF GRAF ZEPPELIN | 1933 SÜDAMERIKA-CHICAGO FAHRT | 50. OZEAN ÜBERQUERUNG - OKTOBER"

WELFARE FUND RICHARD WAGNER
(1st Nov 1933)

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN: (see below)
RELATED STAMPS: Michel 499 to 507
RELATED POSTCARD:

There was no official postmark to accompany the nine Richard Wagner stamps issued on 1st Nov 1933. But there are four loosely related slogan postmarks that were in use around that time.

No. 1 - BOCHMANN: Heft 13, Page 475, No. 97

Inscribed "Richard-Wagner- | National denkmal | LEIPZIG | 6 MÄRZ 1934 | Grundsteinlegung" - 'Richard-Wagner- | National Monument | LEIPZIG | 6 MARCH 1934 | ground-breaking'. This cancellation exists in several variations:

No 1, Type 1: LEIPZIG C2 inscribed 'b MESSESTADT b' (open on top of 'b')
No 1, Type 1: LEIPZIG C2 inscribed 'b MESSESTADT b' (not open on top of 'b')
No. 2: LEIPZIG C2 inscribed '* MESSESTADT ff'



ABOVE LEFT: No. 1 Type 2. (C) Example from my collection
ABOVE RIGHT: No.2 (C) Example from my collection

No.2 - BOCHMANN: Heft 25 Page 816, No 147

Inscribed "Übt nationale | Solidarität! | Gebt! Helft!" - 'Practise National Solidarity - Give help!'. This slogan cancel was used in 67 towns and cities from 7th Nov 1933 and every year up to and including 1938. It exists in 6 different formats.



ABOVE: No. 2 inscribed "Übt nationale Solidarität! | Gebt! | Helft!" (P)

No. 3 - BOCHMANN: Heft 25, Page 816, no. 144

Inscribed "Gebt | zur Winterhilfe! | Helft!" - 'Give to the Winter Charity, Help!'. This slogan cancel was used in 65 towns and cities from 10th Oct 1933 and every year up to and including 1937. This slogan exists in four different formats.



ABOVE: No. 3 Example from my collection (P)

No. 4 - BOCHMANN: Heft 25, Page 814, no. 127

Inscribed "Kauft | WOHLFAHRTS= | BRIEFMARKEN | für die | WINTERHILFE!" - 'Buy Welfare Stamps for the Winter Charity'. This slogan was used in 69 towns and cities from 24th Dec 1931 and every year up to and including 1938. It only exists in one format however slightly different designs were used in Bautzen, Chemnitz, Dresden, Leipzig, Mannheim and Pforzheim [REQUIRES CONFIRMATION].



ABOVE RIGHT: No. 4 inscribed "Kauft | WOHLFAHRTS | BRIEFMARKEN | für die | WINTERHILFE" (P)

REFERENCES:
1. JULIUS BOCHMANN - KATALOG DER DEUTSCHEN GELEGENHEITSSTEMPEL
2. ROBERT W. JONES - THE PHILATELY OF THE THIRD REICH GERMANY 1933-1945 - MAR PUBLISHING - 2011 - ISBN: 978-0-9765165-3-8
3. WIKIPEDIA