GELEGENHEITSSTEMPEL
OPPORTUNITY STAMP - SPECIAL STAMP
(1937)

This page was last updated
05-Jun-2023 07:28

NOTE: This page contains details of special postmarks that are directly related to official stamps issued in 1937. For special postmarks that are not directly related to the issue of commemorative stamps look here

INTRODUCTION:
The study of the various postmarks and cancellations used in 1937 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 most 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.

HITLER'S 48th BIRTHDAY
(5th Apr 1937)

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN: See detalis below each example
RELATED STAMPS: Michel Block 7
RELATED POSTCARD: There were no official postcards published to commemorate the event

1937 was the first time that a commemorative stamp, Michel Block 7 and special handstamp, was used to commemorate Hitler's birthday. Four different special handstamps were used in 4 German cities: BERLIN, BERCHTESGADEN, MÜNCHEN and NÜRNBERG.

The choice of cities was not random:

BERLIN - The capital city of Germany
BERCHTESGADEN - where Hitler spent most of his time when not in BERLIN
MÜNCHEN - The birthplace of the Nazi Party
NÜRNBERG - The site of the annual Nazi Party Rally

The BERLIN handstamp depicts the Reichs Chancellery and was used at many post offcies, but without any identifying marks. For example all the cancels are inscribed BERLIN but they were used at post offices C2, N4 NW7, W8, W9, SW11, O17. NW64, SW68, Berlin Charlottenburg 1 and 2, Berlin Schoneburg 1, Berlin Neukölln 1, three mobile post offices and 10 modile stalls in the city centre and the only way to determine where they originated is when a cover featuring this sheet also has a registration label.

The BERCHTESGADEN cancel features a view of the village with the Watzmann mountain in the distance and was available at the local post office.

The Feldhernhalle is featured on the München cancellation and it was available from post offices 1, 2, 8, 13, 19 and 25 as well as a special stall located in the Koniglichen Platz .

The Nürnberg cancellation features Nurnberg Castle and was only available from Nurnberg 2 post office.

Special handstamps, postcards and stamps were then issued every year in 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943 and 1944 to commemorate his birthday.



ABOVE LEFT: BERLIN: BOCHMANN Heft Nr 3, Page: 111. Number: S222
ABOVE CENTRE LEFT: BERCHTESGADEN: BOCHMANN Heft Nr 2, Page: 86, Number: S5



ABOVE CENTRE RIGHT: MÜNCHEN: BOCHMANN Heft Nr 16, Page: 553, Number: S93
ABOVE RIGHT: NÜRNBERG Type I: BOCHMANN Heft Nr 16, Page: 594, Number: S49

There are two versions of the Nürnberg special cancel: Type I - Castle roof protruding over the wall on the left, and Type II - where the roof ends at the wall, without protruding over it.



ABOVE LEFT: Type I
ABOVE RIGHT: Type II

1. DIE DEUTSCHE BRIEFMARKE NATIONALE AUSSTELLUNG
1st NATIONAL EXHIBITION of GERMAN POSTAGE STAMPS
(16th / 18th Apr 1937)

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN: Heft Nr 3, Page 110, Nr S 220
RELATED STAMPS: Michel Block 8
RELATED POSTCARD:

A special handstamp was available to commemorate the National Exhibition of German Postal Stamps held in Berlin from 16th to 18th Apr. The handstamp is inscribed "BERLIN W62 | Nationale Ausstellung 1937 | Die | Deutsche | Briefmarke | 16.-18.4.1937" that was available throughout the exhibition. There are eight versions with counter letters 'a' to 'h'.

Due to an error the handstamp used at the start of the exhibition was mistakenly set to '1936' instead of '1937', and this error is very sought after by collectors.



ABOVE LEFT: Counter 'a' (C)
ABOVE CENTRE LEFT: Counter 'b' (P)
ABOVE CENTRE RIGHT: Counter 'c' (C)
ABOVE RIGHT: Counter 'd'



ABOVE LEFT: Counter 'e'
ABOVE CENTRE LEFT: Counter 'f' (C)
ABOVE CENTRE RIGHT: Counter 'g' (C)
ABOVE RIGHT: Counter 'h' (C)

THE LIFE AND WORK OF THE FÜHRER EXHIBITION
(17th/20th Apr 1937)

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN: Heft Nr 10, Page: 354, Number: S70
RELATED STAMPS: Michel Block 8
RELATED POSTCARD: There is no official related postcard.

A special handstamp was available to commemorate the Life and Work of the Führer Exhibition held in HAMBURG from 17th to 20th Apr 1937. The handstamp features an Edelweiss flower and is inscribed "HAMBURG 1 | D.S.G | Sammlerschau 20. April" (Where D.S.G refers to the Deutsche Sammler Gruppe or German Collectors Group).

This special handstamp was only available at the exhibition and not by order through the post. Only one version of the handstamp was used and it does not have any counter letter.

HITLER'S CULTURE FUND
(10th/13th Jun 1937)

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN: Heft Nr: 10, Page: 354, Number: S 73
RELATED STAMPS: Michel Block 9
RELATED POSTCARD: No Official Postcards were published.

Commemorative Minisheet Michel Block 9 was issued to raise funds for Hitler's Culture Fund. Unlike the previous two sheets this one had an additional "25 Rpf einschließlich kulturspende" - 'Rpf 25 including culture donation' inscription.

A special handstamp was available in HAMBURG from 10th to 13th Jun 1937. The handstamp features the K.d.F logo and is inscribed "HAMBURG | 10:13.6.1937 | Reichstagung N.S.G | kraft Durch Freude and exists with either a '-', 'a', 'b', 'c' or 'd' counter.




REFERENCE: BOCHMANN: Heft Nr: 10, Page: 354, Number: 71
In addition to the handstamp above there was also a machine cancel and a Type 'A' cancel used in HAMBURG to advertise the event. The Type 'A' cancel has a '1 a' counter and the Type 'Bd' (see below) has a counter 'a'.



ABOVE: Special roller cancel used in HAMBURG with counter 'a' (C)

4. BRAUNE BAND VON DEUTSCHLAND
4th BROWN RIBBON OF GERMANY RACE
(1st Aug 1937)

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN: Heft Nr: 16, Page: 554, Number: S 99
RELATED STAMPS: Michel Block 10
RELATED POSTCARD: None

Commemorative Minisheet Michel Block 10 was issued to commemorate the 4th running of the German Brown Ribbon Race on 1st Aug 1937. The handstamp is inscribed "MÜNCHEN-RIEM | 1.8.37 | Das Braune Band | von | Deutschland | 1937" and was used only on the 1st Aug 1937.

COLLECTING IN YOUR LEISURE TIME
(3rd / 5th Sep 1937)

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN: Heft Nr 3, Page No: 113, Number: S 241
RELATED STAMPS: Michel Block 11
RELATED POSTCARD: A commemorative postcard was also on sale at the show

This special handstamp is inscribed "BERLIN W62 | DEUTSCHE | SAMMLER-GEMEINSCHAFT | DER N.S. GEMEINSCHAFT | KRAFT DURCH FREUDE" and exists with one of 8 different counters: 'a' through 'h'. The show was held at the BERLIN Zoo and the cancel was used from 3rd to 5th Sep.



ABOVE: Counter 'g' (C)

9. REICHSPARTEITAG
9th NAZI PARTY RALLY
(6th/13th Sep 1937)

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN:
RELATED STAMPS: Michel Block 11
RELATED POSTCARD:

Commemorative Minisheet Michel Block 11 was a re-issue of Michel Block 10 only now the stamps have additional inscriptions "Reichsparteitag" and Nürnberg 1937" on the vertical sides of each stamp.

For details on all of the special handstamps used at the Nazi Party rallies from 1933 to 1938 see here

WINTERHILFSWERK
WINTER RELIEF FUND - SHIPS
(Nov 1937)

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN:
RELATED STAMPS: Michel 651-659
RELATED POSTCARD: P266

To raise funds for the 1937/1938 Winter Relief Charity a set nine commemorative stamps was issued along with an official postcard. Slogan cancels similar to previous years were used during the entire 6-month campaign and there was also a series of special handstamps (featuring an eagle with outstretched wings and WHW across its chest) were used at travelling post offices (TPO's) in the following cities for one day each:

18th Dec: MÜNCHEN
19th Dec: ROSENHEIM, TRAUNSTEIN
20th Dec: BAD REICHENHALL, BERCHTESGADEN
21st Dec: MIESBACH, TEGERNSEE
22nd Dec: GARMISCH, MURNAU
23rd Dec: PASING
23rd Dec: STARNBERG
23rd Dec: WEILHEIM



ABOVE LEFT: MÜNCHEN
ABOVE CENTRE LEFT: ROSENHEIM
ABOVE CENTRE RIGHT: TRAUNSTEIN
ABOVE RIGHT: BAD REICHENHALL



ABOVE LEFT: BERCHTESGADEN
ABOVE CENTRE LEFT: MIESBACH
ABOVE CENTRE RIGHT: TEGERNSEE
ABOVE RIGHT: GARMISCH



ABOVE LEFT: MURNAU
ABOVE CENTRE LEFT: PASING
ABOVE CENTRE RIGHT: STARNBERG
ABOVE RIGHT: WEILHEIM

In addition to the special handstamps above the government instituted a 'Day of Nationalen Solidaritat' or Day of National Solidarity, which was held on 4th and 5th Dec 1937. These special handstamps had the same design as the eight above, only now they have the additional inscription "Tag der Nationalen Solidaritat".

4th Dec 1937: handstamp used in BERLIN, DRESDEN, HAGEN and HAMBURG
5th Dec 1937: handstamp used in FREIBURG, KARLSRUHE and MANNHEIM.



ABOVE LEFT: BERLIN
ABOVE CENTRE LEFT: DRESDEN
ABOVE CENTRE RIGHT: STARNBERG
ABOVE RIGHT: WEILHEIM



In addition to the handstamps above there was also a slogan cancel inscribed "WHW | Ein Volk | Hilft sich selbst" - 'WHW | A people helps itself'



ABOVE: Slogan cancel (C)

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