GELEGENHEITSSTEMPEL
OPPORTUNITY STAMP - SPECIAL STAMP
(1939)

This page was last updated
24-May-2023 05:23

NOTE: This page contains details of special postmarks that are directly related to official stamps issued in 1939. 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 1939 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. My apologies now for any errors and the inevitable omissions.

INTERNATIONALE AUTOMOBIL-UND-MOTORRAD-AUSSTELLUNG
INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOBILE AND MOTORCYCLE EXHIBITION
(17th Feb/5th Mar 1939)

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN: Heft Nr: 3, Page: 121, Number: S 301
RELATED STAMPS: Michel 686 to 688
RELATED POSTCARD: There was no official postcard related to this exhibition but there were several private postcards.

The city of Berlin was the stage for the 1939 International Automobile and Motorcycle Exhibition and during the show from 17th Feb to 5th Mar, a special handstamp was widely used. In addition to the handstamp there were also commemorative stamps, cards, coin wrappers and private postcards.

This special handstamp is inscribed "BERLIN-CHARLOTTENBURG 5 | INTERNATIONALE AUTOMOBIL- | u. MOTORRAD-AUSSTELLUNG BERLIN 1939". There are 5 versions of this handstamp: Counters 'a' to 'd' and no counter, used from 17th Feb until 5th Mar 1939. The handstamp without a counter letter was used for pneumatic tube postal mail and had additional minutes after the hours.



ABOVE: Examples above all feature the 'c' counter dated 17th Feb 1939 (the first day of usage) (P).

HITLER'S 50th BIRTHDAY
(20th Apr 1939)

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN: VARIOUS (SEE BELOW)
RELATED STAMPS: Michel 691
RELATED POSTCARD: A series of five official postcards was widely available as well as number of private postcards

Special handstamps, official postcards and a stamp were available in 1939 and then issued every year in 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943 and 1944 to commemorate Hitler's birthday.

For the third consecutive year a special handstamp was used for a single day to celebrate Hitler's birthday on 20th Apr. Eight towns and cities used special handstamps as follows: BERLIN, BRANAU, EGER, MEMEL, MÜNCHEN, NÜRNBERG, SAARBRÜCKEN and WIEN.


1. BERLIN: BOCHMANN: Heft Nr: 3, Page: 122, Number: S 306.
The special handstamp used in BERLIN was inscribed "BERLIN | Deutsche Wehrfreiheit | 20.4.1939 | 50 Geburtstag de Führers | Reichshauptstadt" - 'BERLIN | German Military Freedom | April 20, 1939 | 50th birthday of the leader | imperial capital'. This handstamp can be found with the following counters: '-', 'a' to 'i' and 'k' to ''r'. This special handstsamp was only permitted for use on semi-postal stamps.



ABOVE: BERLIN counter 'a', example on cover from my collection


2. BRAUNAU: BOCHMANN: Heft Nr: 4, Page: 164, Number: S 3
The special handstamp used in Hitler's birth town of BRAUNAU AM INN only exists in one variant (no counters). The handstamp is inscribed "BRAUNAU | 50 Geburtstag des Führers | 20.4.1939 | 1889 - 1939"



ABOVE: BRANAU special handtamp (C) example on cover from my collection


3. EGER: BOCHMANN: Heft Nr: 5, Page: 248, Number: S 2
Eger was the third town/city to use a special handstamp to commemorate Hitler's birthday. There is only one version of this handstamp and it is inscribed "EGER | 20.4.39 | 50. Gerburtstag des Führers | Deutsch der Sudetenland" - 'EGER | 20.4.39 | 50. | 50th birthday of the leader | The Sudetenland is German'



ABOVE: EGER special handstamp (P)


4. MEMEL: BOCHMANN: Heft Nr 14, Page: 532, Number: S 1
The MEMEL special handstamp was the first of only 5 special handstamps used in the city during the Nazi period. There is only one version of the special handstamp used in MEMEL and it is inscribed "MEMEL | 50. Geburtstag des | Führers | Deutsch das Memelland".



ABOVE: MEMEL special handstamp (P)


5. MÜNCHEN: BOCHMANN: Heft Nr: 16, Page: 556, Number: S 125
No Hitler birthday celebration could take place without a special handstamp from Munich. The 1939 handstamp is inscribed "MÜNCHEN | 50. Geburtstag des | Führers | Und Ihr habt doch gesiegt! | 20.4.1939 | HAUPTSTADT DER BEWEGUNG" - 'MUNICH | 50th birthday of the leader | And you still won! | April 20, 1939 | CAPITAL OF THE MOVEMENT'. There were six counters as follows: '-' and "a" to "e".



ABOVE LEFT: MÜNCHEN counter 'b', example on cover from my collection
ABOVE RIGHT: MÜNCHEN counter 'd' (P)


6. NÜRNBERG: BOCHMANN: Heft Nr: 16, Page: 596, Number: S 64
The special handstamp used in NÜRNBERG to commemorate Hitler's 50th birthday, only has a single variant. It is inscribed "NÜRNBERG | 50. Geburtstag des Führers | 20.April | 1939 | Die Stadt der Reichsparteitag" - 'NUREMBERG | The leader's 50th Birthday | April 20 | 1939 | The city of the Nazi Party Congress'. The design features NÜRNBERG Castle and two swastikas.



ABOVE: NÜRNBERG special handstamp


7. SAARBRÜCKEN: BOCHMANN: Heft Nr: 20, Page: 656, Number: S 14
The SAARBRÜCKEN special handstamp only has one varaint and it is inscribed "SAARBRÜCKEN | 50. Geburtstag des | Führers | Deutsch die Saar" 'SAARBRUCKEN | 50th birthday of the |leader. the Saar is German'. The design features an image of the Gautheater Saarpfalz.



ABOVE: SAARBRÜCKEN special handstamp


8. WIEN: BOCHMANN: Heft Nr: 22, Page: 762, Number: S 34
Vienna commemorated Hitler's 50th birthday with a special handstamp with one of twelve counters: '-', 'a' to 'i', 'k' and 'l'. The cancel is inscribed "WIEN | 50. Geburtstag des Führers | Deutsch ist Ostmark" - 'VIENNA | 50th Birthday of the leader. The Ostmark is German'. The image on the handstamp is the dome of St. Stephen's Church.



ABOVE: WIEN counter 'a' Special handstamp (P)

NATIONAL LABOUR DAY
(1st May 1939)

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN:
RELATED STAMPS: Michel 694
RELATED POSTCARD: P279

A special handstamp was used in Munich only on 1st May 1939 to commemorate the annual Labour Day. A commemorative postage stamp and a commemorative official postcard were also freely available.



ABOVE LEFT: Special May Day handstamp (P)
ABOVE RIGHT: Special May Day handstamp (P)

NÜRBURGRING RENNEN
NÜRNBERG MOTOR RACES
(May 1939)

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN:
RELATED STAMPS: Michel 695 to 697
RELATED POSTCARD:

Held in the city of Nürnberg the motor races of 1939 were commemorated with two similar special handstamps. In addition to the handstamp, unsold stamps from the earlier International Automobile and Motorcycle Exhibition were re-issued with a "Nürburgring - Rennen" overprint.



ABOVE LEFT: Type 1 Postmark (21.5.1939) (C) Example on cover from my collection
ABOVE RIGHT: Type 2 Postmark (23.7.1939)

70. JAHRE DEUTSCHE DERBY
70th RUNNING OF THE GERMAN DERBY
(18th/25th Jun 1939)

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN:
RELATED STAMPS: Michel 698
RELATED POSTCARD:

Along with the commemorative postage stamp there was a special handstamp used in HAMBURG for the duration of the meeting on 18th, 21st, 23rd and 25th Jun (the day of the race).



ABOVE LEFT: 18th Jun (P)
ABOVE CENTRE LEFT: 21st Jun (P)
ABOVE CENTRE RIGHT: 23rd Jun (P)
ABOVE RIGHT: 25th Jun (P)

6. BRAUNE BAND VON DEUTSCHLAND
6th BROWN RIBBON OF GERMANY RACE
(12th/30th Jul 1939)

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN:
RELATED STAMPS: Michel 699
RELATED POSTCARD:

Along with the commemorative postage stamp there were three special handstamps and a slogan cancel used in Munich on 23rd Jul (International Amateur Riders), 29th Jul (Brown Ribbon of Jumping), 30th Jul (the Brown Ribbon) and 12th to 30th Jul the slogan cancel.



ABOVE LEFT: 23rd Jul - International Amateur Riders (P)
ABOVE CENTRE LEFT: 29th Jul - Brown Ribbon of Jumping (P)
ABOVE CENTRE RIGHT: 30th Jul - the Brown Ribbon (P)
ABOVE RIGHT: 12th to 30th Jul the slogan cancel

TAG DER DEUTSCHEN KUNST
DAY OF GERMAN ART
(14th/16th Jul 1939)

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN:
RELATED STAMPS: Michel 700
RELATED POSTCARD:

To commemorate the Exhibition "The Day of German Art" held in Munich a postage stamp was issued and was used in conjunction with the special handstamp shown below. In addition to the special handstamp there was also a slogan cancel used from 14th to 16th Jul.



ABOVE LEFT: Special Handstamp
ABOVE LEFT: Slogan Handstamp



ABOVE: Slogan roller cancel

RETURN OF DANZIG TO GERMANY
(Sep 1939)

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN:
RELATED STAMPS: Michel 714 and 715
RELATED POSTCARD:



ABOVE LEFT: 1st Sep 1939
ABOVE RIGHT: 19th Sep 1939

WINTER RELIEF FUND
(Oct 1939/Mar 1940)

REFERENCE: BOCHMANN:
RELATED STAMPS: Michel 730 to 738
RELATED POSTCARD:



ABOVE LEFT: KRIEGS WHW
ABOVE CENTRE: KREIGS | WHW | Ein Volk hilft sich selbst
ABOVE RIGHT: EIN VOLK | HILFTSICH | SELBST | KREIGS-WHW

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