POSTAGE STAMPS
(1940)

This page was last updated
17-Oct-2022 06:33

MICHEL 739 to 742
LEIPZIG SPRING FAIR
(Leipziger Messe)

This set of 4 stamps (Michel 739 To Michel 742) was issued on 3rd Mar 1940 and was valid for use until 31st Dec 1941. They were designed by von Axster-Heüdtlass and R. Engelhardt (25Rpf) and were produced on unwatermarked paper in sheets of 100. There were 6 special handstamps and a slogan postmark used during the Leipzig fair in March 1940.



Mi 739: 3Rpf - blackish brown - Leipzig library and Gutenberg - More Details
Mi 740: 6Rpf - blackish opal green - Augustusplatz - More Details
Mi 741: 12Rpf - dark brownish red - Old Town Hall - More Details
Mi 742: 25Rpf - dark ultramarine - View of the fair - More Details

The Leipzig fairs began in the 12th Century and were trade fairs that were used to develop the German economy. They soon developed into "Muster Messe" or 'Sample Fairs', hence the 'MM' initials on the stamps.

MICHEL 743
2nd NATIONAL STAMP EXHIBITION
(Berlin)

This stamp was issued on 28th Mar 1940, was designed by G.Fritz and was produced on sheets of 100 on unwatermarked paper to commemorate the National Stamp Exhibition held in Berlin. There are several shades of colour varying from light green to blackish green.



Mi 743: 24+75Rpf - blackish green - Courtyard of Chancellery, Berlin - More Details

MICHEL 744
51st BIRTHDAY of ADOLF HITLER

This stamp was issued on 10th Apr to celebrate Hitler's 51st Birthday on the 20th of Apr 1940. The design was by Prof. Richard Klein from a photograph by Hitler's official photographer Herman Hoffmann. The stamp was printed on swastika watermarked paper on sheets of 100. The cities of Berlin, Cologne, Danzig, Hamburg, Munich, Nürnberg, Posen and Vienna all used a special postmark on the actual day.



Mi 744: 12+38Rpf - dark red - Hitler and Child - More Details

MICHEL 745
MAY DAY

The following stamp was issued on 30th Apr 1940 to commemorate May Day (Tag der Arbeit or Day of Work) on 1st May. This A. Grögerschen designed stamp was valid for use until 31st Dec 1940 and featured a knight defending industry and agriculture (smokestacks and plough). There was also a special handstamp used in Munich for a single day on the 1st of May 1940.



Mi 745: 6+4Rpf - blackish opal green - More Details

MICHEL 746
71st ANNIVERSARY of the GERMAN DERBY

Issued on 22nd Jun 1940, this stamp was produced on swastika watermarked paper and was available in sheets of 100. The design was by E. Stahl and the stamp was valid for use until 31st Dec 1941. A special handstamp, available only in Hamburg on 23rd, 26th-28th and 30th and inscribed "Great German Prize for three-year-olds", was available during the event.



Mi 746: 25Rpf - dark lilac ultramarine - More Details

There are very few examples of this stamp with a city/date cancel, they are almost all found with the special handstamp.

MICHEL 747
7th BROWN RIBBON of GERMANY

On 20th Jul 1940 this stamp was issued to commemorate the 7th running of the 'Brown Ribbon of Germany' race in Munich on 28th July. The stamp was designed by Prof. Richard Klein and was produced on unwatermarked paper, printed on sheets of 100. Two special handstamps and a slogan cancel were also available during the week-long event.



Mi 747: 42+108Rpf - dark sienna - More Details

MICHEL 748 & 749
REINTEGRATION of EUPEN, MALMEDY, and MORESNET

On the 25th of Jul 1940, the State Printing Works in Berlin issued these two stamps to celebrate the return of the towns of Eupen, Malmedy and Moresnet to Germany following the German invasion of Belgium. The stamps were designed by E.R Vogenaur and were printed on sheets of 100 swastika watermarked paper. There were 3 identical (except for the name of the town) special handstamps that featured a swastika and the slogan "Homecoming to the Greater Germany".



Mi 748: 6+4Rpf - blackish opal green - More Details
Mi 749: 12+8Rpf - brownish red - More Details

MICHEL 750
50th ANNIVERSARY of HELGOLAND

Issued on the 9th of Aug 1940 to commemorate the small island of Helgoland belonging to Germany for 50 years, from 1890 to 1940. Produced by the State Printing Works in Vienna the stamps were printed on unwatermarked paper in sheets of 100. There was also a special handstamp issued to commemorate the occasion.



Mi 750: 6+94Rpf - dark blue green / orange red - More Details

MICHEL 751 to 759
WINTERHILFSWERK
(WINTER RELIEF FUND)

Issued 5th Nov 1940, another set of 9 Winterhilfwerk stamps designed by L. Wüst and printed by the State Printing Works in Berlin, on sheets of 100 and in booklet form. The surcharge on the stamps was once again used to fund charity works. Unlike in previous years, only one slogan handstamp was used with these stamps although there was also a series of six official postcards available.



Mi 751: 3+2Rpf - dark brown - Artushof, Danzig - More Details
Mi 752: 4+3Rpf - blackish blue - Town Hall, Thorn - More Details
Mi 753: 5+3Rpf - emerald green - Kaub Castle - More Details



Mi 754: 6+4Rpf - blackish green - City Theatre, Posen - More Details
Mi 755: 8+4Rpf - dark red orange - Heidelberg Castle - More Details
Mi 756: 12+6Rpf - carmine red - Porta Nigra, Trier - More Details



Mi 757: 15+10Rpf - dark brown carmine - New Theatre, Prague - More Details
Mi 758: 25+15Rpf - violet ultramarine - Town Hall, Bremen - More Details
Mi 759 - 40+35Rpf - blackish red lilac - Town Hall, Munster - More Details

MICHEL 760 & 761
50th ANNIVERSARY of the DIPHTHERIA-SERUM

Issued on 26th Nov 1940 by the State Printing Works in Vienna, these two stamps were produced on sheets of 100 on unwatermarked paper. There were also two special handstamps available. The stamp design features a portrait of Emil Adolf von Behring who developed a diphtheria antitoxin in 1889 to fight against tetanus.



Mi 760: 6Rpf+4Rpf - blackish opal Green - More Details
Mi 761: 25Rpf+10Rpf - dark violet blue - More Details

Along with the commemorative stamps there was also a special commemorative card which can be seen below.



ABOVE: Special commemorative card