Accession Number: 2022.02.11.5.49 Stamp: 1936 Otto von Bismarck, Deutsches Reich, 6 Pfennig (dark green) Historical background:  Contrary to the popular image of Nazi Germany as a highly mechanized, front of technologically advanced military power, horses served as a huge proportion of Germany’s motive power. The majority of horses were used for supply and communication. The Wehrmacht did…

Accession Number: 2022.02.11.5.91 Stamp: During 1937-39, the German Wehrmacht had a military mailing service that provided free postal services within Germany. Historical background: The soldier who sent this card was Walter Sparing. He was a marksman in battalion 04737D. He was born December 9th, 1919 in Delligsen in Lower Saxony and died June 29th, 1941 in…

Accession Number:2022.02.12.3.4 Stamp: Italian Post Centenario Francescano 1926 The following stamps are all from the 1934 Austrian traditional costumes series designed by Georg Jung (1899-1957), and printed by typography: Girl carrying bible in Wachau, 8 groschen. Man, horses, geese and a windmill in Burgenland, 1 groschen. Woman carrying basket in Burgenland, 3 groschen. Postmark: Roma…

Accession Number: 2022.02.8.37 Stamp: Deutsches Reich Winterhilfswerk 6 Postmark: Feldpost 4.2.40 Historical background: Carl Peters was a German colonial administrator. He was born in 1856 and died in 1918. He was the founder of the German East Africa Company and traveled on several expeditions to Tanzania and Uganda. His goal in these expeditions was to…

Accession Number: 2022.02.4.118 Stamp: Pre-printed 1936 Otto von Bismarck, Deutsches Reich, 6 Pfennig (dark green) Postmark: A commemorative cancel is stamped into the postcard with the date and name of the exhibition. Historical background: This postcard belongs to a commemorative series released at the Rhine Stamp Exhibition in Düsseldorf, June 20-22, 1936.

Accession Number: 2022.02.4.42 Historical background: November 9th, 1923. Hitler assembled a ragtag militia of supporters in an attempt to overthrow the Bavarian government. They marched on the Feldherrnhalle, a stately public building in Munich and were dissolved by government forces. Sixteen Nazis died, Hitler was arrested, and the Nazi party was nationally banned (Bytwerk, 1979).…

Accession Number: 2022.02.9.3 Historical background: Rogau Krappitz Oppeln is a town on the Czech border of Poland. The robbers mentioned in the description, Pistulka & Elias are true historical figures. Karol Pistulka and Wincenty Eliasz commandeered a troup of highwaymen in the late 1800’s. They are Robin Hood-like figures who were known to take from…

Accession Number: 2022.02.9.20 Postmark: Zittau 02.11.43 Historical background: Antje Mein Blondes Kind is a sailor’s song written by Herms Niel, a Nazi composer of military songs. Niel was the bandmaster of the infantry of the Imperial German Army during World War I. He joined with the Nazi party when they seized power in 1933, becoming…

Accession Number: 2022.02.4.86 Stamp: President Friedrich Ebert 1928 Deutsches Reich 8 Pfennig Postmark: Mainz 30. Juni 1930 Historical background: This postcard celebrates the ending of the Occupation of the Rhineland. After World War I, an agreement was signed to put the Rhineland (the region of Germany west of the Rhine river) under control of the Inter-Allied…

Accession Number: 2022.10.5.63 Stamp: 1936 Otto von Bismarck, Deutsches Reich, 6 Pfennig (dark green) Postmark: Nürnberg, Stadt der Reichsparteitage Nuremberg, city of the Nuremberg Rallies 11 September, 1937 Historical background: The Nuremberg Rallies were a series of celebratory rallies hosted by the Nazi party. The first rally was held in 1923 to little affect. Once…