This web page, published by the Military Postal History Society, contains the text content of the The Allied Occupation of the Rhineland: 1918-1930. This exhibit was created by, and is the property of the author, and is being supplied as a courtesy to the Military Postal History Society.
Armed conflict of World War I ceased with an armistice between Germany and the Allies on 11 November 1918.
As part of that agreement, German Forces on the Western Front returned to Germany, east of the Rhine River, and Allied Forces subsequently occupied the area of the ‘Rhineland’ with bridgeheads at the cities of Mayence (Mainz), Coblenz & Cologne.
WATCH ON THE RHINE ... ALLIED OCCUPATION OF THE RHINELAND: 1918-1930
1020 3040 50 Mites
Ligny-en-Barrois,
—%xxx— Boundary af Zone of Advance fan Bridgehead 18 Mite Radius
Se International Boundary SRE Neutral Zone 6 Mites Wide
Armed conflict of World War | ceased with an armistice
between Germany and the Allies on
11 November 1918.
As part of that agreement, German Forces on the Western Front
returned to Germany, east of the Rhine River, and Allied Forces
subsequently occupied the area of the ‘Rhineland’ with
bridgeheads at the cities of Mayence (Mainz), Coblenz & Cologne.
Occupation of the Rhineland involved three phases or periods...
lL American & Allied advance to the Rhine River ..
17 November to 14 December 1918;
ll. Establishment of Allied bridgeheads, zones and bases of
occupation ..
13-21 December 1918..
and military occupation prior to signing of the
Peace Treaty of Versailles by Germany;
lll. Occupation after signing of the Treaty of Versailles on
28 June 1919
and subsequent
‘Inter- Allied Commission of Control of the Rhineland’.
EXHIBIT
Commencing with the Armistice of 11 November 1918, this exhibit shows the
evolution of the Allied Occupation of the Rhineland, German civilian,
commercial & official censored mail during the period,
Allied evacuation by 1930 and an epilogue, as closure.
EXHIBIT OVERVIEW
I. Map & Background
Exhibit Overview
IL. Armistice & Peace Conference Mail
UW. American Forces Mail
Advance to the Rhine
Principal Bases
Soldier & Officer Mail Censorship
Military- Affiliated Civilian Mail
Military Unit Mail
Welfare Organizations
IV. Allied Forces’ Mail
Belgian
British
Canadian
French
New Zealand
Vv. Inter-Allied Occupation & Control Commission Mail
Aeronautical Control
Disarmament
High Commission Administration
Railway Control
Reparations Administration
Censorship
Vi. Civilian German, Commercial & Official Mail
Restricted Mail
Civilian & Commercial Censored Mail
Mayoral, Government & Multiple Censorship Mail
Bavarian Palatinate Mail
Vil. Allied Evacuation of the Rhineland
VIII. Epilogue
TEXT COLOR-CODING
BLACK: General historical, geographical &
postal rate/route/marking information.
BLUE: Chapter-Start-Page Heading &
Important annotative information.
Blue-matted examples indicate
particular importance & scarcity.
MAROON: Postal Rate Information
GERMAN ARMISTICE COMMISSION Armistice Discussions
By September 1918, German defenses on the Western Front
had collapsed, whereupon
THE GERMAN MILITARY REQUESTED ARMISTICE DISCUSSIONS
WITH THE ALLIES ON 5 OCTOBER 1918,
culminating in an armistice agreement to be signed on
11 November 1918.
Geschartspapier Bimgchreibes
ee
aoe
11 MAY 1919
Registered correspondence cover, postmarked at the
German Commission's Post Office at Spa, Belgium,
sent to the Mayor's Office at Posen, Germany.
Arrival Postmark:
(Reverse)
“Posen, 13 May 1919”
35 Pfennig..
10 Pfg + 5 Pig War Tax = 15 Pfg..
Single-weight (20 grams) domestic letter-rate
+ 20 Pfg.. Registration fee
One of less than five known registered business mail covers.
ARMISTICE 11 November 1918
AT 11:00 HOURS ON 11 NOVEMBER 1918 AN ARMISTICE
BETWEEN THE FORCES OF THE GERMAN EMPIRE AND THE
ALLIES TOOK EFFECT RESULTING IN CESSATION OF
HOSTILITIES OF WORLD WAR I.
As a result of the armistice and subsequent required
return of German soldiers to Germany east of the Rhine
River, as part of that agreement, German ‘Fieldpost’
Mail was interrupted or had delayed delivery.
11 NOVEMBER 1918
German newspaper wrapper,
postmarked at Berlin,
sent to a driver with a military transportation column
on the Western Front,
returned to sender marked...
“Lurick..
Beférderung eingesfellf”
(Return to Sender ..
Delivery Suspended”)
Free-frank when mail endorsed
“Feldpostbrief”
GERMAN ARMISTICE COMMISSION Spa .. Belgium
The
‘GERMAN ARMISTICE COMMISSION’
HEADQUARTERS WAS LOCATED
in the former residence of
Emperor Wilhelm II ..
“Le Neubois”, located
AT SPA, BELGIUM.
Branch Offices of the Commission were
located in the Cities of Disseldorf,
Frankfurt/Main & Posen.
Subsequent to agreement between Germany
& the Allies concerning armistice, the former
Emperor's residence was used for diplomatic
conferences involving Peace Treaty,
Reparations, etc.
9 JULY 1920
View-card of
Kaiser Wilhelm’s former residence at
Spa, Belgium,
with Commemorative Postmark..
“Spa..
Diplomatic Conference”
“ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT!”
With the signing of the armistice, German soldiers soon commenced
return to Germany in accordance with the terms of the agreement, most
of whom were discharged from service.
Postcards having the theme “PEACE” were available for sale, many of
which were purchased and mailed by Allied Occupation Forces who
moved into heretofore German tenitory.
“Home Again!”
“Hope..”
GERMAN PEACE DELEGATION Post Office Mail
A GERMAN PEACE DELEGATION OFFICE & POST OFFICE WERE ESTABLISHED AT
VERSAILLES, FRANCE
to negotiate a peace agreement.
Aspecial postmark was applied between 16 May — 16 June 1919
“Deutsche Friedensdelegation”
with all Delegation Mail being free-frank.
Len,
Ria OO seca Lave
Pe
eee “S92 pezesee 92;
oO. a Kintera pif.
CZ aan
Markecrichezlate ¢ -
Delegation mail was taken by courier to the Berlin Post Office “C2”
for distribution through the Reichsposf.
GERMAN PEACE DELEGATION
THE GERMAN PEACE
DELEGATION’S
OPERATION CONTINUED
WELL AFTER THE SIGNING
OF THE
‘TREATY OF VERSAILLES’
ON 28 June 1919
in order to define and
administer that
agreement.
Any mail from the Peace
Delegation had to be
applied with the
delegation’s cachet
mark in order for it to be
valid for
free-franking handling by
the Reichspost
or for delivery by the post
office courier service.
Courier Mail
Delegation mail was taken by courier from Versailles to Berlin where it
entered the Reichspost system for delivery or by the post office courier service
located at the “Berlin W8&" Post Office.
AMERICAN PEACE DELEGATION APO 975 .. Paris
THE AMERICAN PEACE DELEGATION OFFICES WERE LOCATED AT
PARIS, FRANCE, WITH ALL MAIL ROUTED THROUGH THE
‘AMERICAN EXPRESS SERVICE APO 975’.
Official or related mail was free-frank while mail sent by civilians
affiliated with the delegation required postage equivalent
at the American domestic rate.
AMERICAN COMMISSION
PEACE DELEGATION TO NEGOTIATE ‘PEACE
AFFILIATED
CIVILIAN MAIL
ee Mrs Charlton M Lewis
Cover, military
censored,
postmarked at the
“APO 975’ Post
Office,
sent to New Haven,
Connecticut
425 St Ronan St
New Haven, Conn
U.S.A
3 Cents..
Domestic USA
single-weight
letter-rate
{2 November 1917 —
30 June 1919)
er Go - PEACE DELEGATION
GPO. 10246. 4 FREE-FRANK
MILITARY PERSONNEL
MAIL
29 MARCH 1919
Cover, military-base
censored,
postmarked at
‘APO 975’, written by
et a soldier
4 (military return address
| “APO 702”)
ofthe
Peace Delegation
Guard, sent to
Audubon, lowa.
PEACE TREATY OF VERSAILLES Postmarks of the Peace Conference
Three amendments to the Armistice Agreement of 11 November 1918 were approved
prior to signing of a peace treaty officially ending World War |. Negotiations between
the Allies & the German Government took place at the Palace of Versailles, France.
SIGNING OF A PEACE TREATY TOOK PLACE ON 28 JUNE 1919
in a railway car on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles with the official
proclamation taking place in the “Hall of Mirrors” at the palace, where 48 years earlier
King Wilhelm | of Prussia proclaimed the ‘Second German Empire’.
Postmark: ea
“Versailles .. : Ue
Congres de la Paix” see ie ee
(“Versailles .. Peace ‘
Congress”)
31 MAY 1919
Cover, postmarked at ; 2
the Versailles i ae wea a ;
Peace Conference, eee ae Pe ata oe & : i j we
senttoa GS ae Lay 7 BS Sat 10) eee oe
freight forwarder at ee foe ee t é aE ee : pasa ts
Paris. i : ar “BELLM 3 ganda ties A ee
's ne ty, Pont-neuy
ita ee ¢ Z : =
y LSA aN a “PARTS
Postmark:
“Versailles Chateau -
Congres de la Paix”
(‘Versailles Palace -
Peace Conference”)
28 JUNE 1919
“Hall of Mirrors ..
Vesailles Palace”
Local printed-matter
view-card mail,
postmarked at
‘3 PM’ = 15 hrs,
time of signing of the
treaty.
; ‘94. Palais de VERSAILL. i:
Of fut fondé MEmpire Allemand le 48 Janvier Tea allies y proctame! pur la Conference de Ta
Palace of VFRSAILLES — Miror’s Galery - 245 ft. long 35 ft. wi
There was founded the German Empire on the 18th January 1871. In 4919 the Ailies proclaim its fail by the Conférence of the Peace
Advance to Germany
APO 745 .. 5" Division (VI Corps)
Postmark Usage: 26 November 1918-3 July 1919
SOON AFTER SIGNING THE ARMISTICE, AMERICAN & O1
COMMENCED MOVEMENT TO GERMANY TO TAKE UP THEIR RESPECTIV
THE GERMAN RHINELAND.
OS!
The American 5" Division (6" Infantry), heretofore in France, took up its position at
Esch, Luxembourg, near Trier, Germany, with its mission to control traffic circulation
at the Luxembourg-German Border.
26 DECEMBER 1918
cae
ss
t Office 28
Dik
Free-frank Li
officer-censored 28
view-card, ee
sent to 2s
Fort Worth, Texas. (BS
7 APRIL 1919
Free-frank
officer-censored
cover, sentio
New York City.
AMERICAN FORCES Advance to Germany
APO 750 .. 33rd Division (VI Corps)
Postmark Usage: 30 November 1918 - 25 April 1919
The American 33rd Division (VI Corps) ... known as
THE “PRAIRIE DIVISION” FROM ILLINOIS ... SPEARHEADED THE OCCUPATION
OF LUXEMBOURG (20 November 1918)
& SAARBURG, GERMANY (0n7 December 1918).
30 NOVEMBER 1918
“U.S. Army Post Office
MPES *750*”"
Free-frank
officer-censored
cover, sent to
Chicago, Illinois.
8 DECEMBER 1919
“U.S. Army Post
Office
MPES *750*”
Free-frank
officer-censored
cover, sentto
Harvard, Illinois.
AMERICAN FORCES Advance to Germany
APO 750 .. 33rd Division (VI Corps)
Postmark Usage: 30 November 1918 - 25 April 1919
SOON AFTER ITS OCCUPATION OF SAARBURG, GERMANY, ON 7 DECEMBER 1918,
THE “PRAIRIE DIVISION” WAS RECALLED TO LUXEMBOURG
to participate in control of the Luxembourg-German Border,
having its headquarters at Diekirch, Luxembourg,
remaining there until its return to the United States in April 1919.
11 MARCH 1919
“U.S. Military
Postal Express Service *
No. 750”
Free-frank
military-censored
‘Knights of Columbus’ Cover,
sentto
Chicago, Illinois.
AMERICAN FORCES Advance to Germany
APO 777 .. 6th Division (IV Corps)
Postmark Usage: 20 November 1918 - 28 May 1919
IN APRIL 1919, THE AMERICAN ‘6™ DIVISION’
(IV CORPS) MOVED INTO GERMANY
AS PART OF THE ‘ARMY OF OCCUPATION’,
STATIONED AT BAD BERTRICH
between 28 April - 19 May 1919,
whereupon it was redeployed to Brest, France,
and returned to the United States.
17 APRIL 1919
“U.S. Army Post Office
MPES *777*"
Free-frank,
officer-censored {(red-purple ink) cover,
sent to
Springfield, Illinois.
AMERICAN FORCES Advance to Germany
APO 951 .. VI Corps (Il Army)
Postmark Usage: 20 May 1919 - 18 July 1919
“VI CORPS’ WAS STATIONED IN LUXEMBOURG &
PORTIONS OF BELGIUM
between 19 December 1918-11 April 1919,
whereupon its units were transferred to ‘VII Corps’ in Germany
or
redeployed to the United States.
‘APO 951’ WAS ORIGINALLY LOCATED AT LUXEMBOURG CITY.
19 JUNE 1919
“U.S. Army Post Office
MPES *951*”
Free-frank,
officer-censored (black ink) cover,
sent to
Chicago, Illinois.
AMERICAN FORCES Advance into Germany
German Border Crossing: 1 December 1918
American and Allied Advance to the Rhine
November 17 -December 14, 1918
PDP
Ae
ae
0.49 _40_ 50 Mites
PuoLLanoli
\ ctft
ON 1 DECEMBER 1918
FORCES OF THE AMERICAN ‘THIRD
ARMY’ CROSSED THE GERMAN
BORDER
advancing fo fulfill their initial
missions of taking up their
designated positions of occupation
in the Rhineland.
Officer Controlling Passes
British Zone.
15 AUGUST 1923
Travel authorization & safe-conduct pass
for a Cologne businessman fo travel to Berlin and reenter the Zone
at the City of Vohwinkel.
BRITISH FORCES Principal Railhead ..
Cologne
FIVE BRITISH DIVISIONS OCCUPIED THE important Cologne
RHINE RIVER BRIDGEHEAD along with its RAILHEAD.
19 May 1919
“Army Post Office
R.32"
“Lancaster Division”
February-November
1919.
12 January 1919
“Army Post Office
R.9”
“9th Division” |
4 December 1918- I
February 1919. ie
ee Correspondance
i ee a)
ele on Heys.
o
. Me. Bo Gomes,
3, Gor
22 June 1919
“Army Post Office R.29”
“Southern Division”
February - November
1919
21 March 1919
“Army Post Office
R32”
“London Division”
February-November
1919,
2 -qo-merlag Alb, Urbach, Porz a. REY ©
BRITISH FORCES Principal Railhead ..
Cologne
19 MAY 1919
“Army Post Office
R.34”
“Eastern Division
Headquarters”
February 1919-
February 1920
ce
SRR ; A
21MARCH1919 «ey ek Na
® 3 *RE Se Sie
“Army Post Office ie eS 233%
ie
“Eastern Division” Meee See vis
“57 Bedfordshire a be 4 . eh oe 33
Regiment” Ka Dy y SON £ =
view-card, sone z ‘ § 2S 4
censored, = ag os AS Bao Got oP.
with “O.A.5.” | ‘
("On Active Service") ms
i bd - 3 Fag
a a Feo Ghat
Burton on Trent, 3 5 ;
England Sty Re ee 5 Aegf
No. 4420 Coblenz, svonthpitterstur® gesehen é :
tn g few
4 MAY 1919
“Army Post Office
R.34"
Free-frank
view-card, censored,
with “O.A.S.”
(‘On Active Service")
endorsement
sent fo Liverpool,
England
BRITISH FORCES
“Army Post Office G.R.”
June 1919 - May 1922
APO “G.R.”
Cologne Main Train Station
25 FEBRUARY 1920
“Army Post Office G.R.”
Registered postal stationery cover,
with unit validation cachet
“C.R.E. Rhine Garrison”
Endorsement,
sent to Newbridge, Ireland
Arrival Postmark:
“Newbridge, lreland
27 February 1920”
2 Pence..
Flat-rate domestic registered
postal stationery cover
Reverse
BRITISH FORCES
Principal Railhead ..
Bonn
22 JANUARY 1919
“Army Post Office
R.6”
(Bonn)
“6th Division”
December 1918 -
February 1919.
Free-frank,
censored view-card,
endorsed
“0.4.5.”
(On Active Service)
sent to
Bradford, England.
29 MAY 1919
“Army Post Office
R.6”
(Bonn)
“Midland Division”
February -—
September
1919
Free-frank,
censored cover,
endorsed
"0.4.8."
{On Active Service)
sent to West Kirby,
England.
BRITISH FORCES Principal Bases ..
Brihl & Diren
24 FEBRUARY 1919
“Army Post Office
FPO 16”
(Brihl)
“Midland Division”
January - April 1919.
Free-frank,
censored cover,
sent to
Manchester,
England.
24 APRIL 1919
a “Army Post Office
R.2”
(Diren)
IV Corps
Light Division
(5%, 6!" & 99% Divisions)
February - November
1919
Free-frank,
censored view-card
endorsed
“Army of the Rhine”
sent to
Northumberland,
England
BRITISH FORCES
Heavy rains late
1918/early 1919
caused poor road
conditions along with slow
mail movement resulting in
introduction of
RAILWAY
‘TRAVELING POST OFFICES’
OPERATING BETWEEN
BOULOGNE, FRANCE, and
COLOGNE, GERMANY
between January-
December 1919.
Railway (Traveling) Post Offices ..
SINGLE-CIRCLE
(29mm)
DATER DIAL
29 MARCH 1919
“BEF MAIN LINE
TPO DOWN”
9 January —
29 March 1919.
Free-frank,
censored view-card,
sent to
Toronto, Canada.
Latest known usage.
Buition ” LUX, Bruxelles. Sele"
R
SA
S
fay
5 hie, io oe a, OA
fon. G- wits beat
Varlag Lao KOrtan, KBin
DOUBLE-CIRCLE
(27mm)
DATER DIAL
4 June 1919
"BEF.
MAIN LINE
T.P.0. DOWN”
21 March —
13 September 1919
Free-frank,
censored
view-card, sent to
Bealeyheath,
England
BRITISH FORCES Railway (Traveling) Post Offices ..
‘T.P.O.’
AMERICAN
Army-of-Occupation
LIAISON OFFICERS WERE ATTACHED
to the
‘ROYAL TRANSPORTATION CORPS’
DOUBLE-CIRCLE
(27mm)
DATER DIAL
12 JULY 1919
“BEL.
MAIN LINE
T.P.O. DOWN”
21 March -
13 September 1919
Free-frank, British-Censored,
American-YMCA Cover, sent by an
American Lieutenant
attached to the ‘Royal Transportation Corps’,
to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
BRITISH FORCES ‘A’ Airmail Services 1919
(Royal Air Force)
IN DECEMBER 1918, THE ROYAL a
AIR FORCE COMMENCED AIR aes
MOVEMENT OF MAIL
(“A” SERVICE) 3
between Marquise (France) & wee 3
Namur (Belgium), eg
WITH EXTENSION TO COLOGNE
COMMENCING ON
5 JANUARY 1919.
i eg
ibeecuset: Ae
——_ Verlag: S. F., Bonn Nachdruck verboten, Nr. 9
‘A’ AIR SERVICE FROM COLOGNE
5 JANUARY 1919
“ARMY POST OFFICE
5.40”
Free-frank, censored view-card,
having airmail endorsement ‘A’,
sent to London, England
First day “A” Airmail Service from
Cologne to Namur
and then by surface to England
Each flight carried 1100 Ibs. of mail, initially dropped by parachute, later not.
Only 25% of flights could be flown because of weather conditions.
Using Handley-Page Planes, this service was discontinued on 5 May 1919.
BRITISH FORCES Airmail Services 1919
(Royal Air Force)
England and Marquise
(France) & Namur (Belgium),
EXTENSION TO COLOGNE
N 5 JANUARY 1919.
Such service later night
flight service.
1 MARCH 1919
Captain
A.F. Hordern AFC,
leader of the first aerial
mail trip from
Hawkinge to Cologne,
with illustrated bag label
for the return trip dated
9 April 1919.
14 MAY 1919
DH-10 Type Aircraft
conveyed the first
night-dispatched
mail shipment.
BRITISH FORCES Airmail Services 1919
(Royal Air Force)
17 JULY 1919
Photo of aerial-mail plane flying from
Hawkinge/Folkstone, England,
to the British Army of Occupation, Cologne,
being weight checked with location mail-drop
label on mail sack.
Bag Label:
“To be Dropped at Cologne”
BRITISH FORCES Airmail Services 1920
(R.A.F. 12 Squadron = Cologne-Lympne)
Although the
‘British Army of
Occupation’
contracted ‘Air Travel
& Transport Co., Ltd’ of
Britain to move mail
between
Cologne-Folkstone-
Cologne
(Formerly R.A.F. Service “C”)
between
26 February —
17 December 1920,
‘R.A.F. 12 SQUADRON’
ALSO TRIAL-MOVED
MAIL BETWEEN
COLOGNE-LYMPNE-
COLOGNE DURING THE
PERIOD, later
becoming the sole
means of airmail
movement effective
13 April 1921.
OFFICIAL MILITARY
REGISTERED AIRMAIL
18 May 1920
“ARMY POST OFFICE
G.B.”
(British Railhead Post Office
at Cologne Main Train
Station)
Free-frank, censored,
registered cover,
sent by
“12 Squadron R.A.F.”
to the “Base Pay
Office” at Woking,
England.
Arrival Postmark:
(Reverse)
“Registered,
London
19 May 1920”
Airmail Service
(Daimler Airways)
BRITISH FORCES
Effective 10 April 1923,
BRITISH OCCUPATION
cee
wg Ny
FORCES CONTRACTED
‘DAIMLER AIRWAYS’
of Germany Low
ie 3
My & }
a j 7
to transport British
Occupation Forces’ Mail
(routed through ‘APO S.40’)
by air from Cologne
to London. ey
Mr. D. LEVER, PEE ;
Fulwood Place,
Fulwood House
High Holborn, London, W.C.1.
England.
REGISTERED ‘APO S.40’ AIRMAIL
25 MAY 1925
“ARMY POST OFFICE
5.40”
Cover, uncensored registered airmail,
through British Forces Headquarters’ Post Office at Cologne,
sent to London, England
Arrival Postmark:
(Reverse)
“Registered (red), London 50
25 May 1925”
6-1/2 Pence...
2 Pence: Single-weight letter-rate +
4-1/2 Pence: Airmail surcharge
BRITISH FORCES Army Courier Service
Cologne Headquarters
IN EARLY 1920, A BRITISH COURIER SERVICE WAS ESTABLISHED WITH
HEADQUARTERS AT COLOGNE
for a expedited documentation delivery service between
the Interallied Commission, Allied Forces, and with plebiscite areas.
British plebiscite mail moved by courier to Cologne and, as applicable,
continued by airmail to London,
6 APRIL 1920
“Army Courier Office (A or B) $.5
(Courier Office)
16 May 1920-9 May 1921
Upper-Silesia Plebiscite Commission Mail, cachet validated, by courier to Cologne and
airmail beyond, sent to Cambridge, England.
2 Pence..
Army-Courier Universal-Rate
BRITISH FORCES Official British Plebiscite Mail
Allenstein
Subsequent to the
signing of the ‘Peace
Treaty of Versailles’ in
1919, plebiscites took
place in various parts of
Germany with British
postal stations in those
areas using the British
Army Courier Service for
movement of mail to
Cologne (British
Rhineland Occupation
Headquarters) for
forwarding.
Local mail was handled
through the
German Post Office.
26 APRIL 1920
“Allenstein *1a”
Official mail cover,
sent by the “Administrative
Comnission for the Plebiscite in
Allenstein” (East Prussia),
postmarked at Allenstein, sent
through the German Post Office
to the finance section of the
Comnission at Allenstein.
Cachet Validation Mark:
“Communications ..
Administrative Commission for
t lai:
Period of British Plebiscite
Activity:
January 1920-13 August 1920
BRITISH FORCES
Official Mail
OFFICIAL MAIL WAS NOT CENSORED
as long as it was sent in special
“On His Majesty's Service” Covers
along with indication of the sender's unit.
23 MARCH 1919
“Field Post Office
H.6"
(Headquarters VI Corps, Diren)
February 1919 -
March 1920
Free-frank official
(military post office)
imprinted cover
sent to
London, England.
26 FEBRUARY 1919
“Field Post Office
Q.5”
(Headquarters 5" Tank Brigade,
Monschau)
February -
23 September 1919
Free-frank official
headquarters
Imprinted cover,
sent to
Bristol, England,
most probably with
R.A.F. 120 Squadron..
Cologne-Folkstone
(formerly R.AF. Service ‘C’)
on first day of such
service.
seh
BRITISH FORCES Postage Due Mail
SHORT-PAID IN-BOUND COVER
FROM ENGLAND TO A SOLDIER
STATIONED IN THE RHINELAND
16 JULY 1921 f= ee ee gee
Believing mail to a soldier was free- SS MSEAT=
frank, sender dropped cover ina —~. RAMSCATE me, RA ATS
‘Ramsgate City’ Drop-box. — : ; Otte, =
Post Office determined d fi ~— 2. uP — 2 “0 ea
‘os ice determined domestic he ,
rate was applicable, fry 16 JUL 2) {6 JUL 2f
affixed 2x 2 Penny postage (reverse) :
= One Penny
4
pe cine rece eonate nee ee ee
with postage due of Two Pence
from the recipient.
(1 Penny Postage + iS
1 Penny Penalty).
Upon arrival at British Army Post
Office “G.R.” (Cologne Train Station),
address found to be insufficient for
delivery, cover subsequently
endorsed
“Return to Sender” (reverse)
and returned to : =
Ramsgate Post Office. eo oe
nen see, _OUT-BOUND COVER TO
ENGLAND INCORRECTLY
DEPOSITED IN GERMAN
DROP BOX
RESULTING IN PENALTY
POSTAGE DUE FROM
RECIPIENT
7 AUGUST 1922
Sender properly affixed
applicable postage of
1-1/2 Pence to England
but incorrectly
deposited in German
Drop-Box.
German Post Office
applied postmark at
“Cologne-Riehl”
(British Barracks),
ae forwarded letter to
ie England with 1-1/2
Pence ‘Penalty Due’.
BRITISH FORCES Soldiers’ & Official Mail
Rate Change 1922
EFFECTIVE 29 MAY 1922,
THE SINGLE-WEIGHT LETTER-RATE FOR OFFICIAL & SOLDIERS’
MAIL BECAME 1-1/2 PENCE.
SINGLE-CIRCLE
DATER-DIAL
(26mm)
5 AUGUST 1923
“Army Post Office
5.40”
(Cologne-Marienburg
Barracks)
January 1923 -
October 1925
Single-weight
cover
sent to
London, England.
SINGLE-CIRCLE DATER DIAL
(23mm)
22 NOVEMBER 1922
“Army Post Office $.40 A”
(Cologne-Riehl Barracks)
May 1922 -
January 1926
Official mail cover,
sent to
London, England
JON HIS MARSIVS SERVICE
Reverse
BRITISH FORCES Censorship Markings
PRIMARY CENSORSHIP MARKING
WAS A RUBBER HAND-STAMP 19 X 37 mm
applying black, red or purple ink markings numbered between 30 fo 7398.
Censorship markings signed by an officer indicated officer ‘censored’ mail,
while unsigned censor markings indicated ‘validated’ mail.
HOSPITALPATIENT =
(NO APO/FPO) f
16 MARCH 1919
Free-frank, censored
view-card, sent to
Cary Station, Illinois.
aT
SERIE ,, WIRO“ BONN No. 2u7 A:
¢. F. Wiedeinann, Hofl., Roda S.-A,
:
%
=
28 JANUARY 1919
“Field Post Office Q.5”
(2"4/3"4 Tank Group)
cy i (Monschav)
tL _ Free-frank, censored view-
-____ card, sent to Birmingham.
Js No. 3134, copyright Arthur Schiirer & Co., B.-Schéneberg
Paul Fischer pinx: Jung
1Un
ie
16 JUNE 1919
“Army Post Office
5.63”
(Guards Division
Headquarters)
(Bonn)
Free-frank,
censored cover,
sent to Brighton, —
England. fe
BRITISH FORCES Censorship of Mail
Censorship of soldiers’ mail effectively ceased early
in the occupation period, albeit
CENSORSHIP MARKINGS WERE STILL APPLIED TO MAILTO
DESIGNATE ITS FREE-FRANK STATUS.
GREEN ‘HONOR’
ENVELOPE
30 DECEMBER
1918
“Field Post Office
5”
5 Brigade,
2"4 Division
(near Cologne)
December 1918-
November 1919
Free-frank
‘Honor Envelope’
sent to
Coventry,
England.
REAR BASE MAIL
INSPECTION &
CENSORSHIP
29 MAY 1919
“Field Post Office 14”
14 Brigade,
32"4 Division,
(near Cologne)
April -
November 1919
Free-frank cover,
rear-base
inspected/censored
(possibly because of
illegible initial censor
mark)
& resealed,
sentto
Wolverhampton,
England
CANADIAN FORCES Advance to Germany
CANADIAN FORCES ADVANCED TO GERMANY
INTEGRATED WITH BRITISH FORCES
through Belgium,
reaching the Rhine River by 10 December 1918.
29 NOVEMBER 1918
“Field Post Office 147”
(advance to Siegburg,
location of Canadian
Supply Railhead)
3 Canadian Brigade
(Brig. Gen. Tuxford, C.B., C.M.G,
Commander)
29 November 1918 —
18 January 1919
i
Free-frank,
censored view-card,
sent to
Antigonish, Nova Scotia,
Canada
Earliest known usage. we
18 DECEMBER 1918
“Field Post Office 3.N”
(Brigade crossed the Rhine
River on 13 December
1918, as indicated in
card’s text)
Ist Canadian Brigade,
1* Division
(Brig. Gen. W.A. Griesbach,
C.M.G, D.S.0.
Commander)
14 December 1918 -—
18 January 1919
Free-frank,
censored view-card ,
sent to
London, Ontario,
Canada
CANADIAN FORCES Principal Bases
21 FEBRUARY 1919
“Field Post Office
3.0”
(Bonn)
Canadian Corps
Headquarters
14 December 1918 -
February 1919
Free-frank,
censored,
“Canadian YMCA”
Cover,
sent to
Hampstead,
Long Island,
New York.
21 JANUARY 1919
“Army Post Office
RPT”
(Canadian Supply
Railhead,
Siegburg/Headquarters,
Cologne)
1st Canadian Division
14 December 1918 -
January 1919
Free-frank,
censored view-card ,
sentto
Belleville, Ontario.
CANADIAN FORCES Official Mail
CANADIAN OCCUPATION FORCES IN THE RHINELAND
REMAINED LESS THAN THREE MONTHS,
except for some headquarters & administrative personnel
attached to full British units.
The Canadian 1* & 2"¢ Divisions were redeployed home
by the end of February 1919.
22 MARCH 1919
“Field Post Office D.P. 2”
(Seelscheid)
2nd Canadian Division Headquarters
18 January 1919 -
March 1919
Free-frank,
censored cover,
“On His Majesty's Service”
Imprinted official-mail,
sent to
Cambridge, England,
via ‘Air Service C’ flown by R.A.F. 120 Squadron ..
Cologne-Maisoncelle-Hawkinge (Folkstone).
CANADIAN FORCES
23 FEBRUARY 1919
“Field Post Office
G.R.”
(British Railhead
Post Office,
Main Train Station,
Cologne)
Free-frank,
censored,
“Canadian YMCA”
Cover,
sent to
Toronto, Ontario.
Use of British Army Post Offices
ALL CANADIAN & BRITISH SOLDIERS’ MAIL WAS ROUTED
THROUGH
THE BRITISH MAIN MILITARY POSTAL FACILITY
at the Cologne Main Train Station.
Canadian Forces, integrated with British Forces, were
accordingly authorized to use British postal facilities.
OFFICER’S MAIL
9 JANUARY
1919
“Army Post
Office $.40”
(British Forces
Main Post Office,
Stolkgasse,
Cologne)
Free-frank,
officer
self-censored
cover, sent to
Saddle Lake,
Alberta.
Advance to Germany
NEW ZEALAND FORCES
A NEW ZEALAND DIVISION, CONSISTING OF THREE BRIGADES,
WAS INTEGRATED IN Il CORPS OF THE 2"° BRITISH ARMY,
ARRIVING IN GERMANY ON 14 DECEMBER 1918.
Their occupation mission was short-lived with re-deployment home
commencing in January 1919 with completion by 25 March 1919.
14 DECEMBER 1918 es
ale
“Field Post Office RZ.” <4 7 oR
(New Zealand Forces’ CORRESPONDANEE e
Supply Railhead, :
Cologne) ; iii D
Ld CENSOR
14 December 1918 - y
March 1919 : ee
2997
Free-frank,
censored viewcard,
sent to ;
Jedburgh, Scotland. ;
/ A
Earliest Known Usage.
2 JANUARY 1919
“Field Post Office D.59”
(Headquarters
New Zealand Forces,
Leverkusen)
December 1918 -
March 1919
Free-frank,
censored,
“New Zealand YMCA”
Cover, sent to
Auckland.
New Zealand.
NEW ZEALAND FORCES 15T, 2ND g& 3°0 Brigade Mail
FIRST BRIGADE
15 JANUARY 1919
“Field Post Office 96”
(Leichlingen)
December 1918 -—
February 1919
Free-frank,
censored,
“New Zealand YMCA”
Cover, sent to
limaru,
New Zealand.
SECOND BRIGADE
16 FEBRUARY 1919
“Field Post Office
22°
(Mihlheim)
February 1919 -
25 March 1919
Free-frank,
censored,
“New Zealand
YMCA”
Cover, sent to
Grespmouth,
New Zealand.
THIRD BRIGADE
5 FEBRUARY 1919
“Field Post Office 99”
(Benzberg)
December 1918 -
February 1919
Free-frank,
censored cover,
sent to
Auckland,
New Zealand.
BELGIAN FORCES Advance to Germany ..
Eupen & Malmedy Regions
BELGIAN FORCES ADVANCED TO GERMANY THROUGH BELGIUM TO REACH THEIR
RHINE-BRIDGEHEAD AT THE CITY OF NEUSS IN GERMANY.
Between 1918-1919, occupation of the heretofore German border areas of Eupen &
Malmedy shifted from French to British to Belgian occupation by 25 August 1919, with postal
authority becoming Belgian on 15 January 1920.
The ‘Treaty of Versailles’ awarded the territories to Belgium and upheld by the
League of Nations on 21 October 1920.
EUPEN
12 MAY 1920
City of Eupen
official mail,
postmarked
“Eupen”,
sent to the
Registry Office
at
Dresden
(unoccupied).
@ y
B
g
o
a!
2
a
g
wz
MALMEDY
1 APRIL 1921
Up-rated postal
stationery card,
postmarked
“Malmedy",
sent to
Dudweiler,
French-Occupied
German-Saar
Province.
Advance fo Germany ..
BELGIAN FORCES
FPO ‘1’ Postmark
ON 11 DECEMBER 1918, THE 15' BELGIAN DIVISION REACHED THE CITY
OF NEUSS, THEIR RHINE RIVER BRIDGEHEAD.
Neuss’ “Sister” City of Diisseldorf (east bank of the Rhine) was not fully
occupied until 8 March 1921 during the European Allies’ attempt
to force German reparation payments.
ki ve. Efe ed, :
Lo morose Le Zener
15 DECEMBER 1920 a ree ey
Free-frank view-card, ;
sent to Berchem, wee tee LES Ze :
Belgium. LE. es fe
oS Z toad
FPO ‘I’ Lay Ze oS
December 1918 - ee ae Grete.
February 1920 eo |
(Various German locations) -t PE atp ae eet |
Sie ea ee
a ZS c. ce ges. geschiltz™
Conpsknstanst: Dess. we, 171716
4 MARCH 1922
Free-frank view-card,
sent to Antwerp,
Belgium.
FPO 'T’
5 February 1920 -
27 November 1929
(Aachen)
BELGIAN FORCES Early Occupation ..
Military Postmarks Without Indicia
During the early advance & occupation,
MILITARY POSTMARKS HAD NO MILITARY POST OFFICE INDICIA
With such only determinable from the sender’s name & unit identification from the
text or from the view-card illustrated location itself.
MAILTO BELGIUM
25 MAY 1919
Free-frank view-card
having cachet marking
“Military Civil
Administration Inspection”
sent to
Brussels, Belgium.
“EPO ‘2"”
December 1918 -
15 February 1920
(Aachen)
MAILTO ENGLAND
4 APRIL 1919
Free-frank, view-card,
sent to West Croydon,
Surrey, England.
“EPO ‘3
December 1918-
15 February 1920
___{Coub-am Rhein}
MAILTO FRANCE
15 MARCH 1919
Free-frank cover,
sent to
Paris, France.
“EPO ‘4’”
December 1918-
15 February 1920
(Sender's Endorsement)
BELGIAN FORCES
Early Occupation ..
Supplemental Unit Cachet Indicia
Early SOLDIERS’ MAIL REQUIRED the sender to have UNIT DESIGNATION
on mail, albeit sometimes overlooked, yet not delaying mail.
6 JUNE 1919
Free-frank cover,
having cachet
marking
“56" Battery of the
5th Artillery
Regiment”,
along with
endorsement
“A.B.O." =
Belgian
Occupation Army,
sent to
Brussels, Belgium.
“EPO 4"
December 1918 -
15 February 1920
(Aachen)
“Major Simons |
oO 4.0 -8M.4—
OFFICER'S MAIL
4 SEPTEMBER 1919
Free-frank view-card,
with cachet marking
“Major Simons ....,
Army of Occupation,
Germany”
sent to Brussels,
Belgium.
“EPO '7"™"
December 1918 -
15 February 1920
(Neuss)
BELGIAN FORCES
FPO ‘4’ Postmarks
Free-frank view-card, a ce ZL
having cachet eee .
marking Ee Ba < ele
Coes Pe
“gh Battery, 16! GRE ha é
Artillery Regiment, II a Z 7. Ce .
29 JANUARY 1920
Corps”,
sent to Gecelles,
Belgium.
“FPO ‘4’™"
December 1918 -
January 1920
(Aachen, Biderich, Straelen,
Kevelaer, Ménchen-
Gladbach)
20 AUGUST 1924
Free-frank view-card,
sent to Liege, Belgium.
“EPO ‘4””
16 February 1920 -—
30 January 1926
(Krefeld, Bochum, Goch,
Kaldenkirchen, Kempen,
Kevelaer, Uerdingen)
24 AUGUST 1925
Free-frank
view-card,
sent to
St. Nikloras,
Belgium
Note different form of
‘A” versus
1920 & 1924
usage postmarks.
BELGIAN FORCES FPO ‘5’ Postmarks
MAILTO BELGIUM ie! 4
17 JUNE 1919
Free-frank view-card,
sent to Brussels,
Belgium.
oB-tNid Me;
—
“EPO '5””
December 1918 -
15 February 1920
(Gelern, Issum, Xanten,
Kevelaer, Krefeld, Kleve,
Homberg, Rheinberg)
Arrival Postmark:
“Brussels Arrival,
18 June”
(International-brand
Postmarking Machine
Marking)
Kunstverlag Jos. Labs jun. Cleve. Ansichts\artenhai
Gold. Medaiilen Niirnberg 1907 u.
MAILTO ENGLAND
14 FEBRUARY 1919
Free-frank view-card,
sent to West Croydon,
England.
Free-Franking Privilege
covered mail to
Belgium, France, Great
Britain & Italy as well as
their respective
colonies until
31 October 1921.
BELGIAN FORCES FPO ‘6’ Postmarks
23 SSPTEMBER 1921
(Neuss)
Free-frank view-card,
sent to
Bousson/Mons,
Belgium.
“EPO 6"
16 February 1920 -
30 January 1926
(Neuss, Formagen,
Dusseldorf,
Disseldorf-Oberkassel,
Disseldorf-Heerat,
Grevenbroich, Oekoven,
Rommerskirchen)
Free-frank
view-card,
sent to
Kain, Belgium.
- : 5 Note:
<< De Fe sent ionth
x | indication
in dater dial.
anstait Kosmos, Halberstadt. Nr. 9902
BELGIAN FORCES
MAILTO BELGIUM
16 DECEMBER 1921
Free-frank view-card,
sent to Fontaine
L'Erique, Belgium.
“EPO '7""
16 February 1920 -
30 January 1926
(Moers, Baerl, Essenberg,
Hochemmerich/Rheinhause
n, Hohenbudberg, Homberg,
Rheinkamp)
FPO ‘7’ Postmarks
a. Rh,
INTER-UNIT MAIL
6 AUGUST 1922
Free-frank
view-card,
sent to a fellow soldier
stationed at:
Baerl, Germany.
MAILTO ENGLAND
o
23
24 DECEMBER 1923 ee
Free-frank 24 .
view-card, sent to 6g »
London, Belgium ae
Note different form & a
of '7” having serifs. 43) \"
2
B
wa
Despite free-frank
privilege expiring
on 31 October
1921, this mail
went free.
shy
Kanst€orla,
Gees. gos b
SEFC Z,
OF
=
BELGIAN FORCES 1923 Occupation of the Ruhr Industrial Zone
(Beyond the Rhineland)
Ruhr Valley Occupation
Territory be
& — ; Germany
Relevant to the ‘Versailles Peace Treaty’, the WWI European Allies on
29 January 1921 determined Germany’s reparations to be 226 Billion Gold Marks.
Since Germany did not promptly pay the initial installment, the Allies, exerting leverage, subsequently
occupied the Rhine & Ruhr River Ports at Diisseldorf, Duisburg & Ruhrort on 8 March 1921.
CONTINUED SLOW REPARATION PAYMENTS BY GERMANY RESULTED IN THE ALLIES OCCUPYING THE
ENTIRE RUHR-VALLEY INDUSTRIAL TERRITORY ON 11 JANUARY 1923
with establishment of a customs-border between it and the remainder of Germany,
levying 50% duties on all goods exchanged applying those to the reparations account.
FPO ‘10° | ee
24 MARCH 1924
Free-frank
view-card,
sent to
Petit-Boechain,
Belgium.
ay
+?
au
“FPO ‘10’”
7 February 1923 -
24 July 1925
(Osterfeld, Bottrop,
Dinslaken, Friedrichsteld,
Kénigshardt, Spellen,
Sterkrade)
Coc
LIVE
BELGIAN FORCES 1923 Occupation of the Ruhr Industrial Zone
(FPO ‘9’ Postmarks)
With the occupation of the Ruhr Industrial Area,
was TRANSFER OF BELGIAN ‘FPO 9
from the newly Belgian-annexed
Malmedy Province
TO THE RUHR.
ete terrae ‘i nl LTT et ane SEES re
oh rer. 4 CL...
24 JUNE 1923 Le Le be
Free-frank view-card, jee. A Ng Jor
sent to Ah ‘ I
Petet-Rechain, Adu. Gaucconeank $
Belgium jt xe Sott Grin SLR,
<3
totam Fain, =
“FPO ‘9'" Md Be 2
8 March 1921 - x beater De pore 2
25 August 1925 Mier iy
(Duisburg, -Hamborn,- . 3
Hochfeld, Kasslerfeld, A et, Carri dure 7
-Meidenrich, -Ruhrort, a
Walsum) Quant 14 4 be ’ \- |
Eee nk i 2
Gru ofa hovel, eo 1 SEPTEMBER 1924
be 2 eee et { Db . é | Free-frank view-card,
Aaulé - Ghee en Zones Ss CeRbo? | sent to
Ge Le: sop a4 yin Ls Ble. foes St. Gilles, Belgium.
AGL yits fo ES ee
| 2h P eee | Note Alteration of
Foe ee ee ue | location of hour
| oid Co Lee é elements
“Viele lagne- compared to other
pet beg ; FPO Postmarks.
Cet
BELGIAN FORCES
1926 Cessation of Free-Franking
Mail Privilege
FREE-FRANKING PRIVILEGE FOR BELGIAN
ACTIVE-SERVICE PERSONNEL ENDED
ON 1 OCTOBER 1926,
henceforth requiring Belgian domestic or UPU
International Rates to be observed.
17 JANUARY 1927
Cover, sent from
FPO ‘1’ Branch at Gelsenkirchen (Ruhr),
to
Brussels, Belgium
“EPO ']""
16 February 1920 -
27 November 1929
(Aachen, Aachen-Forst, Eschweiler, Julich,
Ronheide, Stolberg, Weiden)
50 Centimes..
Double-weight
Belgian-Domestic Letter-Rate.
20 OCTOBER 1928
BELGIAN FORCES Belgian Rhineland Occupation ..
Military Postage Stamps Usage
Effective 20 September 1919,
BELGIAN RHINELAND OCCUPATION FORCES & CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES WERE TO USE STAMPS OF
THE BELGIAN REGULAR SERIES OF 1915 OVERPRINTED
“Allemagne Duifschland”
for postcards and letters over 20 grams in weight sent through the Belgian military postal
system. Civilian us of these stamps was not permitted.
LOW VALUES
20 APRIL 1920
FPO ‘I’
16 February 1920 -
27 November 1929
(Aachen Main Post Office)
BELGIAN FORCES Belgian Rhineland Occupation ..
Military Postage Stamps Usage
HIGH VALUES
20 APRIL 1920
FPO 'T’
16 February 1920 -
27 November 1929
(Aachen Main Post Office)
BELGIAN FORCES Belgian Rhineland Occupation ..
Military Postage Stamps
Free-franking for active Belgian military personnel remained valid for postcards and
letters up to 20 grams sent to Belgium, France, Great Britain,
Italy and their respective colonies until 1 October 1926.
For other mail, on 20 September 1919, the
BELGIAN POST OFFICE OVERPRINTED STAMPS OF THEIR 1915 DOMESTIC REGULAR SERIES
“Allemagne Duifschland”,
for use only by Rhineland Occupation Military Personnel & family
mail sent through the Belgian FPO Offices in the Rhineland
to those and other countries.
MAILTO BELGIUM
16 OCTOBER 1920 i a
ey)
Cover, sent to
Bruges, Belgium.
FPO ‘7’
16 February 1920 -
30 January 1926
(Moers, Baerl, Essenberg,
Hochemmerich
‘Rheinhausen’,
Hohenbudberg, Homberg, Monsieur Ad, Brateé
Rheinkamp) .
15 Centimes..
Single-weight
Belgian Domestic
Letter-Rate
OFFICER
MAILTO SWEDEN
ost
xs Fates MILI Diag 22 AUGUST 1923
ee MESPRPOST A : Registered cover,
sent to i
Solleftea, Sweden.
FPO ‘TT’
29 March 1923 -
4 April 1925
(Alpen, Gladbeck, Boy,
Buer, Dorsten, Gahlen,
Horst, Hinxe, Karnap,
Kirchhellen, Marl)
Commanclarnt Ce EL° tegiinent- P tiefeaccderier SecbO&
MUS Sottsitect
100 Centimes..
UPU International
Single-Weight
Registered
Letter-Rate
Only Known
Registered Cover
fe a,
lo
SS
BELGIAN FORCES Belgian Rhineland Occupation Mail
sent to the Belgian Congo
FREE-FRANKING PRIVILEGE WAS APPLICABLE
FOR MAIL SENT TO
BELGIUM & ITS COLONIES UNTIL
1 OCTOBER 1926
9 JUNE 1921
Free-frank view-card,
sentto
Stanleyville, Belgian Congo
FPO ‘1’
16 February 1920 -
27 November 1929
(Aachen Main Post Office)
Arrival Postmark:
“Stanleyville,
1 August 1921”
Only Known Occupation Mail to the
Belgian Congo
FRENCH FORCES
Advance to Germany ..
Saar Territory Occupation
BY 23 NOVEMBER 1918 FRENCH FORCES ALREADY OCCUPIED THE GERMAN
SAAR TERRITORY & SOUTHWEST RHINE PALATINATE,
SUBSEQUENTLY HAVING TO RETURN TO FRANCE UNTIL 1 DECEMBER, THE AGREED
DATE FOR CROSSING THE GERMAN BORDER AS
STATED IN THE ARMISTICE AGREEMENT.
The ‘Peace Treaty of Versailles’, Articles 45-50 “Saar Statutes”, determined
foreign control of the southern portion of the Prussian Rhine Province
(1465 km?) & western portion of the Bavarian Rhine Palatinate (416 km?) for
15 years, guaranteed by the League of Nations, during which a determination
of “national association” was to be decided.
A plebiscite held on 1 March 1935 resulted in an overwhelming populous
desire for association with Germany rather than France.
ee da Cha fein
ae Sigt. Oude
Gb
2
Loe
19 NOVEMBER 1923
Free-frank cover (front),
sent to France.
Tresor et Posfes *4*
January 1919 -
January 1930
(Zweibricken, Saar)
FRENCH FORCES Principal Base: Mainz (Mayence)
Headquarters of French Occupation Army
Tresor et Postes *77*
THE CITY OF MAINZ WAS THE RHINE- BRIDGEHEAD FOR THE
FRENCH OCCUPATION FORCES,
location of the French Army Headquarters & 4" Cavalry Division.
REGISTERED MAILTO
FRANCE
11 MARCH 1924
Registered cover (front),
sent from
T&P *77* at Mainz
to Paris, France.
Tresor et Postes *77*
January 1919 - June 1930
(Mainz)
75 Centimes...
25 Cent... Single-weight
letter-rate +
50 Cent... Registration fee
Registered mail was not
free, but required the
French domestic postage
rate.
25 JANUARY 1929
8 MARCH 1930
Free-frank cover, sent from
T&P *77* at Mainz FF 4.00 Late Usage..
to Luc sur Mer, France {Parcel Post)
FRENCH FORCES Principal Base: Coblenz (Coblence)
28 APRIL 1920
Free-frank view-card
sent to
Paris, France.
Tresor et Postes *131*
January 1919 -
November 1929
(Coblenz & Bad Ems)
ww
Headquarters of the Interallied High Commission
& 38h French Infantry Division
Tresor et Postes *131*
ZO sO he U6 SPH a Lox
poe eee
Ce thal ta ak
aa [a +lo Cov ; Ch
24 JULY 1929
Nh
= y ’ AT Free-frank
: N SY — 2 De if J Used | view-card
2 eS Sender:
we bo? ; So a ofA Y Acs “151% Regiment,
Z § 2 Yo ee 10 Company”
: Ge A ; a 2AAA CL ey
ao MAT U7? POSTKARTE Hoke .
ee Viepios
Free-frank cover, ay 4
sent to
St. Saixerte, France
Cachet Mark:
“French Mission to
the American
Army”
Coblenz was the
Headquarters
location of the
American Forces in
the Rhineland until
January 1923.
FRENCH FORCES Principal Base: Wiesbaden
Headquarters of 30' French Army Corps,
37'h Infantry Division & French
Occupation Forces Supply Base
Tresor et Postes *180*
FREE-FRANKING PRIVILEGE DID NOT APPLY TO FRENCH
MILITARY CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES
albeit they were permitted to use the Military Postal
Service at French domestic postage rates.
27 JULY 1921 | ye 191
View-card aan : a
sent to oe
Paris, France. Ma eee 3,
. = es
Tresor et Postes *180* : 7 g 2}
January 1919- = ete W 7 0) %
December 1929 prove, Yo Sveti Cire “Ss
(Wiesbaden) : a oes
lesbaden, clers 5
20 Centimes.. Coed A. poe, ue Bet tes
15 Cent.. French fue cate lle ot Z pe
Domestic Postcard * Be
Rate+ oes fore a
5 Cent.. Convenience Oa a nena 8
over-franking eG z
Nr, 34015 Wiesbaien: Nassauisches Landestheater. _
‘Theatre national de Nassau
‘Notional theatre of Nassau
ruck-Verla!
i
|
WIESBADEN
Kurhaus - Gartenansicht
Gura-salle — vue de Jardin
Gure-house — garden-side
rows Os 3 Ie
poiea Yodan Or
e
io
Kupfertietdruck-Serie No. 2054
4 8 JULY 1924
OuUA AeA a
AMA inhi, QUAd Ub ies Set” Rewscurd
ie ) at
f { — 7 Marseille, France.
‘owe lenee Yura Q Ole g ( boat ,
OC ; qd | [Mae (duos) (faa 15 Centimes..
French Domestic
Postcard Rate
a
van den. Boogaart's Kunstanstalt, Wiesbaden:
ae
FRENCH FORCES Civilian Identity Cards During Occupation
(French Occupation Zone)
As pre-World War I,
IDENTITY CARDS CONTINUED TO BE ISSUED BY THE
LOCAL POLICE CIVILIAN REGISTRY OFFICE,
albeit now monitored by the zone occupation forces.
Reverse
CIVILIAN INDENTITY CARD ISSUED DURING
FRENCH OCCUPATION AT THE CITY OF WIESBADEN
21 NOVEMBER 1923
“Civilian Identity Card” issued by the Police Authority
& Registration Office at Wiesbaden indicating
“Besefztes Gebiet” (“Occupied Territory”).
FRENCH FORCES Civilian Identity Cards During Occupation
(French Occupation Zone)
ALL RESIDENTS 14-YEARS OR OLDER WERE REQUIRED TO HAVE ON
THEIR PERSON A VALID IDENTIFICATION CARD
issued by the local town/city mayor's & police headquarters.
Old replaced cards were sent to the ‘Rhineland Commission’
Located at the City of Mainz (Mayence).
Personalausweis.
Alle Personén, tber 14 ahre. miisean den
Personalausweis bei sich fihren.
Bei dauerndem Verzuge Von ---..0:cc
.... ist dieser Ausweis an den
Reverse
CIVILIAN INDENTITY CARD ISSUED
AT THE SMALL TOWN OF NIEDERMENDIG
DURING FRENCH OCCUPATION
12 OCTOBER 1923
“Civilian Identity Card” issued by the Police Authority
& ee Once # Niedermendig indicating
2 e e Uj (“Occupied Territory”).
FRENCH FORCES Seizure of German Goods & Property
SEIZURE OF RAILWAY STOCK, VEHICLES AND OTHER GOODS BY
THE FRENCH & BELGIANS AS “WAR PRIZES” AND PAYMENT OF
REPARATIONS WERE COMMON-PLACE DURING FRENCH
OCCUPATION OF THE RHINELAND
RHEINARMER, Mopiis x° 3.
Die gewohnlich fahrenden Ministériclle Verordnung ,
Fubrer der durch vorstehen- vom 21. Marz 1914
den Befehl bezeichnetan Wagen 1a :
8 Artikel 15.
haben unter allen Umstinden
die Wagen zur fesgesetzten Zeit
an den angegebenen Ort xu REQUISITION DER KRAFTWAGEN.
fahren.
=
re
STELLUNGSBEFEHL
FUR. DAS JAHR 1924 .
AUF BEFEHL DES KOMMANDIERENDEN GENERALS
DER FRANZOSISCHEN RHEINARMEE
Wird | Frau | Joy boeing fe thn HA Paisdaialrnde
[ Fraulem |
Inhaber (in) oder Besitzer (in) eingetragene Kraftwagen,
BEZEICHNUNG TYPUS TRAGKRAFT ANZAHL
z KRAFT ART
DER WAGEN UND SERIENNUMMER ODER ANZAHL DER ANHANGER
(Fabrikmarke). des Gestolls. der Sitaplatze. bei Lastzugen. oa fi es CEN
4 bo oy
ie | hee 7 cit
\ & oN a : * s
3 SN ist > ae : d ey :
welche in untergebracht’y is 8) der ‘Kraftwagen-Requisitionskommissten N° in ee
{s
a
me 4
REPARATIONS CONFISCATION REQUISITION-DOCUMENT OF A “BENZ” TRUCK
FROM A BUSINESS AT WIESBADEN
23 JUNE 1924
“Order of Requisition” Document signed by the
Commandant of the 30" French Army Corps at Wiesbaden
ordering “Herz Company” to transfer their “Benz” Truck along
with “40 Liters of Gasoline,
10 liters of oil, 2 kilos of grease and 2 kilos of rags” to
the local city authorities.
FRENCH FORCES
Free-Franking Privilege
FREE-FRANKING PRIVILEGE APPLIED TO BOTH OFFICERS &
SOLDIERS OF THE FRENCH FORCES
albeit requiring them to indicate their unit identification
on such mail.
22 MAY 1922
Free-frank view-card
sent to
Amiens, France.
Tresor ef Postes *96*
(Headquarters 33 Army
Corps)
January 1919 -
January 1926
(Bonn)
1¢ ‘HH
& Gila tt Tessar Votamdonny . eter _
Dey, Qu A Auk (4s
as Hfodarne ©
tr, nk vou, ye
tim ts lees
otra, [wate
ee
a
be
&
&
&
pe
ve ee eee ity Heme
fen choot Nansnbs
— topent
Ballas Vola antes
erro da Poe 4% 14)
ee fam, Promcensier dae
fodaras Famtycnf
30 AUGUST 1926
Free-frank view-card
sent to
Saintes, France.
Postal Armees *191*
(128" Infantry Division)
January 1919 -
November 1929
(Diren)
FRENCH FORCES Occupation of the Rhine & Ruhr River Ports
In conjunction with the Versailles Peace Treaty, the World War | European Allies
on 29 January 1921 determined Germany's reparations to be 226 Billion Gold
Marks to be paid over a forty-two year period.
SINCE GERMANY DID NOT PROMPTLY MAKE PAYMENT OF THE FIRST REPARATIONS
INSTALLMENT, FRENCH & BELGIAN TROOPS SUBSEQUENTLY OCCUPIED THE RHINE &
RUHR RIVER PORTS AT DUSSELDORF, DUISBURG & RUHRORT ON 8 MARCH 1921
ATTEMPTING TO FORCE PAYMENT.
FRENCH CIVILIAN
OCCUPATION FORCE
EMPLOYEE MAIL
12 NOVEMBER 1923
Reply-mail
cover (front) sent to
Paris, France.
Tresor et Posfes *3*
(38" Division)
May 1921 -
August 1925
(Dusseldorf)
POSTAGE DUE MAIL
TO ENGLAND
9 FEBRUARY 1923
Soldiers’ mail to England
sent by French
Occupation Forces at this
time required franking.
View-card mail sent to
London, England.
Tresor ef Postes *3*
(38" Division)
May 1921 -
August 1925
{Neuss & Dusseldorf}
Postage Due:
15 Centime = 12 Pence
Required Franking +
1% Pence Penalty
FRENCH FORCES Occupation of the Ruhr Industrial Area
Occupation of the Rhine and Ruhr River Ports in March 1921 to
force German reparations payments failed,
resulting in further leverage through
FRENCH & BELGIAN OCCUPATION OF THE ENTIRE RUHR
INDUSTRIAL AREA ON 11 JANUARY 1923 INCLUDING
ESTABLISHMENT OF A CUSTOMS-BORDER
LEVYING DUTIES BETWEEN IT WITH THE REST OF GERMANY.
FRENCH OCCUPATION
SUPPLY DEPOT
ESTABLISHED AT
COLOGNE
25 OCTOBER 1924
Ruhr Occupation
printed-matter
cover, postmarked at
Cologne, sent to
Dollar Bay, Michigan,
USA.
“Postes Armees
Entrepot Cologne”
(“Army Post Office
Cologne Supply Depot”)
Cachet Mark:
“U.S.A. Amerique”
15 Centimes..
UPU International
Printed-Matter Rate
for up to 50 grams.
INFANTRY BRIGADE
STATIONED AT
DUISBURG (RUHR)
Vothmannaweg 26 Telefon 1455
9 MARCH 1923
Free-frank view-card
sentto
Vincennes, France.
Tresor ef Postes *207*
(255" Infantry Brigade)
May 1921-
August 1925
(Duisburg)
Verlag Vietoria-Drogerie A. Manse, Oberhausen Ith.,
FRENCH FORCES Occupation of the Ruhr Industrial Area
Bochum & Dortmund
Corbett t 27 ty ?
1 oe i oe
23 JUNE 1924
Free-frank view-card
sent to
Pantere, France.
“Postes aux Armees
woe"
(3'¢ Infantry Division)
(27mm Dater Dial)
‘
January 1923 - : 5
October 1924
(Dortmund)
t ate he 0 Ze
18 JANUARY 1923
Free-frank
view-card
sent to
Les Mureaux, France.
“Tresor ef Postes *23*”
(40" Infantry Division)
(23mm Dater Dial)
January 1923 -
September 1924
(Bochum-Weiimar
2 JUNE 1925
Free-frank cover,
sent to
Schirmeck, France.
“Postes aux
Armees *27*"
(3° Infantry Division)
(27mm Dater Dial)
January 1923 -
August 1925
(Bochum)
FRENCH FORCES
GERMAN
TELEGRAPH MESSAGE
FORM-CLIP
4 MAY 1923
French-franked
message form-clip,
postmarked
“Dusseldorf *T.A. b”
(“Dusseldorf Telegraph
Department”)
195 Centime..
Telegraph fee
Occupation of the Ruhr Industrial Area ..
Dusseldorf Central Telegraph Office
In an additional act to extract more reparations
from Germany,
FRENCH FORCES OCCUPIED THE DUSSELDORF CENTRAL
TELEGRAPH OFFICE ON 21 FEBRUARY 1923,
remaining there until late in that year,
retaining all payments for telegraph messages.
t 14052
50" FRENCH
TELEGRAPH UNIT
DEPLOYMENT AT
DUSSELDORF
12 DECEMBER 1923
Free-frank view-card
sent to
Le Cateau, France.
Tresor et Postes *3*
Cachet Mark:
(50" Milifary
Telegraph Unit..
Rhineland
Occupation)
(Dusseldorf)
FRENCH FORCES Occupation of the Ruhr Industrial Area ..
Seizure & Administration of the Railway System
Along with occupation of the Ruhr &
control of telegraph operations,
FRENCH FORCES EXPROPRIATED RAILWAY STOCK AND
HENCEFORTH ADMINISTERED THE ENTIRE RAILWAY
SYSTEM IN THE RUHR,
as part of their reparation collection efforts.
MILITARY TRAIN
SQUADRON MAIL
23 FEBRUARY 1923 |
Free-frank view-card
sent to
Lebeilly par Corbie,
France.
“Tresor et Postes *77*”
January 1919 -
June 1930
(Mainz Headquarters of the
French Rhine Army)
Cachet Mark:
“30" Military Train
Squadron”
FRENCH RHINELAND
ARMY — RAILWAY
COMMISSION UNIT
23 AUGUST 1923
Free-frank view-card
sent to
Guaure Railway
Station, France.
“Tresor ef Postes *31*"
January 1919-
June 1930
(3 & 4! French Cavalry
Divisions & 34 Senegal
Brigade
Worms}
Cachet Mark:
“French Rhineland
Army - Railway
Commission”
INTERALLIED RHINELAND COMMISSION Coblenz Headquarters
Along with signing of the Peace Treaty of Versailles’
on 28 June 1919, German authorities also agreed to a
“Rhineland Agreement”, granting Allied occupation of the
Rhineland for up fo fifteen years.
TO ADMINISTER ALLIED OCCUPATION OF THE RHINELAND, AN
“INTERALLIED RHINELAND COMMISSION OF CONTROL”
WAS ESTABLISHED AT COBLENZ.
Le ae ea
HAUTE COMMISSION INTERALLIEE dears
DES TERRITOIRES RHENANS ~
3 JUNE 1920
Free-frank registered cover, postmarked at Coblenz,
sent from the ‘Belgian Rhineland Commission’ to
a Belgian Military Office at Brussels.
Validity Cachet Mark:
“Senior Inferallied Rhineland Commission ..
Belgian Office”
(authorization signature: “Waferblec”)
INTERALLIED RHINELAND COMMISSION Armaments
Sub-Commission
OFFICIAL REGISTERED MAIL
THROUGH BRITISH MILITARY
POST OFFICE
2 MAY 1921
Registered official-mail
cover, postmarked at
British A.P.O. ‘GR’
at Cologne
(British Rhineland Bridgehead),
sent to the Royal Garrison
at Dover, England, via
‘Air Service B’ flown by
R.A.F. 12 Squadron ..
Cologne-Lympne.
Arrival Postmark:
(Reverse)
“Dover, 4 May 1921”
Validity Cachet Mark:
“Interallied Armaments
Sub-Commission of
Control”
4 Pence..
Registration fee ..
only applicable.
INTERALLIED RHINELAND COMMISSION Armaments
Sub-Commission
(Coiogne District)
NON-OFFICIAL MAIL
COLOGHE-DISTRICT.COM-
WITLEE ARMAMENTS BB
pei
: OH OF CONTROL |
er ee at
p i
bps onpm
4 FEBRUARY 1920
Free-frank non-official mail view-card,
postmarked at British A.P.O. ‘S.40’
at Cologne
(British Rhineland Bridgehead),
sent te Woodbridge, England.
Validity Cachet Mark:
“Cologne District Committee Armaments ..
Interallied Sub-Commission of Control”
INTERALLIED RHINELAND COMMISSION Belgian Reparations
Commission
Under the Treaty of Versailles,
THE EUROPEAN ALLIES WERE TO RECEIVE EXTENSIVE
REPARATIONS FROM GERMANY
as compensation for war damage and losses incurred by them.
17 JULY 1920
Free-frank official-mail cover, postmarked at Crefeld,
sent from the Belgian Reparations Commission to
a German Textile Plant at Rheydt.
Validity Cachet Mark:
“Belgian Army of Occupation..
Reparations Commission”
INTERALLIED RHINELAND COMMISSION Belgian Reparations
Commission
OFFICIAL BELGIAN ARMY
REPARATIONS OFFICE MAIL
THROUGH THE
MILITARY POSTAL SYSTEM
12 JUNE (1920)
Free-frank official-mail cover, postmarked at Aachen,
sent from the Belgian Army Reparations Commission to
Belgian Army Headquarters in Belgium.
Validity Cachet Mark:
“Belgian Army of Occupation...
Reparations Office”
INTERALLIED RHINELAND COMMISSION Railway Control
Commission
JOINT OFFICIAL GERMAN & INTERALLIED
RAILWAY COMMISSION MAIL
1 JULY 1919
Free-frank official-mail cover, postmarked at Mainz
(French Rhineland Bridgehead),
sent to a German railway branch office.
Validity Cachet Mark:
(purple ink)
“Interallied Railway Commission of Control”
INTERALLIED RHINELAND COMMISSION High Commission Mail
(British Department)
OFFICIAL MAIL
High Commission Mail
sent to countries other than
member countries including
Germany required proper
UPU-Rate postage.
6 JULY 1921
Official-mail cover,
sent through the German
Post Office at Coblenz,
to Copenhagen,
Denmark.
Validity Cachet Mark:
“Interallied Rhineland
High Commission —
British Department”
120 Pfennig..
UPU International
letter-Rate for mail
up to 20 grams.
(1 April 1921 -
1 January 1922)
INTERALLIED RHINELAND COMMISSION High Commission Mail
(British Department)
NON-OFFICIAL MAIL
Un- official High Commission Mail sent by staff members
could be sent through one of the Allied military post offices
albeit properly rate-franked.
21 DECEMBER 1927
Un-official-mail cover,
sent through the British Military Post Office at Wiesbaden
(Post Office moved from Cologne in 1926),
to Cheltenham, England.
Postmark:
“Army Post Office $.40 .. 5 ..”
January 1926 - December 1929
Validity Cachet Mark:
“interallied Rhineland high Commission - Brifish Department”
1‘ Pence..
Single-weight mail to the United Kingdom.
INTERALLIED RHINELAND COMMISSION High Commission Mail
(French Department)
OFFICIAL MAIL
The French High Commission, located in the City of Speyer,
French-Occupied Bavarian Palatinate, sent its mail through the
French Military Post Office System.
H.C. 1. T.R. DELEGATION SUPERIEURE DE SPIRE
PROVINCE DU PALATINAT
Sear
Monsieur Le Seuclx
Cl obec. ae fe e
13 DECEMBER 1922
Free-frank
official- mail cover,
sent from Speyer,
postmarked at Neustadt/a.d. Hardt
(Bavarian Palatinate),
to Paris, France.
Postmark:
“Tresor et Postes *25*”
(Headquarters Post Office of the
32°¢ Army Corps & Aviation Center)
(Neustadt a.d. Hardt)
Validity Cachet Mark:
“H.C.LT.R Province du Palatinat”
INTERALLIED RHINELAND COMMISSION Aeronautical Commission
(British Department)
COURIER SERVICE COMMISSION MAIL TO ENGLAND
THE INTERALLIED AERONAUTICAL COMMISSION
WAS LOCATED IN BERLIN
WITH MAIL MOVED BY BRITISH COURIER TO THE RHINELAND,
with forwarding through the British Military Post Office,
if sent to the United Kingdom.
13 APRIL 1921
Berlin-origin cover,
sent by courier to the Rhineland,
then through the British Military Post Office
to London, England.
Postmark:
“Army Courier Office B 55”
Validity Cachet Mark:
“Interallied Aeronautical Commission of Control”
2 Pence..
Army Courier Universal-Rate
One of four cover examples known.
INTERALLIED RHINELAND COMMISSION In-Bound
Commission-Related Mail
IN-BOUND MAIL FROM UN-OCCUPIED GERMANY OR ABROAD
to the French Occupation areas of the Interallied Commission of Control
WAS CENSORED BY THE FRENCH MILITARY OR THE COMMISSION ITSELF.
INBOUND CENSORED — z ——
H.C.LT.R. MAIL
20 JANUARY 1921
Inbound civilian
hoa. f emia wks
cover, postmarked at :
"Rertin, Mee a ferrn
ir pane = : Professor Dr. Otto Mohr
Interallied =
Commission j LS A
upon arrival at eee os // : /
Ludwigshafen, s x a , ji, a | z
French-Occupied — ~~ f\ Cc,
Zone. 2 vi
ge) ¥
40 Pfennig.. aa 5
Domestic German S Ludwigs
single-weight IOs fe A ea oe Ve
(20 grams) =)
letter-rate. iS sea Wohlerstr. 16 b
=.
(6 May 1920 - i
1 April 1921)
aan
Later
| rt k 5
Oe Vo Cox |
b AMZ Lack. ae J eayrece oe os i
Ee ober | Spaces |
ee.
UL Ae
|
|
L
L
INBOUND USA-ORIGIN
RE-DIRECTED H.C.LT.R.
MAIL
25 FEBRUARY 1922
Free-frank USA-Origin
view-card sent from
Denver, Colorado, to a
member of the
Commission at the City
of Worms, censored by
the French Military Post
Office upon arrival,
re-directed to Mainz.
Cachet Mark:
“Correspondence
acheminee par la Poste
allemande -
Adresse irreguliere”
(“German Post Office
redirected mail having a
revised address")
GERMAN MAIL Regulated & Restricted Mail
(Belgian Zone)
In an apparent effort to intimidate the German public,
BELGIAN AUTHORITIES
RESTRICTED INBOUND MAIL TO ONLY PROPERLY LABELED
“BUSINESS MAIL” FROM UNOCCUPIED GERMANY
17 MAY — 1 OCTOBER 1919.
RESTRICTED & RETURNED MAIL
13 JUNE 1919
Advertising cover, postmarked “Rudolfsfadt" (unoccupied Germany).
sent to a private party at “Aachen-Burischeid” (Belgian Occupied),
Interrupted at Diisseldorf for return to sender.
Cachet Mark:
“Private Mail not Permitted...
Business Mail must be indicated as
‘Geschdaftsbrief’
(Business Letter)
15 Pfennig..
(10 Pfg. Postage + 5 Pig War Tax)
Domestic single-weight (20 grams) letter-rate.
(1 August 1916 - 1 October 1919)
GERMAN MAIL Regulated & Restricted Mail
(French Zone)
French Authorities had various mail restrictions,
one of which was
RESTRICTING NEWSPAPER MAIL
TO BE SENT TO NON-OCCUPIED GERMANY
BETWEEN JANUARY — 1 OCTOBER 1919.
RESTRICTED & RETURNED NEWSPAPER MAIL
23 FEBRUARY 1919
Newspaper wrapper,
postmarked at Wiesbaden (French Occupied),
sent to Darmstadt (Unoccupied Germany),
return label applied at Wiesbaden ..
“Refurn to sender!
Forwarding not permitted..
Wiesbaden 1 (Post Office)"
GERMAN MAIL In-Bound Newspaper Mail
(French & American Zones)
Despite restrictions on certain mail categories,
IN-BOUND NEWSPAPER MAIL WAS INITIALLY PERMITTED IN THE
FRENCH & AMERICAN ZONES,
albeit military censored.
__ Se ———
FRENCH-ZONE
IN-BOUND
NEWSPAPER MAIL
N
@
ee
cs
4
Oa
341 MARCH 1919
Newspaper (Zeifung”) S,
wrapper, postmarked % : - Jf. ey ae
at Berlin (unoccupied), YOR into j Daa of eee aff os
sent to the ; oe .
“Pfdlzischer Bank”, ( : eee
censored at
Kaiserslautern
(French occupied)
Censor Mark:
“Controlé”
AMERICAN-ZONE IN-BOUND NEWSPAPER MAIL
Censor Mark
“U.S. No. 272”:
(Reverse)
25 JANUARY 1919
Newspaper (“Zeifung”) wrapper,
postmarked at Ludwigslust (unoccupied Germany)
sent to & censored (re-purple ink) at Trier (American occupied).
GERMAN MAIL Parcel Post to
Unoccupied Germany
THE ALLIES ESTABLISHED A CUSTOMS BORDER BETWEEN THE
OCCUPIED ZONES AND THE BALANCE OF GERMANY
with commerce between the two areas subject fo Customs
documentation and duties, collected by the Allies for reparations.
a C4 =
; 4 ZL 2D
see ee See Fr
4 (ess 7 as
Wacnabme von 186 yay pf.
{dre Vlark ty Bt
(4.18)
COD PARCEL-POST-EXPRESS CARD
CUSTOMS DUTY APPLICABLE
24 JUNE 1920
10-kilo parcel card, postmarked at Mainz (French Occupied Zone),
sent by express to Chemnitz/Saxony (Unoccupied Germany),
with Customs mark on out-bound (front) and Customs mark
upon arrival (Reverse).
Arrival Postmark:
“Chemnitz, 29 June 1920”
800 Pfennig..
400 Pfg .. Parcel Rate for 10-Kilo Parcel +
300 Pfg .. Express Mail Surcharge +
100 Pfg .. COD Collection Fee
(6 May 1920 - 1 April 1921) Rev
GERMAN MAIL 1918 Military Censorship
(American Zone)
Prior to establishment of formal American censorship units
having their own hand-stamps,
MILITARY CENSORS APPLIED THEIR HERETOFORE OFFICERS’
CENSORSHIP HAND-STAMP “A.E.F. Passed as Censored”
TO OUTGOING AMERICAN-ZONE ‘GERMAN MAIL’.
MAILTO
BRITISH-OCCUPIED
RHINELAND ZONE
24 DECEMBER 1918
Military-censored
postal stationery card,
postmarked at Trier,
sent to
Ménchen-Gladbach.
10 Pfg..
Domestic long-distance
postcard-rate.
MAILTO
FRENCH-OCCUPIED &
| RE-ANNEXED ALSACE
27 DECEMBER 1918
Military-censored
New Year's
Greeting Card,
postmarked aft Trier,
sent to Strassburg in
French re-annexed
Alsace Province.
| 5 Pfennig...
Printed-matter
| postcard-rate
m. (less than ten words of text)
f \ “tue Bee ages +2
GERMAN MAIL 1919 Military Censorship
(American Zone)
Inbound closed letter mail from unoccupied Germany into
the American Zone was permitted, albeit
MAIL WAS OPENED, CENSORED AND RESEALED BY THE
AMERICAN MILITARY CENSOR
INBOUND BAVARIAN-ORIGIN MAIL TO THE AMERICAN ZONE
BY U.S. MILI
INBOUND OPENED, CENSORED & RESEALED MAIL
FROM UNOCCUPIED GERMANY
6 MARCH 1919
Military-censored cover, postmarked
at Niirmberg (unoccupied Bavaria)
sent to Coblenz
(American occupied)
15 Pfennig..
Domestic single-weight
(20 grams)
long-distance letter-rate.
(1 August 1916 - 1 October 1919)
GERMAN MAIL 1919 Military Censorship - Trier
(American Zone)
EARLY AMERICAN CENSORSHIP OF GERMAN INBOUND MAIL TO
ALL AMERICAN-ZONE DESTINATIONS TOOK PLACE AT TRIER
REGISTERED
INBOUND MAIL
FROM
BELGIAN-
OCCUPIED
CITY OF NEUSS
6 MAY 1919
Inbound, registered,
military-censored cover,
postmarked at Neuss
(Belgian occupied)
sent to Trier
(American occupied)
having the War Invalid
Semi-Postal stamps as
franking
(1 May .. First Day).
Arrival Postmark:
(Reverse)
“Trier *le, 8 May 1919”
35 Pfennig..
15 Pfg.. Domestic
single-weight (20 grams)
long-distance
letter-rate +
20 Pfg.. Registration fee.
(1 August 1916 -
1 October 1919)
GERMAN MAIL 1919 Military Censorship - Trier
(American Zone)
ALL OUTBOUND LETTER-MAIL HAD TO BE SUBMITTED
‘UNSEALED’ FOR INSPECTION, CENSORSHIP &
SUBSEQUENT FORWARDING.
OUTBOUND REGISTERED MAIL TO UNOCCUPIED BAVARIA
OUTBOUND REGISTERED MAIL
TO BAVARIA
6 MARCH 1919
Military-censored cover,
postmarked at Trier,
sent to Deisenhofen
(unoccupied Bavaria)
35 Pfennig..
15 Pfg.. Domestic single-weight
(20 grams)
long-distance letter-rate
+ 20 Pfg.. Registration fee.
(1 August 1916 - 1 October 1919}
GERMAN MAIL American Censorship 1919
(U.S. 371’ Trier)
Early censorship, using military officers’ hand-stampers, took place
at the American Advance-Headquarters at Trier.
UPON RECEIPT OF NEW FORMAL CENSOR MARKERS, THE FORMER
MILITARY HAND-STAMPS WERE NO LONGER USED.
VERTICAL ‘371°
CENSOR MARKING
(Red-Purple Ink)
27 JANUARY 1919
Censored
commercial cover,
postmarked at
Trier,
sent to
Saarbriicken.
Since this mail was
not submitted
unsealed, it was
censor-opened &
resealed.
15 Pfg..
Domestic long-
distance single-
weight (20 grams)
Letter-Rate.
(1 August 1916 —
1 October 1919)
Verlag Carl Poyer, Bitburg
HORIZONTAL ‘371’
CENSOR MARKING
(Red-Purple Ink)
27 JANUARY 1919
Censored |
viewcard,
postmarked at
Bitburg
(American occupied),
sent to Berlin
(unoccupied).
10 Pfennig...
Domestic long-distance
posicard-raie
(1 October 1918 -
1 October 1717)
GERMAN MAIL American Censorship 1919
(‘U.S. 371’ Trier)
INBOUND REGISTERED
GERMAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL MAIL
Berlin 10. Zi
if |
HORIZONTAL ‘371’ CENSOR MARKING
9 MAY 1919
Free-frank,
inbound registered German Government Mail,
postmarked at Berlin,
censored at Trier,
sent to the Mayor of Prim,
Eifel Mountains,
(American Zone).
Arrival Postmark:
(Reverse)
“Prim,
15 May 1919”
GERMAN MAIL American Censorship 1919
(‘U.S. 371’ Trier)
COMMERCIAL PRINTED-MATTER EXPRESS MAIL
TRANSITING THE AMERICAN ZONE TO UNOCCUPIED GERMANY
Herr. Ji...
Jobs, Grasa
sl
3
4
3
oo
4
B
|
Z
?
5
VERTICAL ‘371’ CENSOR MARKING
4 APRIL 1919
Express commercial printed-matter,
sent to a Hamburg City address, found incorrect upon arrival,
and re-directed locally to an amended address.
Artival Postmark:
(Reverse)
“Hamburg, 15 April 1919”
30 Pfennig ..
5 Pfg.. Domestic Printed Matter to 50 grams
+ 25 Pfg.. Express Mail to City Locations
(Validity Period: 1 Oct. 1918 - 1 Oct. 1919)
Only known commercial express printed-matter mail transiting
American Zone to unoccupied Germany.
GERMAN MAIL American Censorship 1919
(U.S. 371’ Trier)
COMMERCIAL FOREIGN PARCEL POST
TRANSITING THE AMERICAN ZONE FOR UNOCCUPIED GERMANY
Bl Ww
318 Luxembourg-gare
. Valeur assurée
; Wertangabe
» Rembourse:
4 Nachnahme
: Expéditeult
f WO latbels
x
A Setieuks @ A He
2 Yor
: Lieu de destination
t
2 Deameare (evo el unnéco)
: Wohnung mt Ne,
: Poids 4 _ nel Aer. acta :
2 Gewitht ssi oy
HORIZONTAL ‘371’ CENSOR MARKING
20 MAY 1919
Inbound insured foreign parcel post form-card,
postmarked at Luxembourg Train Station,
American-censored with Customs duty assessed at Trier,
ultimate destination Pforzheim (unoccupied Germany).
Arrival Postmark:
(Reverse)
“Trier,
21 May 1919”
136 Centimes ..
Parcel rate for a foreign-bound 2100 gram parcel,
insured for Marks 900.
GERMAN MAIL American Censorship 1919
(U.S. 372’ Coblenz)
CENSOR MARK ‘372’ WAS DEDICATED TO CENSORS
LOCATED AT ‘COBLENZ’,
HEADQUARTERS OF THE
AMERICAN OCCUPATION FORCES.
HORIZONTAL ‘372’
CENSOR MARKING
(Red Purple Ink)
28 MARCH 1919
Censored mourning
cover, unsealed printed-
matter, postmarked at
Coblenz, sent to Berlin
(unoccupied).
5 Pfg..
Domestic
printed-matter
rate for mail fo 50 grams.
{1 October 19718 ~
1 October 1919}
Rudolf Even
Daun (Eifel)
Fernsprecher Nr. 19
An
VERTICAL ‘372’
CENSOR MARKING
(Red-Purple Ink)
19 JANUARY 1919
Censored
commercial postcard,
postmarked at
Daun (Eifel)
(American occupied),
sent to Lahr/Baden
(unoccupied).
10 Pfennig...
Domestic
long-distance
postcard-rate
(1 October 1918 -
1 October 1919)
American Censorship 1919
GERMAN MAIL
(‘U.S. 372’ Coblenz)
HORIZONTAL ‘372’
CENSOR MARKING
(Black Ink)
14 MAY 1919
Censored cover,
postmarked
at Buchholz
(unoccupied Westerwald),
sent to Coblenz.
15 Pfg..
Domestic long-
distance letter-rate.
(1 August 1916 -
1 October 1919)
HORIZONTAL ‘372’
CENSOR MARKING
(Red-Purple Ink)
10 JUNE 1919
Censored
commercial postcard,
postmarked at
Kelberg (Eifel)
(American occupied),
sent to Berlin
(unoccupied).
10 Pfennig...
Domestic
long-distance
postcard-rate
(1 October 1918 —
1 October 1919)
GERMAN MAIL American Censorship 1919
(U.S. 372’ Coblenz)
OUT-BOUND FOREIGN DESTINATION MAIL ..
LATE AMERICAN MAIL CENSORSHIP
MISSIONARY MAIL
TO CHINA
13 AUGUST 1919
Censored postal
stationery card,
postmarked
at Coblenz,
endorsed..
“Via America”
(“Via Siberia” Route
blocked because of the
Russian Revolution),
sent to a mission in
Shantung (Shandong)
Province,
near Tientsin City,
China.
10 Pfg..
UPU International
Postcard-Rate.
(1 July 1875 -
1 October 1919)
Only known
occupation-mail
example to China.
MAILTO AUSTRIA
13 AUGUST 1919
Censored view-card,
postmarked at
Coblenz
(American occupied),
sent to Vienna, Austria.
10 Pfg..
UPU International
Postcard-Rate.
(1 July 1875 -
1 October 1919)
GERMAN MAIL American Censorship 1919
(U.S. 373’ Trier)
DESPITE ‘U.S. 371’ (31 x 17mm)
BEING THE MOST USED CENSOR MARK APPLIED AT TRIER.,
‘U.S$.373’ (28 x 17mm)
HAS BEEN FOUND TO HAVE ALSO BEEN USED.
De ee
C154
(20. 1¢)
HORIZONTAL ‘373’
CENSOR MARKING
(RED-PURPLE INK)
15 JANUARY 1919
Censored
commercial postcard,
postmarked at Quint
(American occupied),
sent to Berlin
(unoccupied).
10 Pfennig...
Domestic long-distance postcard-rate
(1 October 1918 - 1 October 1979)
Only known example.
GERMAN MaAIL American Censorship 1919
(‘U.S. 3 2’ Coblenz)
Although censorship of mail was to cease upon implementation
of the terms of the Peace Treaty of Versailles (10 January 1920),
Allied censorship went beyond that date.
Since the United States did not sign the “Versailles” Treaty,
LAST AMERICAN CENSORSHIP OF MAIL IN ITS ZONE TOOK PLACE
BETWEEN JULY-AUGUST 1919.
HORIZONTAL ‘U.S. 3 2’
CENSOR MARKING
(Purple ink)
11 JULY 1919
American-censored
(at Coblenz),
commercial printed-matter cover,
postmarked at Nimberg
(unoccupied Bavaria),
sent to Trier
(American occupied)
§ Pfennig...
Domestic printed-matter rate for mail weighing to 50 grams
(1 October 1918 - 1 October 1919)
GERMAN MAIL American Censorship 1919
(‘U.S.3 _ 2’ Coblenz)
Official
‘German Ministry of
Economics’
(Berlin)
Mail Into the
American Zone of
Occupation
HORIZONTAL
U.S.3_ 2’
CENSOR MARKING
(Purple Ink)
25 JUNE 1919
American-censored
(at Coblenz),
official German
Government
free-frank cover,
postmarked at
Berlin
(unoccupied),
sent to Trier
(American occupied).
GERMAN MAIL Belgian Censorship
(Krefeld)
Occupation as well as food distribution costs were caried by the
German Government.
Rationing was necessary since limited supplies were available
because of Allied reparation demands.
WAIVED-CENSORSHIP OFFICIAL REGISTERED MAIL
MAYORAL OFFICIAL MAIL TO BAVARIA
22 AUGUST 1919
Belgian Military waived-censorship at Neuss, official registered cover,
from the City Food Ration Card Office,
postmarked at
Krefeld (Belgian occupied), sent to Hofheim (Bavaria).
Cachet Mark:
“Commission de Contrél postal Neuss ..
A transmettre sans nouvel Examen
(Correspondances administratives) L:0.C.A.. De Crefeld”
(“Censored without additional censorship by the
Military Civilian Mail Censor Office at Crefeld”)
40 Pfennig...
25 Pfg.. Domestic double-weight (20-100 grams) letter-rate +
20 Pfg.. Registration fee
(1 October 1918 -1 October 1919)
GERMAN MAIL Belgian Censorship
(Monchen-Gladbach)
WAIVED-CENSORSHIP
GERMAN POST OFFICE OFFICIAL MAIL
27 JULY 1919
Free-frank
German Post Office Mail,
postmarked at
Ménchen-Gladbach
(Belgian occupied),
sent to Friedrichsort (Kiel).
Cachet Mark:
“Peut étre achemine
sans nouvel examen.
Le controleur en chef de la
Regence de Ddsseldorf”
("May be expedited
without new examination.
Chief Censor of the
Region of Ddsseldorf”)
GERMAN MAIL Belgian Censorship
(Krefeld & Neuss)
GERMAN MILITARY-RELATED MAIL
PENSION
NOTIFICATION MAIL
13 JUNE 1919
Free-frank
German Government
Mail,
postmarked at
Dusseldorf
(unoccupied. at the time),
sent to Krefeld
(Belgian occupied).
Cachet Mark:
“Censure Belge
Conitréle de
l'Administration
Civ. Crefeld”
(“Belgian Censor ..
Civil Administration Censor
Office Krefeld”)
RE-DIRECTED MAIL
TO A GERMAN
RESERVE MILITARY
UNIT OFFICE
26 JUNE 1919
Free-frank
German
Military Mail,
postmarked at
Neuss
(Belgian occupied),
redirected
to Pforzheim
(unoccupied).
Cachet Mark:
“No.9
Censure militaire
Belge Neuss”
(No. 9 Belgian Military
Censor .. Neuss”)
GERMAN MAIL Belgian & German Censorship
(Ménchen-Gladbach & Emmerich)
FOREIGN-BOUND MAIL
FROM THE BELGIAN OCCUPATION ZONE
12 JANUARY 1919
Civilian mail,
postmarked at Goch
(Belgian occupied),
sent to Amsterdam, Holland
(neutral country).
Arrival Postmark:
(Reverse)
“Amsterdam,
17 January 1919”
Belgian Censor Mark: German Post Office Censor Mark:
f “Auslanderstelle Emmerich
Censure ie aren
{Foreign Mail Office Emmerich ..
Released Iil 14”)
Bureau de Gladbach.
10 Pfennig..
UPU International Postcard-Rate
(1 August 1916 — 1 October 1919)
GERMAN MAIL Belgium Occupied Zone
Origin-Mail Police Censorship
ORIGIN-POLICE-CENSORED
IN-BOUND COMMERCIAL MAIL
WITH SENDER’S ‘CUSTOS’ POSTAGE SECURITY CONTROL
Effective 8 January 1919,
IN-BOUND COMMERCIAL MAIL FROM UNOCCUPIED GERMAN TERRITORY
SENT TO AN OCCUPIED ZONE REQUIRED MAYORAL OFFICE OR
POLICE AUTHORITY INSPECTION/CENSORSHIP,
whereupon the respective office would apply its validation mark on the
mail, albeit still subject to Allied Military Censorship upon arrival.
17 MARCH 1919
Commercial mail cover
with sender's ‘Custos’ Postage Security Control markings,
postmarked at Elberfeld (unoccupied),
local police inspected & validated,
sent to Belgian Military Headquarters at Aachen
(Belgian Occupied Zone).
Validity Cachet Mark:
“Police Commissioner
District IV Elberfeld”
(1 August 1918 - 1 October 1919)
GERMAN MAIL British Censorship
(Cologne)
British Military Regulations of 8 January 1919 required
COMMERCIAL OR CIVILIAN MAIL TO BE SUBMITTED UNSEALED
to the post office for censorship;
otherwise such mail would be opened, censored and resealed.
OPENED, INSPECTED/CENSORED & RESEALED MAIL
utig 6
[) mana
2 i, ~
Deh Be
BRITISH ZONE CIVILIAN MAIL SENT TO UNOCCUPIED GERMANY
14 OCTOBER 1919
Cover,
postmarked at Céln-Lindenthal (British Occupied),
opened/inspected/resealed by British Censors,
sent to Berlin (Unoccupied).
Re-Sealing Tape Text:
“Examined by British Military Censorship”
ong-distance letter-rate
I
Domestic single-weight (20 grams)
(1 October 1919 — 6 May 1920)
British & Mayoral Censorship
(Solingen & Bonn)
GERMAN MaAIL
‘DOUBLE’ CENSORSHIP OF GERMAN MAIL OFTEN TOOK PLACE
AT ORIGIN & DESTINATION CITIES RESPECTIVELY.
‘DOUBLE’ CENSORED
MAIL FROM BRITISH
ZONE TO AN
UNOCCUPIED
GERMAN CITY
--- 1919
Bank commercial
cover,
postmarked &
mayoral censored
{red ink) at Solingen
(British Occupied)
with additional British
Military censored
before being
forwarded to
Remscheid
(Unoccupied).
15 Pfennig...
Domestic
single-weight
{20 grams) letter-rate
{1 August 1916 —
1 October 1919)
BRITISH ZONE
CIVILIAN MAIL SENT
cf ; TO HOLLAND
I = Sttw ope
4A KS. ‘hb 25 MAY 1919
has ee vdeh 4
Loy ey Viewcard written by a
Belgian Soldier,
postmarked &
British censored
at Bonn (British
Occupied), sent to
(+ hur oon urbe
t ban ik w KR bet Antwerp, Belgium.
4 Ube, Arrival Postmark:
bw pe be ony (Universal Postmarking
Machine)
Mule K WIbhH AnN “Antwerpen, Anvers,
[ Sy 29 May 1919”
| Woe tilde Ser
: : 10 Pfennig...
Noneotdin Spe — UPU International
: Postcard-Rate
Henn gent Tm
(1 August 1914 -
Z ae if 1 October 1719}
Exp Jaeschke BPP Ila
GERMAN MAIL British Censorship
(Solingen)
COMMERCIAL CENSORED EXPRESS MAIL
SENT TO UNOCCUPIED GERMANY
27 MARCH 1919
Commercial express-mail cover,
British censored (red ink) at Solingen
(British Occupied),
sent to Nuremberg, Bavaria.
Arrival Postmark:
(Reverse)
“Ndrmberg,
28 March 1919”
40 Pfennig...
15 Pfg.. Single-weight (20 grams) domestic letter-rate +
25 Pfg.. Express Mail surcharge
(1 August 1916 - 1 October 1919)
GERMAN MAIL
‘COLOGNE’ CITY
MAYORAL OFFICE
CENSOR
(Mayor:
Konrad Adenauer)
19 JANUARY 1919
Commercial
cover,
postmarked &
mayoral
censored
(red ink) at
Cologne
(British Occupied),
sent to
Heidelberg
(Unoccupied).
British Occupation Zone
Mayoral Censorship
BRITISH ZONE-ORIGIN COMMERCIAL MAIL
TO UNOCCUPIED GERMANY
15 Pfennig...
Domestic single-weight (20 grams) letter-rate
{1 August 1916 - 1 October 1919)
‘BONN’ CITY
MAYORAL OFFICE
CENSOR
27 JANUARY 1919
Commercial cover,
postmarked &
mayoral office
censored (purple ink)
at Bonn
(British Occupied),
sent to Tuttlingen,
Worttemberg
State.
Exp Infla/Berlin
GERMAN MAIL German & French Censorship
Out-Bound Mail
Upon the occupation of the Rhineland, French Forces brought
along censor marks which were previously used in France for
censorship purposes, primarily a
enclosed in an 18-21mm diameter circle.
IN-BOUND AND OUT-BOUND GERMAN MAIL WAS SUBJECT TO
MILITARY CENSORSHIP
GERMAN MAILTO NEWLY RE-ANNEXED ‘ALSACE’ PROVINCE OF FRANCE
21 MARCH 1919
Postal stationery card,
postmarked at Hanau (unoccupied),
German post office censored (purple ink)
at Karlsruhe
(unoccupied/transit point for mail fo France)
with French military censorship,
sent to Strasbourg/Alsace,
now again a province of France.
10 Pfennig...
UPU International
4,
GERMAN MAIL
German & French Censorship
In-Bound Mail
MAILTO GERMANY
FROM RE-ANNEXED ALSACE PROVINCE IN FRANCE
COMMERCIAL
MAIL WITH
TWO-COUNTRY
CENSORSHIP
20 FEBRUARY 1919
Commercial
cover,
postmarked at
Strasbourg
(re-annexed Alsace
Province, France),
German post
office censored
(purple ink)
at Karlsruhe
(unoccupied/transit
point for mail from
France)
and by the
French Military
(Red Star), sent to
Baden-Baden
(unoccupied).
15 Centimes...
Single-weight
letter-rate to
Germany.
GOVERNMENT-RELATED
MAIL
10 JUNE 1919
Postcard,
postmarked at Metz
( re-annexed Alsace
Province, France),
and by the French
Military (Red Star),
sent fo Mosbach
(unoccupied).
10 Centimes...
UPU International
Postcard-Rate.
GERMAN MAIL German & French Censorship
IN-BOUND MAIL FROM SWITZERLAND
FRENCH
CENSORED
COMMERCIAL
MAIL
19 NOVEMBER
1919
Commercial
bank cover,
postmarked at
Basel (Bale),
French Military
censored
(Red Star)
upon anrival at
Wiesbaden.
25 Centimes...
Single-weight
(20 grams)
UPU international
Letter-Rate.
GERMAN CENSORED
CIVILIAN MAIL
10 JUNE 1919
Uprated Swiss postal
stationery card,
postmarked at Nidau,
censored (purple ink)
by the German Post
Office at Freiburg
(unoccupied),
sent to Mannheim
(unoccupied).
10 Centimes...
UPU International
Postcard-Rate.
French Censorship
GERMAN MAIL
In-Bound Mail
A SECOND FRENCH MILITARY CENSOR MARK WAS
THE ‘DOUBLE OVAL’
with text “Contrélé Par I'Authorifé Militaire”
with censor location number.
COMMERCIAL
MAIL
TO GERMANY
21 FEBRUARY 1919
Commercial
cover,
postmarked at
Savern
(re-annexed Alsace
Province, France),
French military
censorship (124),
sent to Heidenau
(unoccupied).
15 Centime...
Single-weight
{20 Grams)
letter-rate to
Germany.
COMMERICAL MAILTO
RE-ANNEXED ALSACE
PROVINCE IN FRANCE
Hoftacte
23 JUNE 1919
Postal stationery card,
postmarked at
Edenhoben, Bavaria,
French military
censorship at Landau
(158),
sent to Strasbourg,
Alsace, France.
10 Pfennig...
UPU International
Postcard-Rate.
GERMAN MAIL French Censorship
FRENCH INSPECTED & RESEALED CIVILIAN MAIL
EXCHANGE OF CIVILIAN MAIL
WAS PROHIBITED EARLY IN THE OCCUPATION PERIOD,
first becoming officially permitted under limited conditions
(only postcards to unoccupied areas)
on 5 February 1919
CIVILIAN MAIL SENT PRIOR TO PERMITTED VALIDITY
9 JANUARY 1919
Civilian mail cover, Censor Sealing Tape:
postmarked at Mainz,
French Military inspected & “Contrélé .
resealed at Postal Milffaire
Kaiserslautern (“38”), :
sent to Cologne Pe
(British occupied) gc
CONTROLE POSTAL WILETE
15 Pfennig..
Single-weight (20 grams) domestic long-distance
letter-rate. Kevretee
{1 October 1918 -— 1 October 1919)
GERMAN MAIL French Censorship
FREE-FRANK GERMAN POST OFFICE OFFICIAL MAIL
TO UNOCCUPIED GERMANY
5 APRIL 1919
Free-frank official mail cover,
postmarked and censored at Wiesbaden (French Occupied),
sent-to Friedrichsort (Kiel)
(unoccupied).
Arrival Postmark:
“Friedrichsort a
(Kieler Férde),
14 April 1919”
Censor Cachet Mark:
(“Postal censorship by the
administrator for the district of Wiesbaden”)
GERMAN MAIL Multiple-Country Censorship
American-French-Dutch
GERMAN COMMERCIAL MAIL
SENT TO HOLLAND
3 JULY 1919
Commercial mail cover, postmarked at Coblenz,
having American & French Military Censoring,
sent to Amsterdam, Holland,
with Dutch ‘release-for-delivery’ mark.
20 Pfennig...
Single-weight (20 grams)
UPU International Letter-Rate.
(1 August 1916 - 1 October 1919)
Only known three-country
censorship cover.
GERMAN MAIL French Censorship
(Ruhr Occupation)
FRENCH INSPECTED & RESEALED CIVILIAN MAIL IN 1924
Although the Allies intended to cease censorship of
out-bound & in-bound civilian mail upon German ratification of the
‘Versailles Peace Treaty’ on 10 January 1920,
ALLIED FORCES RESERVED THE RIGHT TO CENSOR,
CONTINUING UNTIL 1925.
{=
Mo eres
Apeuenscliahades bibsbresse /- Gay
25 AUGUST 1924
Civilian mail cover,
postmarked at Munich, Bavaria,
sent to Disseldorf, with Censor Sealing Tape:
French Military inspection & “Contrélé
resealing at Postal Militaire”
DGsseldorf (“202”),
(‘Inspected by the
10 Pfennig.. Military Post Office”
Single-weight (20 grams)
domestic long-distance letter-rate
(1 December 1923 - 1 October 1925)
GERMAN MAIL French Occupation Zone
BAVARIAN PALATINATE Out-Bound Mail
COMMERCIAL BANK MAIL
TO UNOCCUPIED GERMANY
Mail originating in the French Occupation Zone could have
a privately affixed label indicating that such mail
was being sent fo unoccupied Germany,
alerting French censors.
Kaiserslautern, den FE Bee 11g
Wir iiberwiesen Ihnen heute durch
MF tose AEF FE.!
im “aly nil BAL. a
es Malye Gat <
ice bh ey
ee !
Vereinsbank Kaiserslautern
ein Gen shaft dir. Hafipil,
ey jossenschaft m. Sehr. pe
Cavers ZAP,
Form. 27. 1917 5000.
12 FEBRUARY 1919
Bank postcard mail,
postmarked at Kaiserslautern (French Occupied),
sent to RUdesheim (unoccupied),
Interrupted and censored at Ludwigshafen (French Censor Office).
Bank Arrival Registration Mark:
“15 February 1919
No. 17283”
Censor Cachet Label:
“Par l’intermédiaire du Service des Communications
d’Outre Rhin @ Ludwigshafen”
(“By way of an intermediary communications service on
the outer Rhine at Ludwigshafen”)
10 Pfennig..
Domestic long-distance postcard-rate.
(1 October 1918 -1 October 1919)
GERMAN MAIL French Censorship
BAVARIAN PALATINATE
OUT-BOUND OFFICIAL CITY GOVERNMENT MAIL
Vom Biirgermeisteramt Kaiserslaute.
a
Par Vistexmeéd:ciro du Service ae
Communications doutre Rhin
Ludwigshafen.
Cee
Yas bs Ae tesegt ge weet,
ee
ao
Frei durch Abliésing.
STORET SHEERS
26 FEBRUARY 1919
‘Kaiserslautern City’ Mayoral Office Official Mail,
postmarked at Kaiserslautern (French Occupied),
sent-to Frankfurt (unoccupied),
Interrupted and censored at Ludwigshafen (French Censor Office)
Censor Markings:
“Contrélé”
(“Censored”)
“Par I'intermédiaire du Service des Communications
d'Oufre Rhin & Ludwigshafen”
(“By way of an intermediary communications service on
the outer Rhine at Ludwigshafen”)
15 Pfennig.
lomestic | -distance letter-rate
Single-weight (20 grams) d
GERMAN MAIL French Occupation Zone
BAVARIAN PALATINATE Mayoral Office Censorship
OUT-BOUND OFFICIAL CITY GOVERNMENT
MONEY-COLLECTION MAIL
27 DECEMBER 1919
‘Alsenborn City’ Mayoral Office Official Mail,
Money Collection of RM 1.15,
from “H & F Rothschild” (Bankers)
postmarked at Alsenborn (French Occupied),
sent-to Frankfurt (unoccupied),
Mayoral Censorship Mark.
Artival Postmark:
“Frankfurt (Main),
30 December 1919”
45 Pfennig..
20 Pfg.. Single-weight (20 grams)
domestic long-distance letter-rate +
25 Pfg.. Money collection fee
(1 October 1919 - 6 May 1920)
GERMAN MAIL French Occupation Zone
BAVARIAN PALATINATE Court Office Censorship
REGISTERED BAVARIAN STATE OFFICIAL COURT MAIL
Former monarchy cachet markings continued to be used on official mail after the
‘Peace Treaty of Versailles’ took effect, albeit the
IMPERIAL CROWN AS WELL AS WORD “IMPERIAL” WERE EXCISED FROM
ALL OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE & CACHET MARKS.
Vom hayer. Amtsgerichte Kaiserslautern.
in
f4 Ub . “bebbiffe 1° py
22 MAY 1921
Bavarian State Official Court Registered Mail,
postmarked at Kaiserslautern (French Occupied),
sent-to Giessen (unoccupied),
with State Court Validity/Censor Mark
(excised ‘Crown’ & “Kénigliche”).
Arrival Postmark:
(Reverse)
“Giessen, 27 May 1921”
ALLIED EVACUATION OF THE RHINELAND
‘RHINELAND EVACUATION’ COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE
30 June 1930
On 28 September 1928,
BELGIUM, BRITAIN & FRANCE AGREED TO EVACUATE THE RHINELAND
FIVE YEARS EARLIER THAN STATED IN THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES,
with withdrawal commencing in
September 1929 and ending on 30 June 1930
“AH Oe) OF FAV)
couiren te yGai
+ General Belgrano}
30 JUNE 1930
FIRST-DAY USE
‘Rhineland Evacuation’ Commemorative stamp issue,
postmarked ‘Berlin Charlottenburg 10’,
registered view-card mail sent locally.
Arrival Postmark:
“Berlin Charlottenburg 9,
1 July 1930”
38 Pfennig..
8 Pfg.. Local city positcard-rate +
30 Pfg.. Registration fee
(1 August 1927 - 15 January 1932)
ALLIED EVACUATION OF THE RHINELAND
‘RHINELAND EVACUATION’ COMMEMORATIVE STAMP ISSUE
USAGE
1 JULY 1930
Second-Day Usage
of the ‘Rhineland
Evacuation’
Commemorative
stamp issue,
postmarked at Mainz,
onan
Illustrated
propaganda card.
15 Pfennig..
8 Pfg.. Domestic
posicard-rate +
7 Pfg.. Convenience
over-franking
(1 August 1927 -
18 January 1932)
Text:
‘o Commemorate
the Liberation of the
German Rhine ..
1930”
18 AUGUST 1930
Commercial cover,
postmarked at
Wuppertal-
Wichlinghausen,
sent to City
Registration Office,
Osnabrick.
15 Pfennig..
Single-weight
(20 grams)
domestic letter-rate.
(1 October 1927 —
15 January 1932}
ALLIED EVACUATION OF THE RHINELAND
“GRAF ZEPPELIN’ AIRSHIP FLIGHT TO COMMEMORATE THE
ALLIED EVACUATION OF THE RHINELAND
6 JULY 1930
TO COMMEMORATE THE ALLIED EVACUATION OF THE RHINELAND,
THE AIRSHIP ‘GRAF ZEPPELIN’,
flown by Captain Dr. Eckener,
FLEW OVER COBLENZ,
location of the ‘Interallied Commission of Control’ Headquarters,
and dropped commemorative mail.
9/8130, 949
*
Po yO) :
DR. DR. ING. E.H.HUGO ECKENERSAIE NZ
Jer Dey
2
is
KUNSTVERLAG GUSTAV EYB STUTTGART - GESETZ
}
CON rete
@
PHOT. LUFTSCHIFFBAU ZEPPELIN FRIEDRIGHSHAFEN A. B,
ZEICHNUNG VON GUSTAY EYB + STUTTGART
COPYRIGHT 1930 BY GUSTAV EYB « STUTTGART
6 JULY 1930
Commemorative flown souvenir card, illustrating ‘Captain Dr. Eckener’,
postmarked on-board the ‘Graf Zeppelin’ with his autograph,
and commemorative arrival postmark:
Vie t
\ Robfens frei,?
\a kt er dentine... 2
YS a ES z
“Coblenz Free ..
Every German fo (go fo) the German Corner”
100 Pfennig..
Flat airmail postcard-rate for mail sent
with the ‘Graf Zeppelin’ Airship.
ALLIED EVACUATION OF THE RHINELAND
“GRAF ZEPPELIN’ AIRSHIP FLIGHT TO COMMEMORATE THE
ALLIED EVACUATION OF THE RHINELAND...
6 JULY 1930
Mit Laftse. £ Graf Zeppelin.!
Herrn Apotheker Feldhefen.II .
UGleaim pert heim .RHBIN§
-
COLOGNE-TO-COBLENZ DROP-MAIL COVER
6 JULY 1930
Commemorative flown cover,
postmarked at Cologne Airport,
sent to Lampertheim
after being dropped at Coblenz.
Commemorative Arrival Postmark: Commemorative Cachet Mark:
(Reverse) (Front)
GLEN ; ; -
(eal Mit Lufischiff Graf Zeppelin
- auf seiner Fahrt in das be-
Pa ey
Le iA). 3 Hi\
\ Seblens frei,!
\4, feder Deuifihe.s. 4
x
freite Rheinland beférdert.
My ge: “Canied by the Airship ‘Graf Zeppelin’
enfin’ fo the Evacuated Rhineland”
hy
“Coblenz Free ..
Every German to (go fo) the German Corner”
EPILOGUE Swede Engagement in the Saar Region
1934-1935
Military units of Britain, Italy, the Netherlands & Sweden
temporarily occupied the Saar Region between
20 December 1934 - 28 February 1935
TO SECURE THE PLEBISCITE VOTE SUBSEQUENT TO
ALLIED OCCUPATION OF THE RHINELAND.
29 JANUARY 1935
Swede military or civilian service member cover, postmarked during
Swede military engagement in the Saar, sent to Varberg, Sweden.
Franking: