This web page, published by the Military Postal History Society, contains the text of the exhibit The Evolution of 'via Siberia' Mail ... 1897-1945 created by Jerry Miller. This exhibit was created by, and is the property of Mr. Miller, and is being supplied as a courtesy to the Military Postal History Society.
This postal history exhibit shows the evolution of mail endorsed or routed 'via Siberia' from trial & early mail, through periods of war & revolution as well as expansion of mail services upon connection of the Trans-Siberian Railway network with the Southern Manchurian & Eastern Chinese Railways, thereby enabling movement of Far East, German Pacific Colony 'and other mail' to/from Europe as well as mail to Africa.
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BACKGROUND
In an effort to connect Eastern & Western Russia, develop the vast
territory of Siberia, improve and shorten the transmission time for mail
and commerce as well as eventually connect with China,
Russian Czar Alexander Ill authorized the building of a ‘Trans-Siberian’ railway on 17 March 1891.
Construction started at both the European and Asiatic ends and was
completed in several phases over the period 1891-1916, completing
a track length of approx. 9,259 km (5,723 miles)
spanning seven time zones!
A major benefit of the completed railway network was the possibility
of moving mail from China and the Far East to Europe about twenty
days faster than using standard sea routes and improved mail
movement to the United States, Africa as well as Latin America.
During the period of 1897-1945, ‘via Siberia’ mail routes were
influenced by historic events including uprisings, revolutions, wars,
epidemics and expansion of Pacific sea routes. With the rise of
airmail, long-distance mail movement by train ‘via Siberia’
commenced its decline, albeit such continued to be of importance well into the 1940s.
EXHIBIT PURPOSE
This postal history exhibit shows the evolution of mail endorsed or
routed ‘via Siberia’ from trial & early mail, through periods of war & revolution as well as expansion of mail services
upon connection of the Trans-Siberian Railway network with the
Southern Manchurian & Eastern Chinese Railways, thereby
enabling movement of Far East, German Pacific Colony ‘and other mail to/from Europe as well as mail to Africa,
North & South America.
EXHIBIT OVERVIEW
L Map & Background, Exhibit Overview
I. 1897-1903 Trial & Early Mail
I. 1904-1905, 1906 Russo-Japanese War & Resumption of Mail Services
IV. 1907-1913
Expansion of Mail Services
Vv. 1914-1918 World War | & Effects
Vi. 1917-1920 Russian Revolution & Civil War Period
Vil. =: 1921-1922, 1923-1931 Resumption & Expansion of Mail Services
VII. =: 1931-1939 Hostilities & War in Manchuria & China
IX. 1939-1945 World War ll & Effects
x. 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
ll. TRIAL & EARLY MAIL First Trial Mail
1897-1903 (Dec. 1896 - Jan. 1897)
Despite limited rail operation westward up to Lake Baikal, Siberia, the German Reichspost, with authorization from the Russian Post Office, organized
A FIRST SIX-WEEK TRIAL MAIL-RUN, COMMENCING FROM THE GERMAN POSTAL AGENCY
AT TIENSIN, CHINA, TO GERMANY BETWEEN DECEMBER 1896 — JANUARY 1897, using the caravan rider route from China to Kiachta, Manchuria,
with transit by laying of tracks across frozen Lake Baikal.
Mail required to be endorsed “Via Siberia” to avoid being handled as sea-route mail.
Because of partially incomplete rail construction west of Irkutsk as well as the effects of winter, this first-trial run EFFECTIVELY TOOK THREE WEEKS LONGER for mail to reach its
destination than for mail sent by sea routing.
icine eneemeniinieneenlaniin steamers
Cert. Steuer, ex Zisti
Se dag ey aR al RRR MERE nics ENN ikl er SS
27 JANUARY 1897
Commercial mail postmarked at the German Agency at Tientsin, China,
sent to Hamburg, Germany.
Route: Rider mail over the heretofore caravan route Tientsin-Peking- Kalgan-Urga-Kiachta (Kyakhta) to/and across frozen Lake Baikal
(tracks laid prior to introduction of an ice-breaking ferry in 1903).
40 Pfennig... UPU International Double-Weight (30 grams)
Letier-Raie.
TRIAL & EARLY MAIL Second Trial Mail
1897-1903 (Dec. 1898 - Jan. 1899)
Upon completion of rail construction up to Irkutsk & Lake Baikal, GERMAN REICHSPOST ISSUED OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION 66/1897,
7 DECEMBER, ANNOUNCING A SIX-WEEK “VIA SIBERIA’ TRIAL MAIL-RUN
BETWEEN 15 DECEMBER 1898 — 31 JANUARY 1899.
23 DECEMBER 1898
Civilian mail postmarked at the German Agency at Tientsin, China, sent to Sagan, Germany. 39-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Sagan, 31 January 1899”
Route: Rider mail over the heretofore caravan route Tientsin-Peking- Kalgan-Urga-Kiachta (Kyakhta) to/and across frozen Lake Baikal
(tracks laid prior to introduction of an ice-breaking ferry in 1903).
20 Pfennig...
UPU international Single-Weight (15 grams) Letter-Rate.
TRIAL & EARLY MAIL Third Trial Mail
1897-1903 (February-March 1899)
Despite an earlier trial attempt, the
When commercial mailsent through the German Postal Agency at Tientsin, China, to Germany,
effectively having taken
i “ sities 2 Seed i a one pepe ES eee oh coe
8 FEBRUARY 1899
Commercial single-weight mail sent from Tientsin, China, to Bremen, Germany. 40-day transit time.
Route: Rider mail over the heretofore caravan route Tientsin-Peking-
Kalgan-Urga-Kiachta (Kyakhta) to/and across frozen Lake Baikal (tracks laid prior to introduction of an ice-breaking ferry in 1903).
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Bremen, 20 March 1899, 7-8 AM”
(Haller Experimental Machine Postmark)
20 Pfennig... UPU International
Single-Weight (15 grams) Letter-Rate.
TRIAL & EARLY MAIL Russian Post Office in China
1897-1903 Mail to Europe 1901
DESTRUCTION OF A LARGE PART OF THE NORTHERN CHINESE RAILWAY,
connecting to the partially completed eastern Chinese rail line,
DURING THE BOXER REVOLT (1900-1901) NECESSITATED MAIL MOVEMENT BY SEA
OR BY RIDER MAIL OVER THE EARLIER CARAVAN ROUTE
to Kiachta in Manchuria with subsequent movement to Myssowaja station location on the Trans-Siberian Railway Route, crossing frozen Lake Baikal.
SEA-MAIL VIA BRINDISI (Suez Canal to Italy)
1 MARCH 1901
{Gregorian Calendar)
PosrKaRTE = WELTPOSTVEREIN Carte postale — Union postale universelle
eke.
View-card, postmarked Shanghai, Russian Post
Office, sent to Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland,
with route endorsement “Via Brindisi”.
32-day transit time!
Transit & Arrival Pastmarks: “Hong Kong,
5 March 1901”
“Chaux de Fonds,
2 April 1901”
5 Kopeck:
Russian Post Office
International
Positcard-Rate,
RIDER MAIL OVER CARAVAN ROUTE TO TRANS-SIBERIAN RAIL
CONNECTION
21 MARCH 1901 (Gregorian Calendar)
Commercial mail,
posimarked Tientsin, Russian Post Office, sent
to Bordeaux, France, with route endorsemeni
“Parla Russie”.
Route:
Rider mail over the heretofore caravan route
Tientsin-Peking-Kalgan- Urga-Kiachta-Myssowaja with tracks across frezen
Lake Baikal (introduction of an ice breaking ferry
first in 1903). 10 Kopeck:
UPU Single-Weight (15 grams)
international
Letter-Rate.
TRIAL & EARLY MAIL Russian Post Office in China
1897-1903 Caravan-Route Connected Mail 1902
COMPLETION OF THE RUSSIAN-FINANCED EASTERN CHINESE RAIL LINE AND REPAIRS TO THE NORTHERN CHINESE LINE FROM THE
BOXER REVOLT WAR DAMAGE CONTINUED UNTIL ABOUT 15 FEBRUARY 1902, RESULTING IN EARLIER RUSSIAN WESTBOUND MAIL FROM CHINATO MOVE
OVER THE EARLIER CARAVAN ROUTE to Kiachta in Siberia with subsequent movement to Myssowaja Station
location on the trans-Siberian railway route
for crossing frozen Lake Baikal. TIENTSIN-ORIGIN MAIL TO GERMANY
29 JANUARY 1902 = 11 FEBRUARY 1902
(Julian Calendar) (Gregorian Calendar)
View-card, postmarked Tientsin, Russian Post Office,
sentto Kolberg, Germany,
via the Caravan Route in winter to the railhead and by rail to destination. 33-day transit time to Germany.
Transit Postmarks: Arrival Postmark:
“Troitskosavsk, “Moscow “Kolberg, 5 Kopeck:
15 February 1902” 1 March 1902” 16 March 1902” Russian Post Office
(Julian Calendar) (Julian Calendar) ‘Via Siberia’
= 28 February 1902 = 14 March 1902 Postcard-Rate, (Gregorian Calendar) (Gregorian Calendar)
Route:
Caravan rider mail over the heretofore caravan route Tientsin-Peking-Kalgan-Urga-Kiachta-Myssowaja Station
and across frozen Lake Baikal (initially.. by rail tracks laid over the ice/after 1903.. by ice breaking ferry).
TRIAL & EARLY MAIL Russian Post Office in China..
1897-1903 Re-Opening Chinese Rail Route to Siberia 1902
BY 15 FEBRUARY 1902, COMPLETED REPAIRS TO THE EASTERN CHINESE RAILWAY
(from Boxer Revolt Destruction) ENABLED THE RUSSIAN POST OFFICE IN CHINATO AGAIN ROUTE MAIL OVER THE
NORTHERN SECTION OF THE EASTERN CHINESE RAILWAY TO MANCHURIA, AVOIDING THE HERETOFORE CARAVAN ROUTE COMMENCING AT PEKING.
SOLDIER’S MAIL THROUGH THE f
RUSSIAN POST OFFICE — ewe uaslamndl,
|
a
IN CHINA TO GERMANY POST- KARTE..
21 DECEMBER 1902 (Julian Calendar)
= 3 JANUARY 1903 | {Gregorian Calendar)
Carte postale, Cartolina oe Post- Card,
View-card postmarked at the Russian Post Office at
Peking, China, sent to Gera, Germany, with route
endorsement “itiber Russiand” (“Via Russia”).
27-day transit time.
Route: Peking-Mukden-Harbin-
Manchouli-Kiachta-Irkutsk- Omsk-Moscow-Berlin-Gera
Arrival Postmark: “Gera,
30 January 1903”
RUSSIAN POST OFFICE
ROUTE ENDORSEMENTTO GERMANY
10 AUGUST 1903 (Julian Calendar)
Union Postale Universelle. ay. / : = 23 AUGUST 1903 GARTE POSEALE a in S Hi AS # Ee Be ( vi (Gregorian Calendar)
View-Card written (22 July 1903) and postmarked
at Tientsin, Russian Post Office, sent to Obermoden,
Alsace, Germany, with route cachet marking
| “Via Siberia’ .. “Germany”.
21-day transit time.
Route: Tientsin- Mukden-Harbin-
Manchouli-kiachta-Irkutsk- Omsk-Moscow-Berlin-Gera Arrival Postmark:
“Obermoden, 13 September 1903”
§ Kopeck.. Russian ‘Via Siberia’ Postcard-Rate.
TRIAL & EARLY MAIL German Post Office Mail to Japan
1897-1903 Via Re-Opened Chinese Rail Route to Siberia & Vladivostok 1902
RUSSIAN REPAIRS ON THE EASTERN CHINESE RAILWAY HAVING BEEN COMPLETED , ‘VIA SIBERIA’ INTERNATIONAL TRANSIT MAILTO JAPAN FROM GERMANY
WAS ACCEPTED AND POSSIBLE, DESPITE A FORMAL GERMAN-RUSSIAN POSTAL AGREEMENT HAVING NOT YET BEEN
CONCLUDED FOR ‘VIA SIBERIA’ MAIL TO GERMAN POST OFFICES IN CHINA UNTIL OCTOBER 1903
GERMAN MAILTO A SHIP AT YOKOHAMA, JAPAN
3 NOVEMBER 1902 Polish- origin view card, postmarked at Berlin sent to
“Heinrich Grueger on-board ‘Ship Francisco’ Routed “via Moscow-Vladivostok to Yokohama”.
30 days total transit time.
Transit Postmark: “Viadivostok
14 November 1902 (Julian Calendar)
= 27 November 1902 (Gregorian Calendar)
Yokohama Arrival Postmark: “Yokohama, December 2 1902”
Having not located the recipient or ship, the Yokohama Post Office placed the mail in ‘General Delivery’ status and postmarked the mail..
“Advertised Yokohama, January 1, 1902”
10 Pfennig: UPU International Positcard-Rate
Route: Berlin-Moscow-Omsk-Irkutsk- Kiachta-Manchouli-Harbin- Viadivostok
(by vessel to) Yokohama
TRIAL & EARLY MAIL Preemptive 1902 Kiautschou-Germany Mail
1897-1903 German Kiautschou - Russian Double-Franking
BETWEEN SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 1902, THE GERMAN TSINGTAU (KIAUTSCHOU) POST OFFICE IN COOPERATION WITH THE CHEFOO RUSSIAN POST OFFICE, PREEMPTING A GERMAN-RUSSIAN POSTAL AGREEMENT, ACCEPTED KIAUTSCHOU-
FRANKED MAIL SENT TO GERMANY SUBJECT TO RUSSIAN-FRANKING APPLIED AT CHEFOO.
Since the Eastern Chinese Railway Line from Post Arthur to Harbin connected to the Manchurian Railway Line was complete & war-damage repaired, such mail no longer had fo travel over the
earlier caravan route from Peking, albeit was contrary to UPU Regulations and subsequently rescinded by the German Postal Authorities at Shanghai.
CARL WALZ , TSINGTAU ;
ign tenon) : ) :
- [wunesehricben., Ie} 1 Ne 906. oe
citer
27 November 1902
Registered sealed cover, postmarked at Kiautschou, then Chefoo, sent to Neuffen (Wirtemberg), Germany.
26-day transit time to Germany.
eee 20 Kopecks Arrival Postmark: Origin: oe . ennig. “Chefoo Russion Post Office” 10 Kopecks .. ——— 10 ae. Seah
29 November 19702” Single-weight UPU Nevten, Domaeciic Geanen- | (Gregorian Calendar international Letter-Rate 25 December Letter Rate
Dispatch: +10 Kopecks .. 1902" + 20 Pig.. Registration “Chefoo, Registration Fee ‘Res
16 December 1902 = 29 November 1902
(Julian Calendar) (Gregorian Calendar)
Route: Tsingtau-Chefoo-(by sea to) Port Arthur- (by train to) Harbin, Manchutia-irkutsk,
Samara-Moscow-Berlin-K6in-Stutigart-Neuffen
Only known registered German Kiautschou-Russian Double-Franking usage.
TRIAL & EARLY MAIL German East-Bound Mail to China
1897-1903 Closed to ‘via Siberia’ Mail
1903
ANNOUNCEMENT IN GERMANY IN EARLY 1903 OF THE FUTURE
OPENING OF THE TRANS-SIBERIAN ROUTE FOR GERMAN MAIL
TO THE FAR EAST |
resulted in some early non-valid mail being endorsed for that rovie with such subsequently being re-directed by sea. | i
PDofttarte mit Antwort Weltpoftverein
Carte postale avec répouse payce
Union postale universelle
. ) ae Steal
Dpinglace (Gece) Ti ne
fi
RE-ROUTED MAIL TO TSINGTAU, CHINA, USING SEA ROUTE
SINCE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAIL ROUTE STILL CLOSED TO GERMAN POST OFFICE MAIL
17 JANUARY 1903
Postal stationery reply-card, postmarked at Wilhelmshaven, route endorsed “via Sf. Petersburg - Port Arthur”, sent to
Tsingtao, Kiautschou, China,
Since the Trans-Siberian Network Route was not yet open to German-origin mail,
the route endorsement was altered by the German Post Office to “Bp XI route closed... (route) via Bp 21” =
(by rail) Wilhelmshaven-Leipzig-Hof-Munich-Naples
(by sea) Naples-Tsingtao
41-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark: “Tsingtau, Kiautschou,
27 February 1903”
10+10 Pfennig:
UPU International Postcard-Rate.
TRIAL & EARLY MAIL ‘Chinese Eastern Railway’ Expansion
1897-1903 to Port Arthur & Vladivostok .. Tourist Mail
THE 1898 RUSSIAN-CHINESE LEASE - AGREEMENT FOR THE ‘LIAOTUNG , Ry
PENINSULA’ ENABLED THE RUSSIAN co,
GOVERNMENT TO FINANCE & BUILD THE NS _ fault ian “CHINESE EASTERN RAILWAY LINE” “+. (Notthem Route) | _
in order to connect the Trans-Siberian, — { ee 4 Manchurian and Eastern Chinese Rail Sa Pe
Lines with the Russian City & loueom Manchoul as
Port at Vladivostok Route) te a :
(officially opened in June 1903) ah Smee = pe 2
along with the Liaotung Peninsula Ports rc \ aoe ! Se wk 7 of Dainy & Port Arthur ant | ; \ro-
(Opened 15 February 1902) .. bs aa Pa i) S¥ EXPANDING THE ‘TRANS-SIBERIAN 2S i ie J
RAIL NETWORK’. ! SJ ) YS \ / St SEA OF
The Northern All-Siberia ‘Amur’ Russian ¢ e Ay a t JAPAN Rail Line would not be completed P. ? ae
until 1916. f gt eae bs YELLOW SEA
CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO EARLY PASSENGER TRAFFIC USING THE EXPANDED TRANS-SIBERIAN NETWORK RAIL ROUTE
16 MAY 1903
Over-franked mail sent by a German located at Tsingtao, Kiautschou, (German Protectorate Lease Territory)
to “Agnes Lemke”, wife of German ‘Paul Lemke’ of Hawaii-fame, indicating...
“L can foday advise that | will be returning home next week.
In order to visit you, | wanted to return by way of America. However, because of the disproportionate cost,
| decided at fhe last moment to fake the train from Port Arthur through Russia...”
TRIAL & EARLY MAIL French Post Office in China
1897-1903 Transit Mail to Europe 1903
FRENCH & RUSSIAN POST OFFICES’ CONCLUDED AGREEMENT, effective I Janvary 1902, RIARLED MOVEMENT OF FRENCH POST OFFICE MAI, without
having to affix both French, Russian or Chinese TRANSIT MAIL FROM = KOREA THROUGH THE postage, OVER THE TRANS-SIBERIAN ROUTE.
SHANGHAI FRENCH POST
OFFICE ROUTED
SHANGHAI-DALNY AND RAIL BEYONDTO
GERMANY f
20 SEPTEMBER 1903
Korean postal stationery card mailed at Inchon
by a German sailor aboard HMS Prince
Bismarck, heavy cruiser
and flag ship of the German East Asia Cruiser
Squadron on its third Korea voyage
(20-22 September 1903). 35-day transit time.
Transit Postmark: (French Post Office)
“Shanghai, China, 28 September 1903”
Arrival Postmark:
“Berent, z ee 25 October 1903” bo ee 8S : See reas ss
4Cents.. UPU International Postcard-Rate.
TRANSIT MAIL THROUGH es THE SHANGHAI CHINESE
Ni eee ier=as x POST OFFICETO RE oom rere gegen rercrreeer pag a hes ENGLAND ROUTED
: View 7 SHANGHAI-DALNY AND : : oe : 4 RAIL BEYOND SE 2 i q 30 NOVEMBER 1903 al ak 1 A: - : : Ae Ba a Chinese mail routed G: 4 Biss so ai through the French Post fe ve ‘ Eh. Office (China was not we ay yet a member of the ie Da. do, = ae UPU) to London, England,
ne 5 ib with route endorsement Be C/o WX foe - he. = af “Via Siberia” a 7 C f @ ia ia Siberia”.
Me Oped ow i ig 3 / ’ — 5 Transit Postmark:
| . ih “Shanghai,
Ce ntl we . Cae. ay a 30 November 1903 oc MsieippagcAseeben ons dieusiefaeSrxrrel sn titi jzr3 i ensecolitataescie J : (LEE SSS SSS SN oa
Me : International aia sain a : Postcard-Rate.
TRIAL & EARLY MAIL Russian Post Office in China
1897-1903 Mail to France 1903
as part of the Trans-Siberian Network,
Even before official opening of the completed Eastern Chinese Railway
WEST-BOUND MAIL THROUGH THE RUSSIAN POST OFFICE MOVED OVER THE NOW FULLY
REPAIRED NORTHERN CHINESE RAILWAY TO THE EASTERN CHINESE LINE, OR BY SEA FROM
SHANGHAITO DALNY AND THEN BY RAIL BEYOND.
MAIL FROM PEKING
USING THE LAND ROUTE
14 APRIL 1903 {Gregorian Calendar)
isttes trough the Russian Post Office af Peking to
Paris, with route endorsement
*... Transsiberienne”
26-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark: “Paris,
10 May 1901”
10 Kopeck.. UPU Single-Weight
(15 grams) intemational Letter-Rate.
Unioht postale universelle
Carte postale— Postkarte— oa Nur ftir die Adresse.
ITE* facgues oR
“ £ 1 g o * s s a 1 p p e
3u }
10 g
Cé te
ré se
rv é
a l’ Ad ré ss e.
ee i : lrsa’ che. nt & ;
2», a 2, &
29, \WUS mance “Org.
MAIL FROM SHANGHAI USING SEA ROUTE TO DALNY AND RAIL
BEYOND
16 MAY 1903 (Gregorian Calendar)
View-card, postmarked Shanghai, Russian Post
Office, sent to Paris, with route endorsement “Par Transsiberien".
25-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark: “Paris,
10 June 1901”
§ Kopeck: i Russian ‘Via Siberia’
Postcard-Rate
TRIAL & EARLY MAIL Russian Post Office in Tomsk..
1897-1903 Siberian Mail to North Africa 1903
THE CITY OF TOMSK IS CONNECTED TO THE MAIN LINE OF THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILWAY IN ASIAN-RUSSIA.
Overseas-bound mail from there traveled by rail fo Moscow for forwarding beyond.
REGISTERED MAILTO ALGERIA VIA THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAIL ROUTE TO MOSCOW, BY RAIL TO GERMANY-FRANCE AND BY SEA FROM MARSEILLES TO ALGERIA
26 MARCH 1903 (Jullan Calendar)
8 APRIL 1903 (Gregorian Calendar)
Registered UPU postcard through the Russian Post Office at Tomsk, Siberia, Russia, sent to Algers, Algeria,
17-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark: “Algers,
25 April 1903”
16 Kopeck 5 Kopeck.. UPU Intemational
Postcard-Rate +10 Kopeck.. Registration fee + 1 Kopeck.. Convenience franking
TRIAL & EARLY MAIL Russian Post Office in China
1897-1903 Double-Franking Mail to Germany 1903
Since China was not a member of the UPU unl March 1714, EARLY FOREIGN-BOUND MAIL FROM CHINA HAD TO BE SENT THROUGH A
FOREIGN POST OFFICE WITH BOTH CHINESE FRANKING
AND THAT OF THE FOREIGN POST OFHCE.
Tepmania, £2 Lave. af ; rs ae Sr me
CHINESE COMMERCIAL MAILTO GERMANY FROM TIENTSIN
USING RAIL ROUTE ... NEWCHWANG-HARBIN-IRKUTSK- MOSCOW-BERLIN-OSNABRUCK, GERMANY
25 APRIL 1903
Commercial cover, postmarked by the Chinese Post Office at Tientsin, China, Russian Post Office postmark at Yingkou
(Newchwang) on 1 May 1903 (Gregorian Calendar), sent to Osnabrick, Germany, with
cachet route mark & hand endorsement “Via Siberia Germany”
22-day transit time.
Transit Postmark: (Reverse) Arrival Postmark: “Newchwang, “Osnabrick, 27 April 1903” 17 May 1903”
30 Kopeck (Russian) & 30 Cents (Chinese) Reverse
triple-weight (1.5 ounces/ 34 grams)
international letter-rate.
TRIAL & EARLY MAIL
1897-1903
Russian Post Office in China
Registered Mail to Germany
1903
NON-FINALIZED ‘via Siberia’ MAIL-ROUTING NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE GERMAN & RUSSIAN POST OFFICES NECESSITATED FAR EAST ORIGIN MAILTO GERMANY TO
BE SENT THROUGH THE RUSSIAN OR FRENCH POST OFFICES or, heretofore, by sea through a German Post Office in China.
GERMANY-BOUND REGISTERED MAIL FROM SHANGHAI USING SEA ROUTE TO DALNY AND RAIL BEYOND
14 AUGUST 1903 (Gregorian Calendar)
Registered commercial mail through the Russian Post Office at
Shanghai, China, sent to DGsseldorf, Germany,
Addressed to renowned German manufacturer of photo
projection equipment, Eduard Liesegang.
32-day transit time.
Transit Postmark: (Reverse) Arrival Postmark:
“Moscow, “DGsseldorf *6 |, 12 September 1903” 15 September 1903” (Gregorian Calendar)
20 Kopeck: 10 Kopeck.. UPU Single-Weight (15 grams)
International Letter-Rate. 10 Kopeck.. Registration fee
Exp Eisold BPP
Reverse
. TRIAL & EARLY MAIL Trans-Siberian Route Open for German
1897-1903 Post Office Mail from/to China
1 October 1903
AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GERMAN & RUSSIAN POST OFFICES TOOK EFFECT ON 1 OCTOBER 1903, permitting acceptance of German Post Office Mail from/to Europe or beyond routed over the
Trans-Siberian Network, albeit nom-acceptance of printed-matter or parcel post mail.
EARLY KIAUTSCHOU GERMAN POST OFFICE MAIL TO EUROPE OVER THE NEWLY OPENED ‘VIA SIBERIA’ ROUTE FOR GERMAN POST OFFICE MAIL
Gis, Op.
poe Pofttarte — Weltpoftvercin. © View-card, : Deutschland.
postmarked at Tsingtao, Kiautschou
Territory, route endorsed with
text indicating first-day opening of ‘Via Siberia’ Route, sent to Dresden,
Germany.
1 OCTOBER 1903
Carte postale — Union postale universelle.
5 Pfennig:
German concession rate for mail fo
Germany from a
German colony.
A Le ate 1’ uy “singtau i fiatutscho
Reverse No ty bfn. ath hr U rah vat Leltrom — =
hin hi db ww Goh te ¥.
5 NOVEMBER 1903
View-card, postmarked at
Tsingtao, Kiautschou POSTKARTE Territory, sent to
Budapest, Hungary.
24-day transit time.
Transit & Arrival
Postmarks:
“Moscow,
13 November 1903 (Julian Calendar)
= 26 November 1903” (Gregorian Calendar)
“Budapest, 29 November 1903”
10 Pfennig: UPU international
Postcard-Rate.
Ill. RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR Europe-Bound ‘via Siberia’ Mail
1904-1905 Prior to Outbreak of War on 10 February 1904
GERMAN-POST-OFFICE MAIL WAS POSSIBLE ONLY FOUR MONTHS PRIOR TO THE OUTBREAK OF HOSTILITIES BETWEEN
RUSSIA AND JAPAN ON 10 FEBRUARY 1904, resulting in closure of all mail movement over the Trans-Siberian
Network in Manchuria and China until late 1905.
LU. NION, POSTALE UNIVERSELLE
POST CARD-CARTE POST, GERMAN POST The address only to be written on this side
OFFICE IN CHINA
Leth A eek Coté réservé 4 T’adresse.
MAILTO ENGLAND
9 JANUARY 1904
Viewcard, postmarked at the Shanghai German Post Office, sent
to London, England, with route
endorsement “Via Siberia”.
Vi Via.wgl 1 be rial oo Weltpostverein — Union postale universelle o 9
GERMAN POST OFFICE IN CHINA MAILTO HOLLAND
Levelezé-Lap Correspondenzkarte Dopisnice
Karta korespondencyjna Korespondentni listek
Briefkaart - Cartolina postale - Post card - Brefkort
Ovcxpsrroe-nucbMo-TARJELA POsTAL=Jlonucna Kap:a
29 JANUARY 1904
Viewcard,
postmarked at the Shanghai German Post Office, sent to
Rotterdam, Holland, with route
endorsement “Via Siberia”.
25-day transit time.
Anival Postmark:
HOLLAND. siecle 23 February 1904”
10 Pfennig:
UPU Intemational Postcard-Rate
RUSSO- JAPANESE WAR Switzerland-Bound ‘via Siberia’ Mail
1904-1905 Prior to Outbreak of War on 10 February 1904
REGISTERED GERMAN POST OFFICE IN CHINA MAILTO
SWITZERLAND PRIOR TO
RUSSO- JAPANESE WAR
Exp Bothe BPP
Arrival Postmark: “Chur,
14 JANUARY 1904 10 February 1904”
Registered cover, postmarked at the Shanghai German Post Office, 60 Pfennig:
sent to Chur, Switzerland, 40 Pig.. Doubie-Weigh?
with route endorsement (15- 30 grams}
“Via Siberia”. UPU intemational Letter-Rate
27-day transit time. 20 Pig... Registration fee
RUSSO- JAPANESE WAR German Offices in China
1904-1905 Mail Routed “Via Suez”
BETWEEN ‘9 FEBRUARY 1904 - LATE SUMMER 1905’, FOREIGN- POST-OFFICES’-IN-CHINA MAIL WAS SENT BY SEA WITH
ROUTE ENDORSEMENT “VIA SUEZ”, since the trans-Siberian rail route was closed as a result of the
Russo-Japanese War.
OT io encaais 4
Via SUEZ.
REGISTERED GERMAN-POST-OFFICE IN CHINA MAIL SENT TO GERMANY DURING THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR
13 APRIL1905
Registered bank mail, postmarked at the Tientsin German Post Office, sent to a military district office at Sch6neberg, Germany, with route indication
“Via Suez”. 39-day transit time.
Service Postmark: (reverse)
“Schéneberg, 22 May 1905”
60
40 Pig.. Double-Weight (15-30 grams) UPU intemational Letter-Rate
20 Pig.. Registration fee
RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR Resumption of Mail Service
1904-1905 Caravan Route .. 1905
Although the Russo-Japanese War conflict continued until an armistice took effect on 31 August 1905,
OVERLAND MAIL SERVICE RESUMPTION EAST & WESTBOUND RESTARTED IN MAY 1905
BY WAY OF THE OLD RIDER/CARAVAN ROUTE TO REACH THE EXISTING TRANS-SIBERIAN RAIL NETWORK AT MYSSOWAJA IN SIBERIA,
BYPASSING THE CLOSED DAMAGED EASTERN CHINA RAIL ROUTE.
Hostilities officially ended with the ‘Russo-Japanese Treaty of Portsmouth’ (New Hampshire) signed on 5 September 1905, albeit full resumption of the
‘Via Siberia Route’ over the Eastern China Rail Route over Manchuria was
first again available on 12 February 1907.
a Aes tan® Toi Binis* | ee ed. ‘Awe
FRENCH-CHINA POST OFFICE POSTMARKED-MAILTO FRANCE
22 MAY 1905
Cover, postmarked at Tientsin,
with
route endorsement
“Voie Sibérie”
sent to France.
30-day transit time. (Tientsin-Peking-Kalgan-Urga-Myssowaja-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin-France)
25 Centimes..
Single-Weight UPU International
Letier-Rate
RUSSO- JAPANESE WAR Resumption of Mail Service
1904-1905 Caravan Route .. 1905
With the opening of the overland Via Siberia Route, both German Post Offices in China and German Kiavtschou endorsed mail ‘Via Siberia’ Route rather than
over the longer ‘Via Suez’ Route.
GERMAN-CHINA POST OFFICE MAIL TO GERMANY
12 SEPTEMBER 1905
Cover, postmarked at Tientsin,
with route endorsement
“Ueber Sibierien”
sent to Siegburg.
Military Unit Validity Marking: “East Asiatic Occupation Ariillery
Brigade Depot"
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Siegburg,
15 October 1905”
33-day transit time. fh (Tientsin-Peking-Kalgan-Urga-
Myssowaja-Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin-
Siegburg)
10 Pfennig..
Single-weight ee
concession letter-rate
for mail to Germany.
GERMAN-KIAUTSCHOU MAILTO GERMANY
ee bien 12 DECEMBER 1905 Aa Y1 ewt
Weltpostverein — Union po postale universelle _ View-card, postmarked Postkarte - Carte postale — Postcard - Tarjeta Postal — Orxpairox mono Tsingtao, Kiautschou, Cartolina Postale — GefféSfendenzkarte Briefkaart | Brevkort — Brefkort China, with route
Dopisnice - ele { Ss Korespondenéni listek Dopisnica endorsement d lencyjna — Carto postal. “Via Siberia” sent to
y) 7 Weissenburg, Province Alsace,
owls Germany.
Te Don YYr: AMG HT 35-day transit time (Kiautschou-Tientsin-
oO y ol “ LY, a _ Peking-Kalgan-Urga-
y = e iG. . Myssowaqja-
Inf. H, Qa a 2 “ele — irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin- . s ; ee Weissenburg)
rn w4 bet Yan: yg Arrival Postmark:
Sy f an ; ss 7 dn e Lae y Le “Weissenburg (Els), £1 Yas MVUY P Gl 16 January 1906”
er g 2 Cents ... pas seca oe : Postcard concession
rate for mail to
Germany Chinese Handstamp (red) = Address of Sender..
“Hamel, No. 1, Sijfang”
RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR Resumption of Mail Service
1904-1905 Winter 1906
Despite the resumption of mail services,
WINTER WEATHER-RELATED DELAYS, and continued non-operational track network in Eastern China,
OFTEN RESULTED IN MAIL TAKING AS LONG AS SEA-ROUTED MAIL.
14 FEBRUARY 1906
Commercial cover , postmarked at the German Post Office at Tientsin, China, with route endorsement “via Russland” sent to Hamburg, Germany.
42-day (weather-related delay) transit time (Tientsin-Peking-Kalgan-Urga-Myssowaja-
Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin- Hamburg)
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Hamburg, 28 March 1906”
10 Cents:
Single-Weight (15 grams) UPU International Letter-Rate
RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR Resumption of Mail Service
1904-1905 Russian Post Office in China
1906-1907
On 12 February 1907, THE ROUTE ON THE IAOTUNG PENINSULA (Dalny/Port Arthur/Harbin) AND IN SOUTHERN MANCHURIA REOPENED, now again enabling full use of the overland southern Manchurian and
connecting trans-Siberian rail network.
1906 CHINA TO GERMANY
CARAVAN-ROUTE MAIL
26 OCTOBER 1906 (Gregorian Calendar)
Postal stationery card postmarked Tschifu
(Chefoo),
Russian Post Office, to Suhl, Germay.
29-day Transit time (using Caravan Route
since overland route still closed)
Arrival Postmark: “Suh,
24 November 1906”
4 Kopeck..
International postcard-rate
1907 CHINATO GERMANY
OVERLAND ROUTE MAIL
12 MAY 1907 (Gregorian Calendar)
View-card postmarked Tientsin, China, without route endorsement “Via Siberia”
to Stuttgart, Germany.
22-day transit time
(Tientsin-Peking-Mukden- Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow-
Berlin-Stutigart)
Transit Postmark:
(Reverse)
“Peking, 13 May 1907”
ae : eae Arrival Postmark:
“Stuttgart, 3 June 1907” — 4 Kopeck:
International postcard-rate + 2 Kopeck over-franking
IV. EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES Tri- Weekly Express Train Service
1907-1913 1907
By June 1907, EXPRESS TRAIN SERVICE (three times weekly), EXPEDITED HANDLING OF MAIL ALONG WITH PROMOTION OF ROUTE MAIL SERVICE
between Europe/European Russia-Eastern Russia/Far East.
CHINATO SWEDEN MAIL lara (German Post Office) 5 a 30 MARCH 1907 “onan CARTE P
View card, postmarked at Shanghai, China, to Stockholm, ¥
Sweden, with route
endorsement “via Siberia”. yD
26-day Transit time wt. C . (Shanghai..by sea..-Dainy..by train..-Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow- Berlin-Kiel..by sea..Stockholm) oe
fp f gle sou PR ares BS
o =
CHINATO GERMANY MAIL (Kiautschau .. German Colony)
11 JUNE 1907 View card, postmarked at
Tsingtau, Kiautschou, China, sent to Uslar, Germany, with
route endorsement
“via Tschifu - Siberia”.
23-day Transit time (Tsingtau-Tschifu-by sea to
Dalny-Mukden-Harbin-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin-Usiar) t (
2 ee
CHINATO ENGLAND MAIL (British Post Office)
18 APRIL 1907 Missionary mail postmarked at
Hankow, China, with endorsement “Via Siberia”
to Selby, Yorkshire, England.
29-day transit time: (Hankow..by sea to Dainy- Harbin- Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin-Hamburg-
by sea to England)
Transit & Arrival Postmarks: (Reverse)
“Peking, 22 April 1907” “Selby, 17 May 1907”
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES Tri-Weekly Express Train Service
1907-1913 Eastbound-Mail from Europe ..
Turkey to Japan
1907
EVEN FAR-SOUTHERN EUROPEAN MaAIL TO THE FAR EAST WAS NOW POSSIBLE
via Berlin-Moscow to the Far East ‘via Siberia’ upon expansion of express train service.
| Via Siberia. , |
| are ve ? Pe pat (RLS be unis g oie Ree
ax ie Sle fe Ns Peet eeu, oe bf
= HEA fe _—. 4
| | | t |
TURKEY TO JAPAN MAIL (via German Post Office in Turkey))
19 NOVEMBER 1907
View card, endorsed ‘Vic Siberia’, postmarked at
Constantinople, Turkey, German Post Office in Turkey, sent to Yamagata-Shi, Japan. 23-day transit time.
Transit & Arrival Postmarks:
“Tsuruga, Japan, 9 December 1907” “Yamagata-Shi, 11 December (1907)
Routes: * Constantinople-Berlin (3 days)
* Berlin-Moscow-lIrkutsk-Harbin-Vladivostok (17 days) * Vladivostok (by vessel/land) Tsuruga-Yamagata-Shi (3 days)
20 Para (= 10 Pfennig) UPU International Postcard Rate.
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES
1907-1913 1907
REGISTERED MAIL WAS POSSIBLE USING THE STANDARD SEALED MAIL
BAGS WITH THE EXPRESS TRANS-SIBERIAN TRAIN SERVICE.
Along with standard mail service,
KIAUTCHOU-CHINA = TO GERMANY MAIL (German Post Office)
11 JUNE 1907
Cover, postmarked at Tsingtau, Kiautschou,
China, sent to Deutsch- Eylau, Germany,
with route endorsement “via Siberia”.
23-day Transit time (Kiautschou..by sea..-
Dalny..by train..-Harbin- Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin-
Deutsch-Eylau)
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Deutsch-Eylau, 4 August 1907”
18 Cents.. 8 Cents..up fo 250 grams
+
10 Cents.. Registry Fee/ concession letter-rate for German Colony mail sent
to Germany
DUTCH ENGINEERING WORKS NEDERLANDSCHE FABRIEK
VAN WERKTUIGEN EN SPOORWEG-MATERIEEL SHANGHAI
FAK
Registered Mail Service
CHINATO HOLLAND MAIL
(German Post Office)
24 OCTOBER 1907
Commercial mail,
postmarked Tientsin, China, with route endorsement “Via Siberia” sent
to Amsterdam,
Holland.
22-day transit time (Tientsin-Peking- Mukden-Harbin- Irkutsk-Moscow-
Berlin-Amsterdam)
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Amsterdam,
14 November 1907"
20 Cents...
10 Cents... UPU
Single-Weight International Letter-Rate +
10 Cents..
Registry Fee
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES Chinese Post Office Mail
1907-1913 1908
THE CHINESE POST OFFICE FIRST BECAME A MEMBER OF THE UPU IN SEPTEMBER 1914 REQUIRING ANY OVERSEAS-BOUND MAIL BEFORE THAT DATE TO BE ROUTED THROUGH A
FOREIGN POST OFFICE IN CHINA. Agreements with foreign post offices in China were eventually concluded eliminating
any double-franking requirements.
CHINATO UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA MAIL (Japanese Post Office)
26 DECEMBER1908 | =
INTERNATIONAL REFORM BUREAU A BUREAU OF LECTURES, LITERATURE AND LAW
FOR PROMOTING MORAL AND SOCIAL REFORMS
Printed-matter mail, postmarked at
Tientsin,
witrreuts E,W. THWING, Secretary, Tientsin, China, endorsement “via Siberia”,
sent to New Britain,
Connecticut.
Transit Postmark: (Reverse) ~ + : “Mukden, IJPO, B. B. Bassette, Hsq.,
28 December 19708” " i = New Britain,
Route: Tientsin-Mukden- Harbin-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin- Hamburg-USA
CHINATO SWITZERLAND
(French Post Office) x ‘ y AND { Ota JVEbeue - ! 12 DECEMBER 1908
P ostk w View-card, postmarked
< Meet at Hankow, route endorsement
<a 2 “via Siberia”.
Z sent to S: Bern, Switzerland.
“ps Hs. Transit Postmark: Bae “Peking, Ce 16 December 1908”
Route: Hankow-Peking--
Mukden-Harbin-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin-Basel-
Zurich-Bern
% "O D
Bi el
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES Chinese Post Office Mail
1910-1911
1907-1913
CHINA TO SWEDEN MAIL (Chinese & French Post Offices) a
16 July 1910
Uprated postal stationery card, postmarked at
Kiaochow, China, sent to Stockholm, Sweden, through French Post Office, with route
endorsement “Via Siberia”.
Transit & Arrival Postmarks: “Tienisin, 21 July 1910”
“Stockholm, 5 August 1910”
20-day transit time (Kiaochow-Tientsin-Mukden-
Harbin-irkutsk-Omsk-St. Petersburg-by sea..Sweden)
UNION POSTALE UNIVERS!
POSTCARD
Amey Lp 10 ve WF | x = Ze
ye | ce be :
CHINA TO ENGLAND MAIL
27 December 1910
‘New Year's Greetings’ mail,
postmarked Tientsin, China, with
route endorsement “Via Siberia™ to Boston, Lincolnshire, England.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Boston, 12 January 1911"
16-day transit time ({Tientsin-Mukden-Harbin-irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin-Hamburg-England)
Franking: 4Cents..
UPU Intemational Posteard- Rate.
CHINA TO ITALY MAIL
2? November 1910
‘Christmas Greetings’ mail, postmarked at
Amoy, China, sent to Naples, Italy, with route endorsement
“Haly Via Siberia”.
Transit & Arrival Postmarks: “Shanghai,
§ December 1910” “Naples,
28 December1?10”
29-day transit time {Amoy/Shanghai.. by sea..-Dalny.. by train..-Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow-Serlin-
Munich-Napies)
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES
1907-1913
French Post Office in China Mail
1908-09
OPENING OF THE TRANS-SIBERIAN NETWORK ALSO ENABLED FRENCH POST OFFICE EXPANSION ALONG THE COAST,
In support of commerce and shorter mail movement to France.
CHINATO SPAIN MAIL Par, gZ ce fk
(French Post Office) k Fe a5 Ve a
15 JUNE 1908 JOST GRAD ’ The Address ant “2 ie ites
View card, : FR AW
|
postmarked at | Chefoo, China, sent to | thon San Sebastian, Spain, | =
with route endorsement j “Via Transiberia”. ¢
Route: iat (Chefoo..by sea..- ; Dainy.. by train..- = &
Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow- Berlin-Paris-San
Sebastian) s 4 Cents..
UPU International ; ie Pestcceek Rabe: ; Gq eer
Via Dalny & ee
>
Monaivar Alfrea Vollenweider
zum Merkur
AFFOLTERN
am Albis Switzerland Zurich
CHINATO SWITZERLAND
MAIL (French Post Office)
12 NOVEMBER 1909
Commercial cover,
postmarked Canton,
China, with route endorsement
“Via Dalny & Siberia” Sent to
Affoltem/Zurich, Switzerland.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Affoltern, 4 December 1909”
22-day transit time: (Canton/Shanghai.. by sea..-Dalny.. by
train..-Harbin-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin-
Basel-Zurich)
25 Centimes... (indo China Stamps/ 5 & 15 Cent. values with printing error
“CanPon")
UPU International
Single-Weight Letter-Rate.
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES French Indo-China
1907-1913 Seapost ‘Via Siberia’ Mail to Germany 1910
SEAPOST MAIL, OFF-LOADED AT SHANGHAI WITH ROUTING
THROUGH THE FRENCH POST OFFICE, endorsed ‘Via Siberia’, could be routed through Russia.
FRENCH INDOCHINA SEAPOST MAIL TO GERMANY
(French Seapost)
1 DECEMBER 1910
Civilian view-card (Saigon), postmarked “Marseille to Yokohama Line No. 1”
with route endorsement “Par Transsiberien”,
sent to Reutlingen, Wérttemberg, Germany
Transit Postmark:
“Shanghdi, 9 December 1910”
Routing: by sea..-Shanghdi.. by train..-Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin-Reutlingen
10 Centimes... (Indo China Stamps)
UPU International Postcard Rate
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES
1907-1913
Russian Post Office in China Mail
‘Westbound’ Mail to Europe
ALL ‘WESTBOUND’ MAIL SENT THROUGH THE RUSSIAN POST OFFICE IN CHINA WAS ROUTED ‘Via Siberia’ WITH OR WITHOUT NEED
FOR ROUTE-ENDORSEMENT INDICATION,
MAIL FROM TIENTSIN TO GERMANY
17 APRIL 1908 (Julian)
30 APRIL 1908 (Gregorian)
Reply postal stationery card, postmarked at Tientsin, with route
endorsement
“Via Siberia” to Berlin, Germany.
Arrival Postmark: “Wilmersdort
bei Berlin,
18 May 1908”
18-day transit time: Tientsin-Mukden-Harbin- Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin
R (poste Russie)»
w BF
REGISTERED MAIL FROM PEKING TO GERMANY
6 SEPTEMBER 1910 (Gregorian)
Registered postal stationery, postmarked
at Peking,
with route endorsement “Via Siberia”
sent to Giengen, Worttemberg. Germany.
Route: Peking-Tientsin-Mukden-- Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow- Berlin-Leipzig-Stuttgart-
Giengen
Rate
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES Russian Post Office Mail
1907-1913 Printed-Matter Mail to Europe
MAILTO PRAG (Austro-Hungary)
11 SEPTEMBER 1908
Printed matter
newspaper wrapper mail postmarked at Hankow, China,
sent to Prag with no route
endorsement
necessary.
Route:
Hankow-Peking-Tientsin- Mukden-Harbin-Irkutsk-
Moscow-Berlin-Dresden-
Prag
2 Kopeck..
UPU International
Printed-Matter Rate
for mail up to 50 grams.
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES
1907-1913
Russian Post Office in China Mail
‘Westbound’ Mail to
Finland (Russia)
MAILTO FINLAND FROM SHANGHAI
10 DECEMBER 1909
von POSTALE UNIVERSE, te
View-card,
postmarked at
Shanghdi, China, with route
endorsement “via Siberia” sent to Nystad, Finland
(Russia).
@V AO RN OL ,,
8 C A I N E
Arrival Postmark: “Nystad,
28 December 1909”
y
18-day transit time: Tientsin-Mukden- Harbin-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin
“N ¥d Vf V A V H O N G A OH OL IV Z
as !
3 Kopeck.. ( & ac: Russian inland postcard-rate.
CARTE POSTALE
CARTE POSTALE POST CARD POSTKARTE CARTOLINA POSTALE
OTKPBITOE IMCbMO.
Nv dv
f Ni 3 0 W W
Si ps
t ae
EE N
I b e
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ib ae
2M
MAILTO FINLAND FROM HANKOW
24 DECEMBER 1912
‘Christmas
Greetings’ Card, postmarked at Hankow, China,
to Helsinki, Finland
(Russia).
Arrival Postmark: “Helsinki,
8 January 1913”
15-day transit time: Hankow-Peking- Tientsin-Mukden- Harbin-Irkutsk-
Omsk- St. Petersburg-
Helsinki
3 Kopeck.. Russian inland postcard-rate
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES Japan- Origin Mail
1907-1913 1908-10
JAPAN JAPANESE
-ORIGIN MAIL FOR EUROPE WAS USUALLY ROUTED THROUGH THE
PORT OF TSURUGA FOR SEA TRANSPORT TO VLADIVOSTOK, RUSSIA, WHERE IT THEN TRAVELLED BY TRAIN TO EUROPE
via the Trans-Siberian railway network southern route.
JAPAN TO SWITZERLAND MAIL
(Japan Post Office)
26 JULY 1908
‘Imperial Hotel’ Cover , postmarked at
Tokyo, Japan, sent to Bern, Switzerland, with route endorsement
“via Siberia”.
21-day Transit time (Tokyo-Tsuruga.. by
sea..-Vladivostok.. by train..-Harbin-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin-Bern)
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Bern, 16 August 1908 ”
10 Sen.. UPU International Single-Weight
(20 grams) Letter- Rate.
phen Mesdemoiselles BU RI
Modes
Switzeriand.
JAPAN-ORIGIN MAIL TO GERMANY
(Japan Post Office) SS SSS Union Postale Universelle.
GARTS POSTALE
MESSRS. 5.
Se Se VIA'SIBERIA i
BEUEL BONN.
a SSS 22 JUNE 1910
Commercial postal card, postmarked at Kyoto,
Japan, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia” sent to Bevel/Bonn, Germany.
Sina Rik Pl
N. WOLFF Transit Postmark: “Tsuruga, Japan,
22 August 1710”
Route: Kyoto-Tsuruga..by sea..- Vladivostok.. by train..-
% Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow- aR Berlin-Bonn
Germany-.
Q
: (Lrteteaic aan) 214
ALAS SLURERAREE
<3 FAG gute eapersiaes ie a rks RactaetLaia eth tas badne Dhanlavegedl eacia $9.8:
fg sees 4 Sen... ¥ UPU Intemational
Postcard Rate
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES Japan Post Office in China
1907-1913 Mail to Europe
1910
MAILTO GERMANY (Japan Post Office)
15 SEPTEMBER 1910
Cover through Japanese Post Office at Tientsin,
China, sent to Giengen,
Wérttemberg, Germany, with route endorsement
“via Siberia”.
17 September1910”
Ww Route: ae Tienstin-Mukden-
Changchun-Harbin- N Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin-
W Stuttgart-Giengen
i - : Transit Postmark:
\ “Changchun, IJPO,
11 Sen... 10 Sen.. Single-weight
(20 grams} UPU International
Letter-Rate with 1 Sen over-franking
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES German Post Office in China Mail
1907-1913 Coastal Offices 1908-10
OPENING OF THE TRANS-SIBERIAN ROUTE WITH ITS CONNECTION TO MOSCOW-BERLIN ENABLED MAIL TO MOVE TO WESTERN EUROPE MUCH MORE
EXPEDITIOUSLY THAN BY USING THE SEA ROUTE
enabling the German Post Office to extend its post office locations in support of commerce expansion along the coast and inland. CHINATO GERMANY
MAIL (German Post Office)
18 DECEMBER 1908
Cover,
postmarked at Canton, China, sent to
Augsburg, Germany, with route endorsement QOS ec, ( =
“via Siberia”.
Route: Canton/Shanghdai..by sea..-Dainy..by train..-
Harbin-irkutsk-Moscow- Berlin- Augsburg
4 Cents.. German concession rate for letter-mail sent to Germany.
{ E —
:
THE SCHWEIGER IMPORT & EXPORT CO.L™°
: Meas orice -MILAN : > " sae B
HANKow x |
=< —i— Via Siberia & f <
Si aoa il:
Hankau
(Deutsch + Post)
Ni 89 gteidtmann & Nagel
se ae ee Merchants HAMBURG j
CHINATO GERMANY REGISTERED MAIL (German Post Office)
12 NOVEMBER 1909 Commercial mail, postmarked at Arrival Postmark:
Hankau, China, with route endorsement (Reverse) “Via Siberia” sent te Hamburg, Germany “Hamburg, 24 June 1910”
24-day transit time (Hankau/Shanghai.. by sea to Dalny.. by train..-Harbin-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin-Hamburg)
14 Cents... 4 Cents .. Single weight (20 grams) letter concession-rate +
10 Cents .. Registry fee
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES German Pacific Colony Mail
1907-1913 1909-1914
EFFECTIVE 1 SEPTEMBER 1909, MAIL FROM THE GERMAN PACIFIC COLONIES HAD ACCESS TO THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAIL NETWORK,
based on agreement between the German & Russian Post Offices.
Such mail moved by steamer to Hong Kong or Shanghai and subsequentiy
by coastal vessel to Dainy on the Liaotung Peninsula/China, with access to
the Eastern Chinese Railway of the trans-Siberian rail network.
GERMAN MARSHALL ISLAND MAIL (NAURU) TO GERMANY (German Post Office)
24 FEBRUARY 1913
Postal stationery card, postmarked on the Island of Nauru, manuscript route endorsed “via Siberia”, sent to Berlin, Germany
Sender: “Martha Brauns”, wife of the German engineer
in charge of the German government telegraph station on Nauru.
Estimated 34-day transit time
(Nauru-Hong Kong-Dalny-Mukden-Harbin- Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin)
5 Pfennig...
Postcard concession-rate for German colony mail sent to Germany
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES German ‘Shantung’ Railway
1907-1913 ‘Pukow-Tientsin’ Railway
The 1904 completed German-built Shantung Railway connected Tsingtao-with Tsinantu. A British-German Consortium built the Tientsin-Pukow Railway between 1909-1912
connecting southern China at Hankow to northern China at Tientsin along with connection to the Shantung Railway.
BOTH RAIL LINES EXPEDITED THE MAIL MOVEMENT TO THE CHINESE NORTHERN AND EASTERN RAILWAYS, THE LATTER BEING PART OF THE TRANS-SIBERIAN NETWORK.
CHINESE TIENTSIN- PUKOW RAILWAY FORERUNNER
MAIL (Chinese & French
Post Offices)
7 FEBRUARY 1909
— Kaiserlich Chinesische Tient
Commercial cover,
postmarked at
Tsangochow, China,
sent to Berlin with route endorsement
“via Siberia”.
Transit Postmark: “Tien-tsin, French Post
Office China, 7 February 1909”
Arrival Postmark: “Berlin, E
21 February1909" i
14-day Transit Time:
Tientsin-Mukden- Harbin-Irkutsk-
Moscow-Berlin
10 Cents.. a UPU International Pe Se
Single-Weight AALS Letter-Rate #y hf x os
ha. Gb.09
UNION POSTALE UNIVERSELLE a ' SHANTUNG RAILWAY ee ee T.P.O. MAIL
(German Post Office)
£9. <n 9 JUNE 1909 fl ie ose View-card mail sent by German
Provincial Administrator “Walter” at Kaumi, Kiautschou,
of BEG EE. ER EELS postmarked “Tsingtau-Tsinanfu
a. f. eee | Me (100 oF . ; e Train 2” to Leipzig, Germany,
Th OS
with route endorsement “Via Siberia”.
Route: Tsingtau-Tsinanfu T.P.O.-
Tientsin-Mukden-Harbin-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin-Leipzig
2 Cents... German concession postcard-
tate for mail to Germany
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES German Post Office in China Mail
1907-1913 German Transit Mail 1909
MAIL SACKS FOR NON-GERMAN DESTINATION IN-TRANSIT MAIL WERE ALSO
HANDLED BY THE RUSSIAN & GERMAN POST OFFICES
CHINATO HOLLAND MAIL
(German Post Office)
17 SEPTEMBER 1909
View card, postmarked at
Shanghai, China, to Amsterdam, Holland,
with route endorsement “via Siberia”.
Arrival Postmark: “Amsterdam,
3 October 1909”
16-day Transit Time (Shanghai.. by sea to
Dalny.. by train..- Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow-
Berlin- Amsterdam)
af). Aa!
ARTE POSTATE. "hos, s0 x
Pr " é Correspondenzkarte — Briefkaart ~ Post card Jae
Levelezé -Lap ~ Dopisnice
“/. Cartolina postale—OTKPbiTOE NUCbM
Ay” i Union anode universelle. is YoLba
fe hy —s a Cf Ke = — ae Leslie ANB ae f omleta eer
AMA * Fe rhe wank
CHINATO DENMARK MAIL
(German Post Office)
12 NOVEMBER 1909
Re-directed cover, postmarked at Peking,
China, for Hellerup, Denmark, with route
endorsement “Via Siberia”.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Hellerup, 7 June 1909”
SPY ae ‘ gis 14-day Transit Time : 7 2 ( Peking-Tientsin-
rg Mukden-Harbin- Irkutsk-
tran Moscow-Berlin- { : f. Se narh Denmark)
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES German Parcel Post Mail
1907-1913 1910
A 1910 AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE RUSSIAN & GERMAN POST OFFICES NOW PERMITTED
GERMAN PARCEL POSTTO BE SENT BY WAY OF THE TRANS-SIBERIAN NETWORK. (up to 5 kg and 2800 Marks in value to Shanghai/otherwise 800 Marks)
German-origin/transit parcel post did not move over the standard route of Berlin- Alexandrowo-Moscow-Harbin.... but rather the more northerly
European rail route...
Berlin-Eydtkuhnen (Prussian-Russian border)-St. Petersburg-Omsk- Harbin...
% ~, Coupon.
Whfhnitt Deutfhland, — ons on habe I - Roe
Kann vont euptanse abgetrennt | Poipatelarrele, — fale Bisa froin Peut Stee détacké par fe destinataire.
WAtanaabc Vateur assurée
Ziachnabine Remboursement Po
it an
no hm
es te
nr
Ti mb
re
du bu rp au
do
Mame und Wohnung QWoknort, Strage und Baise
nummer) des Ubfenders:
a et domicile da lexpéditeur
reltinnsuniaconty in. (lew de ai a
Wohtung (: ah essen
PARCEL POST TO JAPAN (German Post Office)
30 MARCH 1910
Early ‘via Siberia’ parcel post card (3'/2 Kg parcel), postmarked at Hamburg, Germany,
manuscript route endorsed “via Siberia”, sent to Kobe, Japan
Border Crossing Marks: German: “Eydtkuhnen, 1 April 1910” ewiteets befciaty
Russian: “Eydtkuhnen, 20 March (Julian Calendar) ism ue PS = 2 April” (Gregorian Calendar)
Transit Route: Hamburg-Berlin-Eydtkuhnen-St. Petersburg-Omsk-
Irkutsk-Harbin- Viadivostok-Tsuruga-Kobe
RM 4.60... Reverse Side Franking
German fiat-rate parcel pou charge for intemational parcels up to 5 Kg in weight.
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES
1907-1913
German Post Office in Kiautschou
German Marine’s Mail
1910
Upon the murder of two German missionaries in Shantung Province in November 1897 and subsequent occupation of the
City of Tsingtao by German marines in 1898, China & Germany signed a 99-year lease of the Kiautschou Bay area in the north-eastern
part of the province in March 1898.
THE GERMAN FAR-EAST CRUISER SQUADRON WITH ITS CONTINGENT OF MARINES SUBSEQUENTLY HAD THEIR OVERSEAS HOME PORT/BASE AT TSINGTAU/KIAUTSCHOU
BETWEEN 1898-1914.
Viiao.8 ib ier i en‘;
Et weeec hor 6.4 been |
Herrn
carl Foerster
“Dres de n- 6
WeiBeritzufer 5
CHINATO GERMANY REGISTERED MAIL (German Post Office)
8 APRIL 1910 Registered German marine’s mail
(2°4 Unit/3' Marine Battalion),
postmarked at Tsingtao, Kiautschou, China, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia” sentto Dresden, Germany
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Dresden, 22 April 1910”
14-day transit time: Tsingtao/Kiautschou..by sea to Dalny.. by train..-Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin-Dresden
18 Cents.... 8 Cents .. double-weight (up to 250 grams)
German concession letter-rate + 10 Cents .. registry fee
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES German Post Office in Kiautschou
1907-1913 Introduction .. Value-Letter Mail 1910
EFFECTIVE 10 OCTOBER 1910, VALUE-LETTER MAIL WAS PERAAIITED TO BE SENT OVER THE ‘VIA SIBERIA’ ROUTE (Amfsbiait EPA No. 76/1910),
albeit only initially between the Russian & German Post Offices
for mail sent from/to northem China.
South China Mail (Fuchou, Amoy, Swatau & Canton) was not eligible.
Ex Kosack VALUE-LETTER SENT FROM KIAUTSCHOU (LEASEHOLD): 10 GERMANY
(German Post Office)
26 MARCH 1913 Sealed (Registered) Value-Letter Mail Transit & Arrival Postmarks:
(sent by a civil servant of the Kiautschou Government), (Reverse)
postmarked at Tsingtao, Kiautschou, “Chefoo, Japanese P.O., 31 March 1913” with route endorsement “Via Siberia” “Chefoo, Russian P.O., 31 March 1913
& five seals (reverse), sent to Ibbenbiiren, Germany “Ibbenbdren, 20 April 1913”
32-day transit time: Tsingtao/Kiautschou..Chefoo by sea to Dalny ..
by train..-Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin-Hanover-Mdénster-Ibbenbiren
40 Cents... 8 Cents .. Double-weight (up to 250 grams)
German Colonial Letter-Rate
+ 10 Cents .. Registry fee
+8 Cents via Japanese to Russian Post Offices (Chefoo) Value/Letter Rate + 14 Cents (via Russian Post Office) Value-Letter Less Than $120
Only known example.
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES Eastern United States-Bound Mail
1907-1913 1910
BECAUSE OF TRANSIT TIME SAVINGS, MAIL TO THE EASTERN UNITED STATES COULD ALSO BE ROUTED “VIA SIBERIA”
traveling between 20-25 days total from China until arrival in the United States, including 7-days by sea from Hamburg to the U.S.A., rather than via Yokohama-
Seattle (or San Francisco) by sea and overland by train to destination.
GERMAN P.O IN CHINA MAILTO PENNSYLVANIA
20 JANUARY 1910
“Peking Club” cover, postmarked at Peking, China, sent to Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania,
with route endorsement “Via Siberia”.
Route: Peking-Tientsin-
Mukden-Harbin-irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin-
Hamburg-Philadelphia- Bryn Mawr
10 Cenis.. UPU International
Single-Weight (20 grams)
Letter-Rate.
GERMAN P.O. IN TERRITORY OF
KIAUTSCHOU MAILTO
E O N
NEW YORK
19 JANUARY 1910
Commercial cover, postmarked Tsingtao,
_ Kiautschou, China, with 2 route endorsement
= “SAL “Via Siberia”
sent to New York City.
rs. J. S wt Route:
: : Tsingtao .. by 159 Mercer Street, sea..Dalny.. by train..-
_ Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow-
? NEW YORK, cNYon"* ee $ A. : i; 10 Cents...
: UPU International Single-Weight
(20 grams) Letter-Rate
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES Philippine Islands-Origin Mail
1907-1913 1910...
PHILIPPINE ISLANDS-ORIGIN MAIL TO EUROPE HAD A SURCHARGE OF TWO CENTAVOS FOR POSTAL CARDS ENDORSED ‘Via Siberia’ VERSUS MAILTO
AMERICA AT FOUR CENTAVOS, WHILE LETTER MAIL HAD THE UPU INTERNATIONAL RATE.
INSUFFICIENTLY FRANKED POSTCARD MAILTO GERMANY
Carte postale — Postkarte — Post Card “artolina postale — Dopisnice — Levelezd-Lap — Karta korespondencyjna
Trans-Siberian Route” 4 Centavos..
2 Centavos under-
franked for routing
“Via Siberia” for rate
of 6 Centavos.
| bbl
9
Ca me
y
21 SEPTEMBER 1910 2 vee § — Tarjeta postal — Brefkort — Brevkort — Ozxp:
Viewcard 2 ; = a postmarked at . :
Manila, Philippines, = PE oe with route a ee y as
endorsement a S f “via Siberia”. 2 q! s mee
oes Cachet Handstamp: Pid se co “Insufficiently paid for 2 j & a
“o te
&
SHIP’S CAPTAIN MAIL TO GERMANY
12 APRIL 1912
= “S.S. Vandalia” ey Cover, a, Shier . ao postmarked at Re : Manila, Philippines,
with endorsement
“Via Siberia”, sent to Altona,
Germany.
eee 6 : bi Spee : : 5 ‘S.S. Vandalia’ was Sup avi « TY URAAMAM sunk by torpedo
in 1918.
Route: Manila.. by sea..-
AN V FLUC Viadivostok.. by train..-Harbin-
@ a €c oe
Irkutsk-Moscow- AABBAY Sey x - srw SS : Berlin-Altona.
" ae - e = % A oS Rel “S 20 Centavos...
Double-weight
UPU International
Letter-Rate.
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES
1907-1913
CHINATO SWEDEN MAIL (Chinese & French Post Offices)
16 JULY 1910
Uprated postal stationery card,
postmarked at Kiaochow, China, sent to
Stockholm, Sweden, through French Post Office, with route
endorsement “Via Siberia”.
Transit & Arrival Postmarks: “Tientsin, 21 July 1910”
“Stockholm, 5 August 1910"
20-day transit time (Kiaochow-Tientsin-Mukden-
Harbin-Irkutsk-Omsk-St. Petersburg-by sea..Sweden)
UNION POSTALE UNIVERSELLE ¢
POSTCARD
(da hi)
13356
Chinese Post Office Mail
1910-1911
CHINATO ITALY MAIL
29 NOVEMBER 1910
‘Christmas Greetings’ mail,
postmarked at
Amoy, China, sent to Naples, Italy, with route endorsement
“Italy Via Siberia”.
Transit & Arrival Postmarks: “Shanghai,
5 December 1910”
“Naples, 28 December1910”
29-day transit time (Amoy/Shanghai.. by sea..-Dalny.. by train..-Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin-
Munich-Naples)
CHINATO ENGLAND MAIL
27 DECEMBER 1910
‘New Year's Greetings’ mail, postmarked Tientsin, China, with
route endorsement “Via Siberia” fo Boston, Lincoinshire, England.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Boston, 12 January 1911”
16-day transit time (Tientsin-Mukden-Harbin-irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin-Hamburg-England)
4 Cents.. UPU International
Postcard-Rate.
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES North African & European Mail
1907-1913 to China ... 1910-1911
CHINA-BOUND MAIL FROM NORTH AFRICA & EUROPE WERE ROUTED ‘VIA SIBERIA’ AS THE SHORTEST & FASTEST ROUTE TO THE FAR EAST.
MAIL FROM EGYPT TO SHANGHAI
(Egyptian Post Office)
1 JULY 1910
View card, postmarked at
Cairo, Egypt, sent to Shanghai, China, with
route endorsement “via Siberia”.
T S
P e I A N
Arrival Postmark: (British Post Office)
“Shanghai BPO, 29 July 1910”
P R I N
IN L IN EA
T A T R A
e r e
T u n e
28-day Transit Time Probable route:
Port-Tajeio (Egypt)- by sea to Brindisi-by rail to Berlin-Moscow-
Irkutsk-Harbin- Mukden-Daliny-
by sea to Shanghai
W i e l
4 Milliemes.. UPU International Postcard-Rate
RE-DIRECTED MAIL GERMANY-CHINA (German Post Office)
25 DECEMBER 1911
Re-directed mourning cover, postmarked at Stuttgart,
Germany, for “Mrs. Max Miller,
German Consul’s wife”,
at Shanghai, then re-directed to Hankau, China,
with cachet route endorsement “via Siberia”.
ee e
y . ? / WA
~LPALeY x Hue Mee ee Arrival Postmark: 5 3 $ (Reverse)
i “Hankau, 15 January 1912”
21-day Transit Time fat Probable route:
Z - Stuttgart-Berlin-Moscow-Irkutsk- ed
LEELA : Harbin-Mukden-Dalny-by sea to
eee : Shanghai-Hankau
10 Pfennig.. Concession-rate for
single-weight (20 grams) letter-mail from
Germany to a German Post
Office in China
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES Outbreak of Plaque in Manchuria
1907-1913 1911
(south of Harbin) & THE CHINESE EASTERN RAILWAY TO DALNY,
BETWEEN JANUARY-MARCH OF 1911, OPERATION OF THE MANCHURIAN RAILWAY,
WAS HALTED BECAUSE OF AN OUTBREAK OF PLAGUE IN MANCHURIA.
24 JANUARY 1911
(German Post Office
Kiautschou)
Printed- matter,
postmarked at Tsingtau, Kiautschou,
routed ‘via
Yokohama & America”,
sent to Port of Spain,
Trinidad.
iE, Ltd. ANDREWS, VON FISCHERZ & GEORG! Via Siberia.
1, Foochow Roao
SHANGHAI. x
Titlh Zentral-Bureoau der \% n¢€ Glasfabriken und Raffinerien cues
Josef Inwald Act. Ges.,
Vienna * WI, Ma: retrasse 103.
17 FEBRUARY 1911 (German Post Office in
China)
Commercial-mail, postmarked at
Shanghai, China, route-endorsed
‘via Siberia”, with diversion route
most probably Shanghai-
Yokohama-San Francisco-New York-Hamburg-
Vienna, sent to Vienna,
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES Revolution in China
1907-1913 Establishment of a Republic 1911
LATE 1911 & EARLY 1912, INNER-CHINA RAIL INTERRUPTIONS TOOK PLACE
AS A RESULT OF REVOLUTION IN CHINA, commencing on 10 October with establishment of the Chinese Republic in December 1911.
EUROPE-BOUND MAIL WAS TEMPORARILY ROUTED FROM SHANGHAI BY SEATO JAPAN, THEN VLADIVOSTOK, RUSSIA, FROM WHERE MAIL MOVED OVER THE NORTHERN TRANS -SIBERIAN RAILWAY ROUTE WESTWARD.
During this revolutionary period, the Provisional Government abolished ‘pigtails’, adopted the Western Calendar, and Sun Yat-Sen, became leader of the of the Kuomintang (Nationalist) Party,
and, later, in 1921, was elected China's president.
10 DECEMBER 1911 ANDREWS, VON FISCHERZ & GEORGE, Ltd. Via Siberia
(German Post Office) 1, Foochow Ro i ” : 2
SHANGHAI. a Hee TA pac = Lak ae Commercial mail, = eral
postmarked at Shanghai, route-endorsed
“via Japan- Titi. ZENTRAL =~ BUREAU der, Vladivostok”, Glasfabriken und Reffinerden'0.;2
sent to Vienna, Austria. Joeerf Inwald Act Ont,
Route:
Shanghai.. by sea..- Japan- Vladivostok,
Russia, by train..-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin- Vienna.
10 Cents... Single-weight (20 grams)
UPU Intemational Letter-Rate
27 DECEMBER 1911
(German Post Office)
Via SIBIRIEN Commercial mail postmarked at
Shanghai, route endorsed
“Via Siberia”, sent to Bremen,
Germany.
Route: Shanghai... by sea..- Japan- Viadivostok, Russia, by train..- Irkutsk-Moscow- Berlin-Bremen 4 Cents...
& Single-weight ae concession-rate for
letter-mail from a
e German Post Office in China to Germany.
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES Midwestern United States-Bound Mail
1907-1913 1911-1912
MAIL TO THE MIDWESTERN UNITED STATES WAS ALSO ROUTED “VIA SIBERIA” rather than via Yokohama-Seattle or San Francisco by sea
with train overland to destination.
USA-BOUND MAIL TO
OHIO (German Post Office)
3 JULY 1911
Single-weight cover, postmarked at Peking,
China, sent to Gettysburg, Ohio,
with route endorsement “Via Siberia”.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Gettysburg Received, 27 July 1911”
24-day transit time Route:
Peking-Tientsin- Mukden-Harbin-Irkutsk-
Moscow-Berlin- Hamburg-Philadelphia-
Ohio
USA-BOUND MAIL TO
MINNESOTA (Chinese & French
AMERICAN CONSULAR SERVIC te a Post Offices)
fientsin, china. 7 ; -| = 20 MARCH 1912
Official wax-sealed American Consular cover, postmarked
4 . : ; at Tientsin, China,
; : with route Burt Hegana, Eso, endorsement
Ni ae es ibe ria. ee 321 North Newton st., = sent to
Minneapolis, i . 4 Minnesota. ey Sr Minn: DOLL
Via Sioer ite —* aap cana Minnesota, “Tien-Tsin-Chine,
21 March 1912”
‘United states of America. Route: Tientsin-Mukden-
== — Harbin- Irkutsk-
=== Moscow-Berlin- Hamburg-New York
10 Cents.. UPU International Single-Weight (20 grams) Letter-Rate.
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES Russian P.O. Viadivostok &
1907-1913 Trans-Siberian T.P.O. Mail
‘WESTBOUND’ MAIL FROM VLADIVOSTOK
ROUTED WITH THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILWAY, mailed on-board or at the post office,
WAS CACHET ROUTE-ENDORSED “BY SIBERIAN EXPRESS”
in German & Russian by the Russian Post Office.
VLADIVOSTOK- ORIGIN MAILTO
ENGLAND ies agi”
25 AUGUST 1911 bea Aves =
Jlg S* 7947 ,
English sailor's mail Had B veon 2am written on-board the
“$$ Den of Ogil”, mailed at
Vladivostok, Russia, for Redcar,
Yorkshire, England.
Route: Viadivostok-Harbin- Irkutsk-Moscow- Berlin-Hamburg-
England
4Kopeck..
UPU International
Postcard-Rate
92d o Fe Horry Y ae TRANS-SIBERIAN d d : EXPRESS T.P.O. MAIL
11 JULY 1912
Art-Card, postmarked aboard
‘Train 3’, sent to Leipzig/re-directed to Blumenau, Germany. g
a, ov 19 a 5 = =
Route:
Vladivostok T.P.O.-
Harbin-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin-
Leipzig-Blumenau
4 Kopeck....
UPU International
Postcard-Rate
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES Eastern United States-Bound Mail
1907-1913 1912-1913
BRITISH-AMERICAN TOBACCO CO., LTD. (86 STRAND, LONDON, W.C.)
22, MUSEUM ROAD, SHANGHAI.
VIA. SIBERIA.
S o l
oo
St
be
w ve
CHINESE P.O. MAIL TO PENNSYLVANIA (Chinese/Japanese Post Offices)
7 SEPTEMBER 1912 Cover, postmarked at Peking, China, sent to Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia”.
Transit Postmark: Arrival Postmark: 22-day transit time: (Reverse) (Reverse) Peking-Tientsin-Mukden-Harbin-irkutsk-Moscow “Mouken, “Byrn Mawr, Berlin- Hamburg-Philadeiphia-Bryn Mawr
9 September, 1912” 29 September 1912”
10 Cents..
UPU international Single- Weight (20 grams) Letter-Rate.
BRITISH P.O. MAILTO PENNSYLVANIA
(Hong Kong Postage)
10 FEBRUARY 1913
“Shanghai Club” Cover,
postmarked Shanghai, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia”.
Route: Shanghai-Pukow-Tientsin- Muken-Harbin-Irkutsk-
Moscow-Berlin-Hamburg- New York
20 Cents... UPU international Singie-
Weight (20 grams}
letter-Rate
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES Commercial Mail .. China - USA
1907-1913 1912-1913
THE TRANS-SIBERIAN ROUTE ENABLED AN EXPANSION OF COMMERCIAL MAIL USAGE TO NORTH AMERICA FROM CHINA BECAUSE OF LESS TRANSIT TIME
(Approx. 21-25 Days) WITH THE IMPROVED RAIL CONDITIONS AND EXPRESS TRAINS VERSUS THE SEA ROUTES.
PEKING-ORIGIN BANK-MAILTO = 5 EEE WASHINGTON
Dc. (German Post Office)
29 MARCH 1912
Bank mail, postmarked at Peking,
China, sent to
Washington D.C., with route endorsement
“Via Siberia”.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
Washington D.c.,
April 20, 1912”
22-day Transit Time:
Peking-Tientsin- Mukden-Harbin- Irkutsk-Moscow- Berlin-Hamburg-
Philadelphia
TIENTSIN- ORIGIN
REGISTERED- MAILTO CHICAGO (German Post
Office)
28 OCTOBER 1913
Union Business Aeon ay.
38, Rue de l'Amiraute <7
TIENTSIN & .
Commercial mail, postmarked at
| Tientsin, China, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia”. sent to
“Montgomery Ward & Co.”, Chicago.
Arrival Postmark: {Reverse}
“Chicago, Illinois,
November 22, 1913”
25-Day Transit Time:
Tientsin-Mukden- Harbin- irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin- Hamburg-U.S.A.
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES
1907-1913
Commercial Mail to Germany
1912-1913
THE REDUCED ‘CONCESSION RATE FOR MAIL SENT FROM A GERMAN POST OFFICE IN CHINATO GERMANY’ AS WELL AS A MUCH SHORTER TRANSIT TIME (Approx. 15 Days) TO EUROPE. EXPANSION OF MAIL FROM/TO CHINA FROM
GERMANY INCREASED.
TIENTSIN-ORIGIN MAIL
{Gemman Post Office)
16 SEPTEMBER 1912
Cover, postmarked at Tientsin, China, sent to Berlin, Germany, with route
endorsement “Via Siberia”.
Route: Tientsin-
Mukden-Harbin- Irkutsk-Moscow-
Berlin
fa BIELFELD & SUN TIENTSIN — PEKING. Vie SIBERIA
PEKING-ORIGIN MAIL
(German Post Office)
8 FEBRUARY 1913
Cover,
postmarked at Peking, China,
with route endorsement “Via Siberia”
sent to Munich, Germany.
Route: Peking-Tientsin- Mukden-Harbin- Irkutsk-Moscow-
~ Berlin-Munich
Single-weight (20 grams) concession letter-rate for mail sent to Germany.
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES 1907-1913
1912 — Returned/Undeliverable Mail
Germany-Manchuria-China-Germany
GERMAN-ORIGIN RE- DIRECTED/RETURNED/INSPECTED/RESEALED UNDELIVERABLE MAIL
19 DECEMBER 1912
Cover, postmarked at Zehlendorf, Germany, sent to
“Car Klatt - Custom House” at Harbin, Manchuria, with route endorsement “Via Siberia”.
Upon arrival at Harbin and finding no “Carl Klatt”, the cover was forwarded to Tientsin, China, and, again not finding the recipient, subsequently
returned to Zehlendorf where opened & inspected for the sender's address, resealed witha
hand-stamp applied indicating the sender could not be determined.
Transit/Arrival Postmarks: (Reverse)
“Harbin, Russian Post Office, 30 December 1912” (Gregorian Calendar)
“Tientsin, Chinese Post Office, 27 March 1913” “Zehlendort, (manuscript) 11 April (1913)”
Route: Zehlendorf-Berlin-Moscow-Irkutsk-Harbin-Mukden-
Tientsin- Mukden-Harbin-irkutsk-Moscow- Berlin-Zehlendorf
Single-weight (20 grams) international letter-rate
Reverse
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES Central China Mail to Europe
1907-1913 Prior to Opening of the ‘Pukow-Tientsin’ Railway 1912
PRIOR TO THE OPENING OF THE ‘PUKOW-TIENTSIN RAILWAY’ ON 1 JANUARY 1913, MAIL FROM HANKAU (Hankow) & SHANGHAI IN CENTRAL CHINA HAD TO BE ROUTED
BY COASTAL VESSEL FROM SHANGHAI TO DALNY ON THE LIAOTUNG PENINSULA connecting with the Chinese Eastern & South Manchurian Railways,
part of the trans-Siberian rail network.
COMMERCIAL MAIL SENT TO GERMANY
PRIOR TO OPENING OF THE ‘PUKOW-TIENTSIN RAILWAY’ (German Post Office)
11 FEBRUARY 1912
Commercial cover written by “Carlowitz & Company”, postmarked at Hankau, China,
with route endorsement
“Via Shanghai-Dainy-Siberia”, sent to Graudenz, Germany.
Route:
Hankau-Shanghai- (by sea) —Dalny- (by rail) - Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin-Graudenz.
8 Cents... Double-weight (20-250 grams) concession rate for German Offices in China mail sent to Germany
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES German Post Office Control Mail
1907-1913 1912-1913
THE GERMAN REICHSPOST AT BERLIN MONITORED & CONTROLLED THE MAIL
BAGS PREPARED AND SHIPPED ‘VIA SIBERIA’ TO THEIR POST OFFICES IN CHINA
IN FORM OF CONFIRMATION-OF-RECEIPT CARDS.. to be completed by the recipient post office and returned to Berlin.
Information requested: date of receipt, bag number and transit time.
GERMAN POST , ‘ =
OFFICE AT HANKAU
27 MARCH 1912
Manuscript Poftfarte
completed card
indicating:
“Bag 28 shipped on 4 March received on 21 March.. 17 Nisa, Clalinportantt ME days transit time”
Route:
Berlin-Moscow-
Irkutsk Harbin- LIL Mukden-Peking-
Tientsin-Hankau
Free-frank post C14
office official mail
GERMAN POST : OFFICE AT PEKING
Doftfarte : 16 MAY 1913
An
Pre-printed hand- completed card
indicating:
. - - “Bag 52 shipped on
das Kaiserliche Bahnpostamt Nr. IS. 1 May received on 16 May .. 15 days transit
time”
Route:
:; d Berlin-Moscow-
Postsache. B e rl 1 nh O : / i Irkutsk-Harbin-
Mukden-Peking
Free-frank post office official mail
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES French Post Office in China
1907-1913 Registered Mail to Italy 1913
RI — 0) TEE eT
REGISTERED MAIL FROM PEKING TO ROME (French Post Office)
9 APRIL 1913
Registered cover, postmarked at the French Post Office at Peking,
sent to Rome, Italy, with route endorsement “via Siberia”.
Arival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Roma, 27 April 1913”
18-day transit time
Route:
Peking-Tientsin-Mukden-Harbin-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin-Leipzig-Munich-Rome
20 Cents... 10 Cents.. Single-Weight (20 grams)
UPU Intemational Letter-Rate + 10 Cents.. Registration fee
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES
1907-1913
Oversize Registered Letter
German P.O. in China Mail to Germany
TIENTSIN-ORIGIN OVERSIZED (320 x 250mm)
REGISTERED LETTER MAIL
SENT TO GERMANY (German Post Office)
3 OCTOBER 1913
Registered cover, postmarked at the German
Post Office at Tientsin, China, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia” sent to Schwerin, Germany.
12-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“15 October 1913,
7 Schwerin (Meckib.)”
Route:
Tientsin-Mukden-Harbin-
¢ Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin-
WWvVtC tive ; Schwerin
Vtech Len beer i <a
De letter
ON kt Gti Riered wit “post Ofice
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES Mail from/to Central China-Europe
1907-1913 ‘Pukow-Tientsin’ Railway
MAIL FROM GERMANY TO
HANKAU, CHINA {German/Russian Post
Offices)
2 JUNE 1913
Patriotic view-card, postmarked Satteldorf,
Germany, sent toa
German Consulate employee at
Hankau, with route endorsement “via Siberia".
Arrival Postmark: “Hankau, Russian Post Office China,
8 June 1913 (Julian Calendar)
= 20 June”
18-day Transit Time: Satteldorf-Stuttgart- Berlin-Moscow- Irkutsk-Harbin-
Mukden-Tienstin- Hankau
5 Pfennig.. Concession
postcard-rate for mail to a German
Post Office in China.
1913
THE ‘PUKOW-TIENTSIN RAIL LINE’, built by a German-British Consortium between 1909-1912,
CONNECTED WITH THE CHINESE NORTHERN AND EASTERN RAILWAYS, THE LATTER BEING PART OF THE TRANS-SIBERIAN NETWORK.
With completion of the 1271m (4131 ft.) bridge across the Hoangho (Yellow) River,
effective 1 January 1913, German Post Office mail bags from Shanghai and
Hankau could move by express train to/from Europe over the Trans-Siberian Rail Network in as little as 15 days!
ae
| fe NS Wilhelm I. von Wiirttemberg
| J&P NG hin dem Originalgemiide yon H. v. Rimanoczy
Son bof chalk ¥
Ne | HANKAU-ORIGIN MAIL TO SWITZERLAND
i (German Post Office)
Union Postale Universelle.
ARTE POSTALE 4 DECEMBER 1913
View-card, postmarked at Hankau,
| China, sent to Geneva, | Switzerland, with route
endorsement “Via Siberia”.
Route: Hankau-Tientsin-
Mukden-Harbin-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin-Suttgart- Basle (Basel)-Geneva
4 Cents... UPU Intemational Postcard-Rate
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES 1913 ..
1907-1913 German Embassy Medical Doctor ‘Via Siberia’ Correspondence
‘ENROUTE TO TAKE-UP Japan-Germany POSITION’ AT TOKYO
12 SEPTEMBER 1913 (German Ship P.O. Mail) : ae See a a
Cover, sent by German = , Pe
Embassy “Dr. Ohse”. e. ma : Kor
postmarked oS 6 a C O, oe ‘
on-board a 26 Sep. 1918 “Norddeutscher
Lloyd” vessel of their
“Far-East Main Line", F.O.27SEP 1918 we i with route endorsement ee et é
ia Siberia’ % mr L, s : sent to Berlin, Germany,
Transit & Arrival Marks: “Kobe, Japan,
12. September 1913” “(Berlin)
26/27 September 1913” 15-day transit time.
Route: Kobe-Tsuruga- (by sea) .. Vladivostok (by rail) -
Harbin-irkutsk-Moscow-
Berlin
20 Pfennig.. Single-Weight we (20 grams) UPU
Intemational
Letter-Rate.
a TS EMBASSY OR
: MAIL AFTER ARRIVAL é i oat IN TOKYO
(& € A Nein. (Japan Post Office)
23 DECEMBER 1913
j ao ; 2 as rie Cover, sent by German Me Fi ok Embassy “Dr. Ohse” at
WS Ta. Ae : ., Tokyo, Japan, to Berlin, Beste ay : Germany,
e 7 with route endorsement ee Z ay ie 3 “Via Siberia".
oe =) Route: Tokyo-Tsuruga (by sea) -
BS = Ss : Vladivostok (by rail) -
/ io ‘ rt o Fi e Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow-
g tor at KLomsole an Tn Berlin
: 10 Sen....
% ee A y A, x. Single- “Weight (20 grams} UPU
intemational Letter-Rate.
EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES
1907-1913
Registered Mail
Japan to Germany
1913
2 DECEMBER 1913
Registered cover, sent by German Embassy “Dr.
Ohse”, postmarked at Tokyo, Japan,
with route endorsement “Via Siberia”,
to Berlin
Arrival Postmark: “Berlin C2,
17 December 1913”
15-day transit time.
Route.. Tokyo-Tsuruga..
(by sea) to Vladivostok
(by rail) to Harbin- Irkutsk-Moscow-
Berlin
V. WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1914 .. Pre-War Mail
1914-1918
UNTIL JULY 1914, MAIL ENDORSED ‘Via Siberia’ TRAVELLED THE HERETOFORE
SOUTHERN ‘TRANS-SIBERIAN NETWORK’ ROUTE, since the northern ‘All-Russian Territory’ Route, i.e. Viadivostok-Amur River
Line Route, would first be completed in 1916.
TIENTSIN-ORIGIN MAILTO
SWITZERLAND (German Post Office)
10 FEBRUARY 1914
Commercial cover,
postmarked at Tientsin, China, sent to Zrich,
Switzerland, with route
endorsement “Via Siberia”.
Arrival Postmark:
“ZGrich, 23 February 1914”
13-Day Transit Time:
Tientsin-Mukden- Harbin-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin- Basel-ZGrich
§r. Brandt
Garnifonverw. Direktor
TSINGTAU, KIAUTSCHOU- ORIGIN MAILTO
GERMANY (German Post Office)
30 MARCH 1914
Viewcard, sent by “Garrison Via Sibirien
es. Parts to Stassfurt, Germany.
jiiatay \ (china) i : : Base Manager Brandt”,
a : postmarked at Tsingtau, ‘ y iM aS c 2 Kiautschou, with route Sy , Syl 2 endorsement
. i “Via Siberia”
< pr e
So e
as
o a t
pe e
G o d f c
A o
B F
As
%
P e e
O e
ee
ng ah o re s
2
Route: Tsingtau-Tsinanfu-Peking- Tientsin-Mukden-Harbin- Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin-
ee fies Stassturt
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1914 .. Pre-War Mail
1914-1918 Unclaimed Parcel Post with Post-War Return to Germany
COMMERCIAL GERMAN - KIAUTSCHOU C.O.D. PARCEL POST RETURNED ‘VIA AMERICA’ TO GERMANY IN 1920
YS, Abl hnitt. |
Rann vom Empfinger abgetrenne werden. ©
Peat dive détacho par le destinntaise,
Machnabme Remboursement
Fer setimmmg uw de destination) 5,
(Stecpe: ace se : ), Von ber er
Konigsberg i. Pr. omunn: Rudolf Petersdar | if we Lia
24 APRIL 1914
§-Kilo C.O.D. Parcel Post, postmarked at Kénigsberg, Germany, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia” aoe sent to Tsingtau, Kiautschou, China, endorsed “Double Fee yan east ane eataemins on 8 April 1915", subsequently (1920) marked “Return”,
with Postage-Paid Return-Postmark at Kénigsberg on 28 July 1920.
Transit & Other Postmarks: “(Russian Post Office Railway Transfer Point),
13 April 1914 (Julian Calendar) =
26 April 1914”
“Tsingtau, Kiautschou, 28 May 1914”
“Kénigsberg (Porto) ; 28 July 1920”
Mospeamnte mobler oe Fira peuisauiid Revie: DR ie Radolf Petersdorii
eee rn ae sl iPr. Kénigsberg-Eydkuhnen-Moscow-Irkutsk-Manchouli-Harbin-
Viadiwostok (by sea to)-Shanghai-Tsingtau
ox Kéalguberg & Pr 1 Borate Soree
Tsingtou
Reverse
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1914 .. Kiautschou
1914-1918 In-Transit Censored Mail
A STATE OF WAR TOOK EFFECT ON 1 AUGUST 1914 BETWEEN RUSSIA & GERMANY RESULTING IN CESSATION OF ALL MAIL MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES,
including mail transit over the trans-Siberian rail network.
KIAUTSCHOU-ORIGIN MAIL POSTMARKED 15-21 JULY 1914, ABOARD MOSCOW-BOUND ‘TRAIN IX’ WAS INTERCEPTED ABOUT 1-2 AUGUST, CENSORED, AND RE-DIRECTED TO THE GERMAN POST OFFICE AT SHANGHAI WITH SUBSEQUENT TRANSFER TO THE AMERICAN POST OFFICE FOR FORWARDING TO GERMANY ‘VIA THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA’.
AOBBOREHO, uEHaYPOM Boean btn yewsops “Permitted by the Censor of the
Military Censorship Office ... #20 opyeuxs, i fp, 4 Signed: Ist Lieufenant Babajew
fe — Postkarte ~ Post Card : % Levelezo-Lap — Karta, kore yideneyine ~ Brietkaart A Ae
A — Brefkort — Br
TSINGTAU, KIAUTSCHOU,-ORIGIN MAIL TO GERMANY
(German Post Office)
20 JULY 1914
View-card postmarked at Tsingtau, Kiautschou, with route endorsement “Gber Siberien” = “Via Siberia”,
sent to Brieg, Germany, intercepted on 1 August, held, censored and re-directed to Shanghai by the Russian authorities.
Shanghai Arrival: Arrival in Germany: “7 October 1914” Approx. 8 December 1914
Route:
Tsingtau-Tsinanfu-Peking-Tientsin- Changchun-Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow..... Moscow-Irkutsk-Harbin-Changchun-Tientsin-Peking-Pukow-Shanghai
2 Cents...
Postcard rate for mail sent to Germany.
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1914 .. Kiautschou
1914-1918 In-Transit Censored Mail
KIAUTSCHOU ORIGIN MAIL POSTMARKED 22- 23 JULY 1914, ABOARD MOSCOW-BOUND ‘TRAIN XI’ WAS INTERCEPTED ABOUT 2 AUGUST, RE-ROUTED TO VLADIVOSTOK, RUSSIA, CENSORED, AND FORWARDED TO THE GERMAN POST OFFICE AT SHANGHAI WITH SUBSEQUENT TRANSFER TO THE AMERICAN POST OFFICE FOR
FORWARDING TO GERMANY VIA THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
KIAUTSCHOU-ORIGIN COMMERCIAL MAIL
TO GERMANY
23 JULY 1914
Postal stationery card, postmarked at Kiautschou, China, endorsed “Via Siberia”,
on route Intercepted , censored at Viadivostok, Russia, forwarded to Shanghai, & transferred to the American Post Office for routing to
Berlin, Germany, via the United States of America.
Route: Kiautschou-Tsinanfu-Peking-Tinetsin-Changchun-Harbin ... intercepted
2 Cents... Concession postal-card rate for mail sent to Germany.
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1914 .. Kiautschou
1914-1918 In-Transit Un-Censored Mail
VERY LITTLE IN-TRANSIT MAIL ABOARD ‘TRAIN IX’, (leaving Tsingtau, Kiavtschou, on 21 July 1914, last train to Germany before outbreak of war)
INTERCEPTED AT MOSCOW ON 31 JULY, WAS NOT CENSORED... re-directed to the German Post Office at Shanghai in October 1914
(Kiautschou was occupied by Japanese Forces), routed to America through the
American Post Office using the Pacific Mail Steamship Company .. Shanghai-San Francisco- (overland) New York,
Hamburg-America Line to Germany.
TSINGTAU KIAUTSCHOU-ORIGIN MAIL TO GERMANY (German Post Office)
21 JULY 1914
Cover, postmarked at Tsingtau, Kiautschou, route endorsement “Via Siberia”, sent to
Wiesbaden, Germany, with mail-sack intercepted on 1 August, held, un-censored, re-directed to Shanghai by the Russian authorities.
Arrival in Germany: (Reverse)
Manuscript notation: “Received at the beginning of December” (est. 8 December 1914)
Route:
Tsingtau-Tsinanfu-Peking-Tientsin- Changchun-Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow.....then: Moscow-Irkutsk-Harbin-Changchun-Tientsin-Peking-Pukow-Shanghai
4 Cents...
Concession-rate,
single-weight (20 grams) letter-mail sent to Germany.
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1914 .. Kiautschou
1914-1918 Soldier's Mail
SOLDIER’S MAIL FROM KIAUTSCHOU WAS ONLY POSSIBLE
DURING AUGUST-SPETEMBER 1914, PRIOR TO THE OCCUPATION BY JAPANESE FORCES,
SENT TO SHANGHAI FOR FORWARDING TO GERMANY THROUGH THE UNITED STATES POST OFFICE.
FLERE vt SeldpoftFarte.
ANG?
¥ }
Ebates Phan flogs. 7
Cert. Jaschke-Lanielme
KIAUTSCHOU-ORIGIN FIELDPOST MAIL TO GERMANY
31 AUGUST 1914
Free-frank fieldpost stationery card, postmarked at Tsingtau, Kiautschou, China,
forwarded to Shanghai to the American Post Office for routing to Berlin, Germany,
via the United States of America.
Route: Kiautschou-Shanghai-San Francisco-New York-Hamburg-Halle
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1914 .. Eastbound Mail
1914-1918 Austro-Hungary to Japan
In-Transit & Censored
In-transit mail sent from ‘Zagreb’ (Croatia/Austro-Hungary) in July with arrival at ‘Viadivostok’ after the outbreak of war between
Austria-Hungary & Russia on 6 August 1914 with Russian censorship and release for transit to Japan.
LATE PRE-WAR EUROPE-ORIGIN MAILTO JAPAN
(Hungarian Post Office)
(?) July 1914
Cover postmarked at Zagreb, Croatia, Austro-Hungatry, with route endorsement
“via Siberia”, sent to Kobe, Japan, with interception on/about 6 August, held,
censored (purple censor marking) and released for transit to Japan by the Russian authorities
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Kobe, 28 August...”
Route:
Zagreb-Vienna-Berlin-Moscow-Irkutsk-Harbin-Vladivostok.. (by sea) .. Tsuruga-Kobe
25 Filler... UPU Single-weight (20 grams) International Letter-Rate.
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1914 .. Shanghai to Germany
1914-1918 by German-Flag Vessel
With movement of mail over the trans-Siberian rail network no longer possible,
THE GERMAN POSTAL ADMINISTRATION IN CHINA AT SHANGHAI ATTEMPTED TO MOVE ITS GERMANY-BOUND MAIL BY GERMAN-FLAG VESSELS
before sea routes were blocked by the British along with any high-sea inspections of any and all vessels.
Cert. Steuer
1914 REGISTERED CHINA-ORIGIN GERMANY-BOUND MAIL (German Post Office)
27 AUGUST 1914
Registered cover, postmarked at Shanghai, China, probably routed aboard a German-flag vessel around the Cape of Africa
(Suez Canal closed to German-flag vessels). 57-day transit time.
Arival in Germany: (Reverse)
“Bad MGnster, 23 October 1914”
14 Cents... 4 Cents.. Single-weight (20 grams) Concession letter-rate for German Post Office
in China mail sent to Germany + 10 Cents... registration fee.
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1914-1918
1914 .. Westbound Mail
China to Scandinavia
MAIL FROM CHINA TO SCANDINAVIA WAS POSSIBLE DURING WORLD WAR I, SINCE THE DESTINATION COUNTRIES WERE NON-BELIGERENT, POLITICALLY NEUTRAL
WITH THE BRANCH RAIL LINE TO ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA, BY SEA BEYOND.
MAILTO SWEDEN (Chinese Post Office)
14 NOVEMBER 1914
View-card, Russian-uncensored,
postmarked at Ongcheng, China,
with route endorsement “via Siberia”
sent to Stockholm, Sweden.
Transit & Arrival Postmarks: “Tsinan,
18 November, 1914” “Manchouli,
26 November 1914” “ Stockholm,
12 December 1914”
Route: Ongcheng-Tsinan-Peking- Mukden-Harbin-Manchouli- Irkutsk-Omsk-Jakatarinburg-
Wjatka-St. Petersburg- (coastal steamer to) Sweden.
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VL n E f L a p i s P E
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4 Cenis..
UPU Intemational Postcard-Rate.
Meg CARTE POSTALE
MAIL TO DENMARK (Chinese Post Office)
7 DECEMBER 1914
View-card,
Russian censored,
postmarked at Feng-hwang-cheng,
China, with route endorsement
“via Siberia” & (in red)
“Denmark”, to the Island of Fyn,
Denmark.
Probable Route: Feng-hwang-cheng- Mukden-Harbin-
Manchouli-Irkutsk-Omsk- Jakatarinburg-Wjatka-St.
Petersburg- (coastal steamer to)
Denmark.
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1915 .. Germany-China Mail
1914-1918 via Sweden-Siberia
THE GERMAN POST OFFICE (REICHSPOST) ATTEMPTED TO FIND AND USE
VARIOUS ROUTES TO MOVE ITS MAILTO & FROM CHINA, ONE OF WHICH WAS TO UTILIZE HAVING MAIL INSERTED INTO MAIL BAGS
OF A NEUTRAL COUNTRY, SWEDEN.
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BecheecuLt ye Re Jauk ante a Pa Py ASN! ee
PES athe PAIR Pe Re ROL a hag Py : 4 ate ates > =F
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GERMAN- ORIGIN DIPLOMAT-WIFE’S MAIL TO CHINA VIA SWEDEN-SIBERIA
22 MARCH 1915
Patriotic view-card, postmarked at Esslingen, Wirttemberg, Germany, with route endorsement “Via Sweden-Siberia”
sent to the German Consulate at Hankau, China.
Sender is “Marga Miller’, wife of a German diplomat, who together with her husband spent years in China, asking..
“the status of her garden and furniture”!
Route: Esslingen-Stuttgart-Berlin- by sea.. to Sweden & St. Petersberg.. by rail.. -Omsk-Irkutsk-
Harbin-Changchun-Tientsin-Pukow-Hankow
10 Pfennig... UPU International Postcard-Rate.
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1915 .. Japan-Switzerland
1914-1918 Commercial Mail
MAIL FROM JAPAN OR KOREA TO NEUTRAL SWITZERLAND WAS POSSIBLE ‘VIA SIBERIA’ BY WAY OF
ST. PETERSBURG (RUSSIA) WITH SUBSEQUENT SHIP TRANSIT TO SWEDEN-DENMARK FOR FORWARDING BY RAIL TO SWITZERLAND.
_J<°M. SANDERS, Oura, Kataoka, No. 7, Nagasaki, Japan. ~~ _ —— Zk
VIA_ SIBERIA
CENSORED COMMERCIAL MAIL TO SWITZERLAND (Japanese Post Office)
28 JUNE 1915
Commercial-letter, postmarked Nagasaki, Japan, with route endorsement “Via Siberia”,
Russian-censored (reverse & front markings) at Petrograd (st. Petersburg),
sent to Bern, Switzerland. 34-day transit time.
Arrival Marking: (Reverse)
“Bern, 1 August 1915”
Probable War Route: Nagasaki -Tsuruga (Japan)-Vladivostok (Russia)...
by rail to Harbin-Irkutsk-Omsk-St. Petersburg... by sea Sweden -Denmark & rail to Berlin-Basel-Zurich-Bern
10 Sen... Japanese Postage UPU International Single-Weight (20 grams) Letter-Rate.
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1915 .. Korea-France
1914-1918 Missionary Mail
RUSSIAN INFLUENCE IN KOREA ENDED WITH THE 1905 TREATY OF
PORTSMOUTH ENDING THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR AND RECOGNIZING KOREA AS A JAPANESE AREA OF INFLUENCE UNTIL EVENTUAL
FORMAL ANNEXATION BY JAPAN IN 1910.
MISSION CATHOLIQUE
Caikou—Corée ae ee)
SER HKSH eg Ce b Har
CATHOLIC-MISSION/KOREA- ORIGIN MAIL TO FRANCE (Japanese Post Office)
4 SEPTEMBER 1915
Missionary cover, postmarked Taikou, Korea, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia” sent to Paris, France. 29-day transit time.
Transit Markings: (Reverse)
“Yokohama, Japan, 5 September 1915”
“Paris, 3 October 1915”
Probable War Route: Taikou-Fusan (Pusan, Korea)- Yokohama (Japan)-Viadivostok (Russia)-
Harbin-Irkutsk-Omsk-St. Petersburg-
(by sea) to Sweden & France- (by rail) to Paris
10 Sen... Japanese Postage UPU International Single-Weight (20 grams) Letter-Rate.
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1915.. China-Germany Mail
1914-1918 ‘via United States of America’
Along with (August 1914) non-use of the Trans-Siberian Rail Network, by 1915a British naval blockade also prevented mail from reaching Germany by direct sea routes, including use of neutral-flag vessels, which were often boarded by
the British Navy removing German-bound mail.
THE GERMAN POST OFFICE (Reichsposf) USED THE ONLY REMAINING ALTERNATIVE BY SENDING MAIL ‘Via America’ THROUGH THE UNITED STATES POST OFFICE.
= ST ee
F. W, RUBANT TSINANFU-W. (DEUTSCHE Post)
PROVINZ SCHANTUNG, CHINA,
Wohigeboren
Oesterreich. Oest-Boehmen.
CHINA-ORIGIN MAILTO GERMANY VIA THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(German Post Office)
25 FEBRUARY 1915
Cover, postmarked at Tsinanfu, China, with route endorsement
“Via U.S. of America” to Grulich, East-Bohemia, Austria
Route:
Tsinanfu-Shanghai-San Francisco-New York-Germany/ Austria
16 Cents...
Double-weight (20-40 grams) letter concession-rate
for mail to Germany or Austria.
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1915 .. Occupied Kiautschou
1914-1918 Civilian—Mail to Germany
BY NOVEMBER 1914, JAPANESE FORCES FULLY OCCUPIED GERMAN KIAUTSCHOU WITH POWs MOVED TO CAMPS IN JAPAN.
CIVILIAN MAIL TO GERMANY WAS TOLERATED WITH MAIL FORWARDED TO SHANGHAI FOR FORWARDING TO AMERICA & EUROPE
CONTINUING UNTIL FEBRUARY 1917, when American relations with Germany declined with the sinking of
the SS Lusifania by a German submarine on 3 February 1917. GERMAN CIVILIAN WARTIME MAIL THROUGH THE JAPANESE POST OFFICE
4 NOVEMBER 1915 (Japanese Post Office)
Family Photo-card, postmarked & Japanese-censored at Tsingtau, Kiautschou, sent through the Japanese Post Office in China ,
‘Via America’, to Koblenz, Germany.
Probable War Route: Kiautschou-Yokohama-San Francisco-New York-Hamburg-Koblenz
4 Japanese Sen..
UPU International Postcard-Rate.
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1914-1918
1916.. China-Netherlands
British-Censored Mail
‘via United States of America’
EUROPEAN-BOUND CENSORED COMMERCIAL MAIL THROUGH THE AMERICAN POST OFFICE
.~ --NEDERLANDSCHE HANDEL - MAATSCHAPPI] J AGENTSCHAP SHANGHAI.
; (NETHERLANDS TRADING SOCIETY, SHANGHAI AGENCY.) ssi LZ.
Be bho Ger See aoe a)
— has oh hes foacha~ oe Ay Slat A)
Nederlandsche Handel-Maatschappij
18 NOVEMBER (1916) (American Post Office)
British-censored commercial mail, postmarked at Shanghai, China, with route
endorsement “via America” & “From New York per
Holland-America Line” sent to (neutral) Amsterdam, Netherlands.
54-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Amsterdam, 11 January 1917”
Route: Shanghai-San Francisco-New York-
by sea to Amsterdam.
5 US-Cents... Single-weight (20 grams) UPU Intemational
Letter-Rate.
“M OS NH )
AG
Ga na do
Reverse
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1915.. Germany-China Mail
1914-1918 ‘via United States of America’
The United States of America remained a neutral country during World War | until March 1917 when relations between Germany & the United States were broken.
CHINA-BOUND, OR ORIGIN MAIL, EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE GERMAN & AMERICAN POST OFFICES USING ‘THE PACIFIC MAIL STEAMSHIP COMPANY’ SERVICE
BETWEEN SHANGHAI-SAN FRANCISCO-SHANGHAI CONTINUED UNTIL SUCH SERVICE ENDED IN SEPTEMBER 1915
Mail Route: Shanghai-San Francisco-New York-Germany, or Germany-New York-San Francisco-Shanghai
In January 1916, 91 sacks of mail ‘Via America’ arrived at Shanghai from Germany through the U.S. Naval Ship ‘Galveston’ from Manila, which supposedly was the last mail
delivery ‘via America’ of German- origin mail.
D a d
, —
“o pr y
“I f
CHINA-BOUND MAIL FROM GERMANY VIA THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
28 AUGUST 1915
Postal Stationery card, postmarked at Hanover, Germany,
with route endorsement
“Via New York” (red)
to the “Inspector General of Customs Statistical Office” at Shanghai, China.
German censorship marking in red.
10 Cents... UPU Intemational Postcard-Rate.
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1916.. Japan to Europe
1914-1918 Via ‘Northern Trans-Siberian Rail Route’ Printed- Matter Mail
BY 1916, THE ‘NORTHERN ALL-RUSSIAN-TERRITORY TRANS-SIBERIAN RAIL ROUTE’ WAS OPERATIONAL ENABLING MAIL TO MOVE FROM VLADIVOSTOK-CHARBAROWSK-
Until July 1914, mail endorsed “Via Siberia” traveled the heretofore ‘Southern Trans-Siberian Rail Network Route’.
MISSOWOJA-IRKUTSK to MOSCOW or ST. PETERSBURG
JAPAN-ORIGIN MAILTO FRANCE (Japan Post Office)
18 FEBRUARY 1916
Un-censored commercial postcard,
postmarked at Tokyo,
Japan, sent to Paris, France, with route endorsement “Via Siberia”.
Probable Route: Tokyo-Tsuruga.. by sea to Viadivostok- Missowoja-Irkutsk-
Omsk-St. Petersburg.. by sea to France.
PRINTED MATTER Messrs. Braun et Cie.
rue Louis le Graad,
JAPAN-ORIGIN MAIL
TO SWITZERLAND (Japan Post Office)
29 OCTOBER 1916 (Japan Post Office)
Russian-censored view-card postmarked Hamamatsu,
Japan, with route
endorsement “Via Siberia”
to Schlieren, Switzerland. 58-day transit time
w/censorship.
Transit Mark: “Petrograd,
7 November 1916”
Manuscript Mark: “26 December 1916”
Route: Hamamatsu-Tsuruga.. by sea to Viadivostok-Missowoja- Irkutsk-Omsk-St. Petersburg... by sea to France.. by rail to 2 Sen..
UPU International Printed-Matter Postcard-Rate. Switzerland
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1916 .. China-Netherlands Mail
1914-1918 ‘Via Siberia’ Chinese Post Office
HOLLAND (NETHERLANDS) WAS A NEUTRAL COUNTRY DURING WORLD WAR | WITH RUSSIAN POSTAL AUTHORITIES PERMITTING
FAR-EAST MAIL TO/FROM HOLLAND USING THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAIL NETWORK.
2
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..
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BO CH H'
RUSSIAN-CENSORED REGISTERED COMMERCIAL MAIL FROM PEKING TO THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS
(Chinese Post Office)
31 MARCH 1916
Censored & sealed registered
commercial mail (“Mines of Lincheng"), postmarked at Peking, China, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia” sent to the Hague, Netherlands.
54-day transit time w/censorship.
Arrival Postmark: Transit Postmark: (Reverse) (Reverse)
“Gravenhage, 24 May 1916” “Manchouli, 2 April 1916”
Route:
Peking-Mukden-Harbin-Irkutsk-Omsk-St. Petersburg.. by sea to Holland
20 Cents... 10 Cents.. UPU International Single-Weight (20 grams) Letter-Rate
+ 10 Cents.. Registration fee
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1916 .. China - Switzerland
1917 - 1920 Commercial Mail.. French Censorship
REGISTERED FRENCH-CENSORED TRIPLE-WEIGHT
COMMERCIAL MAIL CHINATO SWITZERLAND
1 NOVEMBER 1916 (French Post Office)
Registered commercial mail
from the Shanghai- branch of “Jardine
Matheson & Company”, postmarked
at Shanghai, China,
with route endorsement
“Via Siberia”, French military censorship
upon arrival in
France, sent to Lausanne,
Switzerland.
41-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Lausanne, 12 December
1916"
Probable Route:
Shanghai-Pukow- Tientsin-Mukden- Harbin-irkutsk- Omsk-Moscow-
St. Petersburg- (by sea) to
France- (by train) to Lausanne.
32 Cents... 10+6+6 Cents.. Triple-weight (40-60 grams)
letter-rate +
10 Cents.. Registration fee
j
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1916 .. China-U.S.A. 1914-1918 ‘Via Siberia’
At Sea Intercepted Mail
Although some “Via Siberia” endorsed-mail may have had to be routed by sea to reach its final destination, such mail could have been intercepted, confiscated or delayed
by a German “raider ship” sailing the Baltic or North Atlantic.
ONE SUCH “RAIDER” SHIP WAS THE “MOVE” WHICH STOPPED SHIPS AT SEA CONFISCATING FRENCH, BRITISH AND OTHER COMBATANT COUNTRY MAIL
FROM THOSE SHIPS.
SHANGHAI BANK MAIL, BRITISH CENSORED,
GERMAN-INTERCEPTED/DELAYED ON ROUTE TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
29 JULY 1916
Commercial bank mail, postmarked at the French Post Office at Shanghai, with route endorsement
“Par Transsiberien” sent to New York City.
Cachet Hand-Stamp: “Part of a Mail Captured by Germans and Delayed”
Probable Route: Shanghai-Tientsin-Harbin-Irkutsk-Omsk-St. Petersburg..
by sea to the United States of America.
40 Centimes = 16 Cents 16 Cents.. UPU International Double-Weight (40 grams) Letter-Rate
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1916 .. Kiautschou
1914-1918 Prisoner-of-War Mail to Germany
German capitulation of Kiautschou to Japanese Forces in October 1914, resulted in 4710 German Prisoners-of-War transferred to various
camps located in Japan.
SINCE THE ‘VIA SIBERIA’ ROUTE FOR P.O.W. MAILTO GERMANY WAS NOT POSSIBLE, MAIL WAS ROUTED BY SEA TO/THROUGH
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO GERMANY JAPANESE & AMERICAN CENSORED GERMAN PRISIONER-OF-WAR MAIL
JAPAN ‘VIA AMERICA’ TO GERMANY
Ber AS {, hth A Ww
%
8 DECEMBER 1916
Free-frank, ‘Oita’ Japanese Camp censored cover (Censor: Ufsumi), postmarked at Kobe, Japan, via America, sent to Hamburg.
Route:
Oita P.O.W. Camp-Kobe-San Francisco-New York-Hamburg
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1917.. China-Netherlands Mail
1914-1918 ‘Via Siberia’ Russian-Censored
“The Sign 2 29
of Perfection! Registered, “
“yy . rs s
© Tike Messrs. Levert & HIGH TEST
PURE FOOD PRODUCTS, — tm
ZYLSTRA & CO.
SHANGHAI (CHINA)
No 517 Shanghai }
Poste Russe
Se
Likeurstokery en ¥gattooper
=
= "De Wildeman*,
W..’ Kolk, ;
ait S@BRRDAM
sats ( Heo. I*1 am a) >.
RUSSIAN-CENSORED REGISTERED COMMERCIAL MAIL FROM SHANGHAI TO AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
(Russian Post Office)
24 NOVEMBER 1917
Censored & sealed registered commercial mail, postmarked
at Shanghai, China, with route endorsement “Via Siberia”
sent to Amsterdam, Netherlands. 79-day transit time w/censorship.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Amsterdam, 14 March 1918”
Route:
Shanghai-Pukow-Tientsin-Mukden-Harbin-
irkutsk-Omsk-St. Petersburg.. by sea to Holland
35 Kopeck...
ae
a a e
n. 8.
ro
D U C A
A G E
po
Reverse
20 Kopeck.. UPU International Double-Weight (40 grams)
Letter-Rate
+ 10 Kopeck.. Registration fee
+ 5 Kopeck.. Convenience Over-Franking
1917.. China to Scandinavia WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS
Russian-Censored Mail 1914-1918
MAIL FOR NEUTRAL COUNTRIES OF EUROPE WAS ACCEPTED BY THE RUSSIAN POST OFFICE WITH SUCH MAIL FORWARDED TO ST. PETERSBURG (NOT MOSCOW) FOR
SEA MOVEMENT TO DESTINATION.
PEKING-ORIGIN MAILTO DENMARK -™ ;
nin, Vi bee ee eo . a Seay (Russian Post Office)
Af
i +
21 DECEMBER 1916 (Julian Calendar)
Russian censored 5, view-card,
postmarked at
Peking, with route endorsement “Via Siberia”
sent to
Copenhagen, Denmark.
Pw
Route: Peking-Mukden-
Harbin-Irkutsk-Omsk-
St. Petersburg.. (by sea) to Denmark.
4 Kopeck..
UPU International
Postcard-Rate. 16 JANUARY 1917
Russian- -direct PEKING-ORIGIN MAILTO SWEDEN sae pabeutenel folie
(Chinese Post Office) with route endorsement “Via Siberia"
sent to Norrképing, Sweden. 65-day transit time
w/censorship.
Transit Mark: (Reverse)
“Petrograd, 23 February 1917”
PR STs
~~ 4
Arrival Posimaric {Reverse}
“22 March 1917"
Route: Peking-Mukden-Harbin-irkutsk-
Omsk-St. Petersburg.. (by sea) to Sweden.
10 Cents. UPU International Single-Weight
(20 grams) Letter-Rate.
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1917.. China to Neutral Sweden
1914-1918 Russian-Censored Mail
CHINA-ORIGIN MAIL TO SWEDEN (Chinese Post Office)
11 DECEMBER 1917
Russian censored cover,
postmarked at Puchowfu, China,
with route endorsement
“Via Siberia", sent to a newspaper editor in Eksj6,
Sweden.
Transit Postmarks: (Reverse)
“Peking, 12 December
Laz” “St Petersburg, 28 December
1917”
Route: Peking-Mukden- Harbin-Irkutsk-
Omsk-St. Petersburg..
(by sea) to Sweden.
11 APRIL 1917
Russian-censored cover, postmarked at Wangohow, China,
with route endorsement “Via Siberia”
sent to Lindholmen, Sweden.
Transit Pestmarks: {Reverse} “Hankew,
12 April 1917" “St. Petersburg, 25 April 1917"
Route: Peking-Mukden-
Harbin-Irkutsk-Omsk- St. Petersburg..
(by sea) to Sweden.
10 Cents.. UPU International Single-Weight
(20 grams) Letter-Rate.
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1917 .. China-St. Petersburg, Russia
1914-1918 Censored Mail Russian Post Office
RUSSIAN POST OFFICE FAR-EAST-ORIGIN-MAIL SENT TO WESTERN OR ASIAN-RUSSIA DESTINATIONS WOULD AUTOMATICALLY BE MOVED BY WAY OF THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAIL NETWORK WITHOUT REQUIREMENT
OF ROUTE ENDORSEMENT
CARTE POSTALE Postkarte - Cartolina Postale -Post Card/
OTKPbITOE MMCbMO 7 Py SRST EGE) = % ‘S
ss
o m
c e e
a e n e
e e t e r O t Y /
of
C o l e s
© G a
B A I T G i g
> s e
Lo rr e
a B LP L A w r e
g e o m e o r a c a g
=
f a e ¢ x \
F e s ee
RUSSIAN-CENSORED MAIL FROM SHANGHAI TO ST. PETERSBURG
(Russian Post Office)
12 MAY 1917
Censored (red marking) viewcard, postmarked
at Shanghai, China, without route endorsement, sent to St. Petersburg, Russia.
Route:
Shanghai-Pukow-Tientsin-Mukden-Harbin-Irkutsk-Omsk-St. Petersburg
3 Kopeck... Russian domestic postcard-rate.
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1915-1917..German Prisoner-of-War Mail
1914-1918 In-bound & Out-bound
With the occupation of Kiautschou by the Japanese in 1914, and the war on the European Eastern Front, large numbers of German prisoners-of-war were taken by the Japanese and
Russian Forces respectively.
GERMAN PRISONERS-OF-WAR HELD BY THE JAPANESE WERE TRANSFERRED TO JAPAN, WHILE THE RUSSIANS HELD THEIRS IN SIBERIA.
GERMAN- ORIGIN MAIL SENT TO A P.O.W. IN
JAPAN
fF a TPIS 30 JUNE 1915 R eee rate 24 d b
Japanese-censored free- ea onia rieger ea ia ¢ evein 3ur Unterftigung ehemaliger
frank patriotic postcard, Rolomalfrieger oer Urmee, Mavine, der Shun: postmarked at Altenburg, und Polizeitcuppen fowie deren Diheecbliehonce
Germany, with route Shugherr: erzoq. Johann Albredht 3u Medilenburg endorsement oy mpl 10: é eee el ey oP
“Prisoner-of War Mail thr, bo. Gayl enera He it) ercenhauje:
Via Siberia” Lasbe Mn bher wl hr = sent to Fukuoka, Japan. ie ams prin aged j 29%, neve Foo) yy
26-day transit time. J eae. rd. a Py, 44, Transit Postmark: oe ok Taafon wm “Tsuruga, Japan, oie
23 July 1915” — LE ae oo. “fa bem ee Me mn)
Arrival Manuscript ae sarcing. Marking: 44) ag Wiel popes)
“26 July 1915” eo Of - a, Gin har
Route: ete 7 ee:
Altenburg-Berlin- _ fell und Sieg “oe ae Ws fons Copenhagen... (by sea) to 7 Sa St. Petersburg- (by rail) to Omsk-Irkutsk-Harbin- Vladivostok- (by sea) to
Tsuruga-Fukuoka ions
FROM SIBERIATO
om ARGENTINA
t ! me] HHO-IJISHHbIX'b Pour les prisonniers | | 21 JANUARY 1917 awe. : So dec guerre,
ont ry Russian-censored free- Xt: a ag frank German P:O.W.
E 5 Card, postmarked at
: c S| = Chita, Siberia, Russia, with j wi als route endorsement i mal S “Russia-Siberia, psa 9 : Transbaikal Railway” & S Z 4 sent to Buenos Aires, t =| ‘a Argentina. Feels RS 88-day transit time ae
fe eels Arrival Manuscript e | a 3 Marking:
lie < g (Reverse) } ae = f “19 April 1917”
6 a|2 4 - mle BE Probable Route:
eee 2 OS Chita-Manchouli-Harbin- be ‘ele 2) t Vladivostok-( by sea) to e Pale > USA-Argentina fi
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1916.. German Prisoner-of-War
1914-1918 Red Cross Mail
OFFICIAL GERMAN & AUSTRIAN P.O.W. ASSISTANCE ORGANIZATION MAIL TO THE RED CROSS STATION AT COPENHAGEN, DENMARK
WTH FORWARDING TO VIENNA, AUSTRIA
a
AL
22 MARCH 1916 (Reverse)
Russian-censored
P.O.W, related
free-frank mail,
postmarked at
Tientsin, China, sent to the Red Cross Office at Copenhagen for forwarding to the “Central Bureau
for P.O.W.
Information” at Vienna, Austria,
with route rh endorsement
ey “Via Siberia”.
Wi en
1, Ja so mi rg ot ts tr as se
No .
6.
Ge me
in sa
me s
Ze nt
ra ln
ac hw
ei sh
ur ea
u
Au sk un ft ss te ll e
flr K
ri eg
s¢ ef
an ge
ne
Pl ea se f o r w a r d
to
Tientsin-Mukden- Harbin-Irkutsk-
Omsk-St. Petersburg-
(by sea) to
Copenhagen-
(by rail) to Betlin-Leipzig-
Munich-Vienna.
| Probable Route:
C o p e n h a g e n
De nm
ar k.
S E R V I C E
D E S P R I S O N N I E R S
DE
G U E R R E .
Cr oi
x Ro
ug e
Vi a
Si bi
ri en
. .
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1916.. German Prisoner-of-War
1914-1918 Assistance Mail (“Via America” Route)
The German Community's welfare & support organization at Tientsin
communicated information concerning a prisoner's name, physical- condition and location to newspapers in Germany and Austro-Hungary.
SUCH MAIL WAS ROUTED ‘VIA AMERICA’ AS LONG AS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA REMAINED NEUTRAL.
SERVICE DES PRISONNIERS DE GUERRE.
. TIPO PL EINCTECC Lect
jaune 4797 | LLL setae:
PRISONER-OF-WAR INFORMATION FOR PUBLICATION IN GERMANY
(10) FEBRUARY 1916 stan, aban
; ; oe epee aloe
Registered free-frank mail, iol x
postmarked at Tientsin, China, routed “Via America”,
to the “Wilhelmshavener Tageblatt” (“Wilhelmshaven Newspaper’),
with German-censorship at Emmerich.
126+ day transit time.
Transit & Arrival Postmarks: “Shanghai, US Postal Agency, ee ,
16 February 1916” Conse
“New York, Registry, 15 March 1916”
“New York, Foreign , 16 March 1916” “Wilhelmshaven, 16 June 1916”
Reverse
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1917.. German Prisoner-of-War Mail
1914-1918 Money Transfer/Value Letter
In an effort of support for German & Austrian Prisoners-of-War in Siberia during World War I,
GERMANS RESIDING IN NORTHERN CHINA ESTABLISHED AN ASSISTANCE ORGANIZATION (most probably under the auspices of the International Red Cross)
AT TIENTSIN, CHINA, WHICH SENT MONEY FOR SUPPORT TO PRISONERS-OF-WAR IN SIBERIA.
iby ug bestitigan an
& .*\Hiilfsaktion _---2> fiir BsutSONey. Osterr.-Ungatt Besiinge - y sy) in Sibitien A\ aes
NL OTA fe
NaN y AG Sate : z
MONEY TRANSFER LETTER TO A P.O.W. IN WESTERN RUSSIA
(Russian Post Office)
8 MARCH 1917 Service des prisonniers de guerre
(Julian Calendar) if PY
Russian 500 Ruble money-transfer cover, postmarked at Tientsin, China, 3 SEG to a German or Austrian P.O.W. “Josef Hofer” interned at the Village of
Talyshinskoe in Perm Province, via the Post Office in Talitskii Zavod. 16-day transit time
Transit Postmark: (Reverse)
“Changchun, Japanese Post Office, Hocnnomsrhasem 23 March 1917"
Arrival Postmark: eee A. Gp pee Ps (Reverse) ts ceeeeeemmemciiaeroed Cem
“Talitskii Zavod, Perm Province, GHAR 24 March 1917" : oe 3
Probable Route: Tientsin-Changchun-Harbin-Irkutsk-Omsk-Perm
WORLD WAR | & ITS EFFECTS 1917-1918.. Japan-Europe Mail
1914-1918 ‘Via Siberia’ Northern Rail Route
Prior to 8 November 1917 and establishment of a ‘Soviet Republic’,
SWITZERLAND-BOUND MAIL WAS ROUTED THROUGH ST. PETERSBURG, renamed ‘Petrograd’, for routing by sea to Western Europe.
Subsequent to an armistice between the Central Powers & Russia on 5 December 1917, MAIL TO GERMANY WAS BRIEFLY POSSIBLE IN 1918, prior to interruption of
rail connections through Siberia because of civil war,
JAPAN-ORIGIN
COMMERCIAL MAIL TO : a : SWITZERLAND :
15 FEBRUARY 1917 ‘ UIA SIBERIA
Russian-censored & sealed commercial mail, <a
postmarked NS
at Kobe, Japan, with route | ef Otto Amberg Esae, endorsement t-c6 “Via Siberia” pte 16, Nonnenweg,
sent to Basle, Switzerland... + {2} 65-day transit time ; na
w/censorship. q
Transit & Arrival Postmarks: = BASLE. (Reverse) aos
“Petrograd, 4March 1917”) 7 Switzerland. “Basel, 20 April 1917" 3 (ea)
20 Route: oO
Kobe-Tsuruga-Vladivostok, Charbarowsk-Tschita-
Irkutsk-Omsk-Wjatka- St Petersburg-(by sea) to
Western Europe-Switzerland
10 Sen...
UPU Single-Weight Intemational Letter-Rate.
aaa + ty + 3 ‘
Union Postale Oniverselle z JAPAN-ORIGIN gag Ws COMMERCIALMAIL SBS SSRN Ba & TO GERMANY
Carte Postale 9 JUNE 1918 VIA SIBERIA \- ; SY OD Postal stationery card,
Messrs. Pfeiderer & Wurm. at Ky ras cxdlie . : endorsement
Wertherstrasse 15, “Via Siberia” 4 sent to Barmen, Germany.
Barmen, oe
_ Kyoto-Tsuruga- Vladivostok, Rheinprovinz, ‘ Charbarowsk-Tschita-
’ Irkutsk-Omsk-Moscow- GERMA NY Berlin-Barmen
4 Sen...
38 Be je el ED 35> #3 2 ; UPU Intemational Tees s Postcard-Rate
Vi. RUSSIAN REVOLUTION & CIVIL WAR PERIOD 1918... China-Switzerland
1917 - 1920 Mail ‘Via America’
On 8 November 1917, a “Soviet Republic” was proclaimed by V. Lenin & L. Trotsky culminating one day later in a civil war between the “reds” (supporters of
Communist Ideology) and the “whites” (supporters of former Imperial Russia).
IMMEDIATELY UPON PROCLAMATION OF A “SOVIET REPUBLIC”, SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND AND OTHER NATIONS BROKE RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA
AFFECTING USE OF THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILWAY SINCE HOSTILITIES BETWEEN THE FACTIONS TOOK PLACE ALL ALONG ITS ROUTES. The Russian Post Office in China now routed European-bound mail ‘Via America’.
yeas Gi SAL ee pak — Poghkaye Past Car
a ta _korespoy cy} : Sarin ern a iS a ie
Peet ER a fa NS }
RUSSIAN POST OFFICE.. MAIL FROM SHANGHAI TO SWITZERLAND
3 SEPTEMBER 1918
Viewcard, postmarked at Shanghai, China, with route endorsement
“Via America”, French-censored, sent to Burgdort, Switzerland.
Route: Shanghai-San Francisco-New York-Le Harve-Basel-ZGrich-Burgdorf
4 Kopeck... UPU Intemational Postcard-Rate.
RUSSIAN REVOLUTION & CIVIL WAR PERIOD 1918 .. China-America
1917 - 1920 Mail ‘Via Viadivostok’
CHINA POST OFFICE REGISTERED MAIL..
TIENTSIN TO INDIANAPOLIS
28 DECEMBER 1917
Commercial registered
cover, Postmarked at Tientsin (County), American- censored, sent to
Indianapolis, Indiana.
Transit Postmarks: (Reverse)
“Moukden,
29 December 1917”
“Moukden, 3 January 1918”
“Seattle, 26 January 1918” “Indianapolis,
31 Januvary1918”
35-day transit time.
Route: Tientsin-Mukden-
Vladivostok-Seattle- Indianapolis
32 Cents: 22 Cents..
UPU International
Third-level Letter-Rate + 10 Cents..
Registration fee
SE F (5 August 1910 - : 1 January 1922)
RUSSIAN REVOLUTION & CIVIL WAR PERIOD 1918 ..
1917 - 1920
‘A.E.F. Siberia’ Mail
In March 1918, during the Russian Civil War, 60-80,000 Czech prisoners-of-war
revolted, deserted, and fought their way across Siberia to Vladivostok, occupying various cities along the trans-Siberian northern rail route
and controlling a large part of the railway itself.
IN AUGUST 1918, PRESIDENT WILSON ORDERED AMERICAN TROOPS TO VLADIVOSTOK
WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF SECURING THE RAILWAY LINE AND SUBSEQUENT USE FOR
EVACUATION OF THE CZECH REFUGEE-SOLDIERS TO TRIEST, ITALY,
BETWEEN FEBRUARY-NOVEMBER 1920
‘U.S. POSTAL AGENCY
IN SIBERIA’ iO rtlhins jot cL
MAIL FROM VLADIVOSTOK BE
TO SAN FRANCISCO es for 4
21 OCTOBER 1918 “EF dh
AEF Censored free-frank soldier's mail, postmarked
at “Vladivostok” without route endorsement,
sent fo San Francisco, California.
Route: Viadivostok-San Francisco
4 day of use of this postmark. Large Rubber Handstamp
Postmark Use: 18 October -
17 December 1918
phases Detar ie
Sa O~
‘U.S. POSTAL AGENCY IN
= SIBERIA’ MAIL “ . FROM
ree Ache VLADIVOSTOK TO — OREGON
et gos
Ae Me SL hes WITH THE COLORS”
14MAY 1919
ae AEF Censored free- frank soldier's “YMCA' cover,
s postmarked
none at Viadivostok, ¥ without
. 4 route endorsement, i sent to Riddle,
a = Oregon.
Let 22 ne CS
U/
Route: Viadivostek-San Francisco-Oregon Small Steel
Handstamp. Postmark Use:
20 October 1918 - 14 April 1920
RUSSIAN REVOLUTION & CIVIL WAR PERIOD 1918 .. China-Scotland
1917 - 1920 Missionary Mail
MAIL MOVEMENT WESTWARD WAS POSSIBLE BY LATE DECEMBER 1918 OVER THE SOUTHERN RAIL NETWORK CONNECTING THE CHINESE EASTERN & MANCHURIAN
RAIL LINES AT MANCHOULI WITH THE TRANS-SIBERIAN LINE
BETWEEN IRKUTSK-OMSK-ST. PETERSBURG,
~ —_——$ 5 $$ $$$
Pe Vic S bes
| Re Marleress Py Rael 3 yo) Wamee .
m ~ Vamos
LATE 1918 CHINA-ORIGIN MAIL TO SCOTLAND ‘VIA SIBERIA’ & BY SEA FROM ST. PETERSBURG
10 DECEMBER 1918 (Chinese Post Office)
Printed-Matter Card (in an open envelope)
missionary mail, postmarked at Shihu, China,
with route endorsement “Via Siberia”
sent to Hamilton, Scotland, United Kingdom
Transit Postmark: (Reverse)
“Harbin, 11 December 1918”
Probable Route: Shihu-Peking-Mukden-Harbin-Manchouli-Irkutsk-
Omsk-St. Petersburg..(by sea) to Scotland
Reverse
4 Cents.. (Open envelope) postcard-rate
RUSSIAN REVOLUTION & CIVIL WAR PERIOD 1918-19 .. China-Switzerland 1917 - 1920 Mail ‘Via Suez’ or ‘Via America’
AS A RESULT OF THE CONFLICT IN RUSSIA
AND NON-OPERATION OF THE TRANS-SIBERIAN
ROUTE TO EUROPE, MAIL WAS INITIALLY ROUTED ‘VIA SUEZ’ BY
SEA AND LATER BY THE FASTER
‘VIA AMERICA’ ROUTE.
I TI eed Ee EE
VIA AMERICA RAGES ADADE EEE REED
28 JUNE 1919 Commercial mail,
postmarked at Harbin, endorsed
“Via America” sent to St, Gallen,
Switzerland.
MESSRS. HONTGGBER & CO
Sf. GALL Mee RE he ook ok a ok Abo aK oe OR
Route: Q2WItZERLAWD
Harbin-Mukden-Peking- 5 Tientsin-Shanghai-
(by sea) to America with forwarding to France-
Switzerland.
Monsieur & Madame ‘Philippe Dubied, Notaire - ‘ fé
Oo Les Ins. 7 Saars 7 ob
G SG
| ~REYORATER
SUISSE ¥ %,
pe ok, % REGISTERED COMMERCIAL MAIL THROUGH Probable Route:
THE JAPANESE POST OFFICE IN CHINA TO SWITZERLAND Shanghai-Y okohama-Singapore-Aden-Suez-
Marseilles- 18 FEBRUARY 1918 (by train) to Neuchatel
Registered commercial mail, postmarked 25 Sen.
Fn a er niecemenen CHS 10 Sen. Single weight a em torte + “Via Suez" 15 Sen.. Registration fee
sent to Neuchatel, Switzerland.
a
RUSSIAN REVOLUTION & CIVIL WAR PERIOD 1917 - 1920
1918-19 Japan-Europe
‘Via Canada’
‘Via San Francisco’
Because of the turmoil in Russia and unusable heretofore faster ‘Via Siberia’ Route for mail to Europe, JAPAN-ORIGIN MAIL NOW ALSO WAS ROUTED ‘VIA NORTH
AMERICA’ THROUGH EITHER CANADA OR SAN FRANCISCO, using whichever flag vessel met the post office schedule.
12 AUGUST
1919 f
Commercial mail,
postmarked at Osaka, Japan,
with route endorsement
“Via San Francisco”
sent to Winterthur, Switzerland.
PE, Hleranig YE
40 Sen... UPU Intemational
Quadruple-
Weight (to 80 grams)
Letter-Rate. ee ~
Messrs. VOLKART BROS.,
WINTERTHUR, SWITZERLAND.
NICHIZUI TRADING CO., LTD,, 15 Dojima Hamadori 1-chome, Kitaku,
OSAKA, JAPAN.
Probable Route: Osaka-San Francisco-New York-Hamburg-Munich-Basel-ZGrich-Winterthur
COMMERICAL MAILTO
SWITZERLAND
23 OCTOBER 1918
Commercial mail, postmarked at Osaka, Japan,
with route endorsement “Via Canada”
sent to Winterthur, Switzerland.
20 Sen... UPU International Double-Weight (to 40 grams) Letter-Rate.
RUSSIAN REVOLUTION & CIVIL WAR PERIOD 1919 .. Germany - China 1917 - 1920 Mail ‘Via America’
WITH THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES IN EUROPE ON 11 NOVEMBER 1918 ALONG WITH
THE SUBSEQUENT OCCUPATION OF THE RHINELAND BY ALLIED FORCES, COMMUNICATIONS IN 1919 BETWEEN GERMANY & “GERMAN” CHINA COULD
ONCE AGAIN BEGIN, NOT ‘VIA SIBERIA’ (Russian Civil War) BUT INITIALLY
THROUGH THE ALLIED OCCUPATION POST OFFICES, since German Post Offices in China no longer existed & China first ended ils state of
war with Germany on 15 September 1919.
EARLY POSTWAR CHINA-BOUND MISSIONARY MAIL FROM THE ALLIED-OCCUPIED GERMAN RHINELAND
13 AUGUST 1919
Postal-card, postmarked & censored at (American occupied) Coblenz, Germany,
with route endorsement “Via America” sent to a Catholic Missionary in Shantung Province, Northern China.
62-day transit time.
Transit Postmarks:
“Tientsin (Chinese Post Office), “Tientsin (French Post Office), 12 October 1919” 13 October 1919”
Probable Route: Coblenz-Hamburg- (by sea) to New York- (by rail) to San Francisco-
(by sea) to Shanghai- (by rail) to Northern China.
10 Pfennig... UPU International Postcard-Rate
RUSSIAN REVOLUTION & CIVIL WAR PERIOD 1919 .. China-Sweden
1917 - 1920 ‘Via America’ Mail
Postage Due
DESPITE A WORLD WAR | ARMISTICE TAKING EFFECT ON 11 NOVEMBER 1918, A PEACE TREATY HAD NOT BEEN SIGNED WITH GERMANY OR THE AXIS COUNTRIES RESULTING IN CENSORSHIP OF MAIL STILL IN EFFECT
INCLUDING MAIL TO NEUTRAL SWEDEN WHEN SUCH INVOLVED ORGANIZATIONS | AFFILATED WITH ‘GERMAN ASSISTANCE’. |
A ee a Ob pe peep a
fog 10Siaxa A
A d
CA Nd dO
CHINA-SWEDEN POSTAGE DUE MAIL ‘VIA AMERICA’ AND CENSORED
25 FEBRUARY 1919 (United States Post Office)
Single-weight short-paid mail, postmarked at the United States Post Office at Shanghai, China,
with route endorsement “Via America”
to the “German Assistance Association” at Stockholm, Sweden.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Stockholm, 29 April 1919” (Krag Postmarking Machine)
Probable Route:
Shanghai-San Francisco-New York-Stockholm 5 Cents..
Shot-paid 1 Cent .. UPU Single-Weight (20 grams)
International Letter-Rate resulting in postage due of never 2 Cents =
RUSSIAN REVOLUTION & CIVIL WAR PERIOD 1919 .. Red Cross P.O.W.
1917 - 1920 ‘Via America’ Mail to Austria
SINCE THE RUSSIAN CIVIL WAR RAGED IN WESTERN RUSSIA (between the Soviet and Imperial Forces resulting in most of the Siberian Railway Route unusable for mail transport to Europe),
GERMAN & AUSTRIAN PRISONER-OF WAR MAIL CONTINUED TO BE
ROUTED “VIA AMERICA” BY THE RED CROSS AFTER CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES DURING WORLD WAR I.
Absender:..<” le eee ee $. Correspondance des prisonniérs ? _Ornpaturesp 2 de guerre
. ae a: : ABCTPO - BEBIPIT
_ Antwort — Réponse — Jaa orpbra x “CARTE POSTALE
Portofrei Verlag der dsterr. Ges. vom ,,Roten Kreuze“ Nachdruck verboten Besnaaruo Hexanie Ancrp. O6nt. Kpacnaro Kpecra. Tlepeneuarka hocipentaerea Doe ro rere eee Cert eer rer rrr error cl
: a x
> 3
: 2.
: : : 2
3
: 3
30 DECEMBER 1919
Free-frank Russian-censored Red Cross
Correspondence Response Postal Card, written by Austrian Prisoner-of-War in Siberia,
with route endorsement
“Via America”, sent to Vienna, Austria.
RUSSIAN REVOLUTION & CIVIL WAR PERIOD 1920 .. Shanghai-Vladivostok 1917 - 1920 Mail ‘by Sea’
BECAUSE OF g ~ CLOSURE OF f RUSSIAN POST OFFICES IN MANCHURIA BETWEEN 1920-1921
AND PARTIAL NONAVAILABILITY
OF RAIL ROUTES CONNECTING TO VLADIVOSTOK, MAIL FROM
SHANGHAITO VLADIVOSTOK WAS MOVED BY SEATO THE LATTER DURING
THOSE YEARS.
REGISTERED COMMERCIAL MAIL SHANGHAITO VLADIVOSTOK
9 APRIL 1920 (Russian Post Office)
Registered commercial mail from the Shanghai-
branch of the “Great Northern
Telegraph Company”, postmarked
by the Russian Post Office at Shanghai, China,
sent to their Viadivostok- Office. 35-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Vladivostok, 14 May 1920”
26 Cents... 10+6 Cents.. Double-weight
(20-40 grams) letter-rate + 10 Cents.. Registration fee
RUSSIAN REVOLUTION & CIVIL WAR PERIOD 1920... Viadivostok-Switzerland 1917 - 1920 Commerciai Mail
Mail ‘by Sea Route’
As a result of the Russian Civil War (1918-1920), the Second Russian-Polish War (1920/Peace Treaty of Riga, March 1921) as well as unsettled political conditions in
Russia & Manchuria,
EFFECTIVE EUROPE-BOUND MAIL USE OF THE TRANS-SIBERIAN NETWORK COULD NOT TAKE PLACE DURING 1918-1922, BUT ROUTED BY SEA
OR ‘VIA AMERICA’ TO EUROPE.
Lae ~ Mheuw open VLADIVOSTOK-ORIGIN RUSSIAN-CENSORED REGISTERED MAIL TO SWITZERLAND ROUTED BY SEA BECAUSE OF NONAVAILABILITY OF THE TRANS-SIBERIAN ROUTE
25 FEBRUARY 1920
Registered cover, Russian-censored, postmarked at v2 - Vladivostok, sent to “Karl Geigy” / I Wien 64
(Renowned Pharmacist) /
at Basel, Switzerland. 49-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Basel, 15 April 1920”
Route:
Vladivostok-London
(by sea)-Antwerp-Basel
4 Rubles... 2 Rubles... single-weight (20 grams)
international letter-rate + Ravens
2 Rubles.. Registration fee
China - Belgium
Sea Route Diversion Mail
1922
Until a new Russian national government was established after the civil war, \L RAIL SERVICES ON MOST OF THE TRA IBERIA VOULD NOT
BE FULLY RESUMED DURING 1921-1922,
requiring Chinese/Peking-origin mail to Western Europe to be routed by sea, either (via Peking-Tientsin-Pukow Line) to Shanghai or
(via Chinese Eastern Railway Line) to Vladivostok
30 JUNE 1922 Registered commercial mail of the
Chinese Imperial Railways, postmarked Peking, sent to Brussels, Belgian.
Transit Postmarks: (Reverse)
“Mukden, 3 July 1922” “London, -- August 1922”
Routing: Peking-Mukden-Vladivostok-(by sea) to London-
Antwerp-Brussels
25 Cents.. Pere isin Coee
15 Cents International Letter Rate (7.5 ounces) + Reverse 10 Cents Registration fee
RESUMPTION & EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES 1923 .. China-Europe 1923-1931 Route Resumption
On 30 December 1922, the ‘Soviet Union of Socialist Republics’ was established, a federation of Russia, Ukraine, Belorussia and the Transcaucasian Republic.
BY 1923, OPERATION OF THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILWAY NETWORK RESTARTED IN FULL ON BOTH THE NORTHERN & SOUTHERN ROUTES. =
SHORT-PAID/POSTAGE-DUE MAIL FROM CHINATO SWITZERLAND (Chinese Post Office)
14 AUGUST 1923
Short-paid cover, postmarked
at Peking, China, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia” = sent to Geneva, Switzerland. 28-day transit time. eatin Lae TONG.
Foxes arLor
PaKING
Transit & Arrival Postmarks: (Reverse)
“Peking-Mukden (Railway Postmark)
15 August 1923” “Harbin, 16 August 1923”
“Geneva, 10 September 1923”
Route: Peking-Mukden-Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin-
Munich-Basel-Geneva
15 Cents... UPU international Double-Weight
(to 40 grams) Letter-Rate
short-paid 5 Chinese-Cents resulting in
40 Swiss Centimes postage due + penalty. (Rate Validity: 1 Jan. 1923 — 30 Sept. 1925)
Reverse
RESUMPTION & EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES 1924 .. Re-routed 1923 - 1931 ‘By Sea’
Endorsed Mail
‘BY SEA’ ENDORSED MAIL, OR MAIL WITH INDICATION OF VESSEL NAME AND SAILING DATE,
WOULD BE OBSERVED BY THE POST OFFICE UNLESS IT WAS RECEIVED ‘TOO LATE’ FOR SUCH ROUTING.
ee e i g s
125) Princes Street,
EDINBURGH. SCOTLAND.
ROUTE-ENDORSED ‘BY SEA’ MAIL WITH ‘TOO LATE’ ARRIVAL AT POST OFFICE WITH SUBSEQUENT RE-ROUTING ‘VIA SIBERIA’
2 OCTOBER 1924
Cover, route endorsed “Per S.S. Saikio Maru 2/10/24”, postmarked at Shanghai, China,
addressed to “Captain W.Y. Darling, M.C.” at
Edinburgh, Scotland, post-mailing cachet marking
‘Too Late’
and new route endorsement ‘Via Siberia’.
Probable Route: Shanghai-Pukow-Peking-Mukden-Harbin-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin- Hamburg-London-Edinburgh
10 Cents... UPU International Single-Weight (20 grams) Letter-Rate.
RESUMPTION & EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES 1924.. China-Germany
1923-1931 Commercial Mail
A TREATY BETWEEN RUSSIAN AND GERMANY WAS SIGNED ON 6 MAY 1921 ENABLING A NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS TO TAKE PLACE, INCLUDING EXCHANGE OF MAIL.
SINGLE-WEIGHT ee oe ee MAILTO "
cates | H. KUNZE & Co. via Siberia. “9, CANTON ROAD, i
SHANGHAI, 6 MAY 1924
Commercial cover,
postmarked at Shanghai, China,
with route endorsement ' Herren
“Via Siberia” 5
sent to Munich, Kranseder & Co
Germany.
2 H R S
Trockenplattenfabrik Route:
Shanghai- Lindwurmstr. Pukow-Peking- Mukden-Harbin- Irkutsk-Moscow- Berlin-Munich
Muenchen, (Reverse)
10 Cents... UPU . Intemational Sa
Single-Weight bs Germany. ¢
(to 20 grams) ie ape “a eget Letter-Rate. _*
30 AUGUST 1924
Registered cover, postmarked at Canton, China,
with route endorsement “Germany Via
Siberia” to Cuxhaven, Germany.
Route: Canton-Pukow- Peking-Mukden- Harbin-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin-
Hamburg- Cuxhaven
he ; 20 Cenis... Pe ; aese 10 Cents. UPU a MNovferiter<1 , Single-Weight : (to 20 grams) Lherra. Letter-Rate +
10 Cents Registration fee.
RESUMPTION & EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES 1925.. North Manchuria 1923-1931 Mail to Europe
Northern Manchuria was ceded to Russia in 1858-1860. Through heavy immigration, Southern Manchuria became more Chinese. Russian support for the Chinese against Japanese aggression in1895 enabled Russia to
receive permission from China to build the Chinese Eastern Railway. The Chinese ‘Boxer Revolt’ in 1900 resulted in Russian occupation of Manchuria
to secure railway construction.
THE ‘CITY OF HARBIN’ IS LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION POINT OF THE CHINESE & SOUTHERN MANCHURIAN RAILWAYS,
BOTH FINANCED AND BUILT BY RUSSIA AND PART OF THE SOUTHERN TRANS-SIBERIAN RAIL NETWORK.
W. O. FREYBERG ; ‘I6 Skobclevskeya Street (Modiago), ENGINEER & CONTRACTOR ¢ Harbin, Manchuria, Chine.
Professor Dr.= Ings A. Kleinlogel
“I Wilhelm - Taeer Strasse
Darmstadt
Detitschland
Ries Tv 4 : |
| No. 2846 | | :
m R
ys
be oe
tng
8 AUGUST 1925 (Chinese Post Office)
Registered commercial cover, postmarked at Harbin, Manchuria, China, with
route endorsement “Via Russia”
sent to Darmstadt, Germany. 26-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark; (Reverse)
“Darmstadt, 3 September 1925”
G s
Route:
Harbin-irkutsk-Moscow-Betlin- Frankfurt-Darmstadt
Reverse
20 Cents... 10 Cents.. UPU International Single-Weight
(to 20 grarns) Letter-Rate
+ 10 Cents Registration fee.
RESUMPTION & EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES 1925-1927. 1923-1931 Mail To/From Japan
MAIL FROM/TO JAPAN WOULD BE ROUTED OVER THE NORTHERN BRANCH OF THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILWAY NETWORK,
ENDING/COMMENCING AT VLADIVOSTOK AND BY SEA TO/FROM JAPAN.
EASTBOUND-MAIL.. Winyo Tay Dl GERMANY-JAPAN 46: sf leet x :
FTES taped 20 4 SEPTEMBER 1925 aA Ee ve % ie 0% & yet
Viewcard, postmarked fo? 4 rR 6 s i - L at Berlin, Germany, S bu Ft ee ‘ ey le 5 SD ND with route endorsement & Ss M %% KM
“Via Siberia” = 2k 3 ee to Tokyo, Japan. e ae aeS , Ps 1% : 6 |lowm. it kee
Route: 2 Leo ~ # we 5 $ P erdg Rog hyo oho Berlin-Moscow-Irkutsk- wy Ss VS BS Aas : A... Manchouli-Harbin- | % : tZBAS ; Z an ara
Vladivostok- a Be 5 “teh @ (by sea) to Tsuruga- SF ge? Fp j 3%? =| Fagg. As
Tokyo Pk I ped & 6 ob 5 ee Fah 44 2 7
15 Pfennig... & ee ? soe P 2g i= nage UPU international eet bigs oo” Postcard-Rate. ‘ : ne 3 sated
WESTBOUND-MAIL.. JAPAN-ALBANIA 20 DECEMBER 1927
See, Registered cover, » postmarked at Nagoya
& Kobe, Japan, routed “via Siberia”
sent to Durres-Durazzo, Albania.
21-day transit time. ae @
KO 8 E) | \ Arrival Postmark:
a at
(Reverse)
“Duress,
are 11 January 1928”
Route: Nagoya-Kobe.. by sea
to Viadiwostok-Harbin- Manchouli-Irkutsk-
Moscow-Berlin-Prag- Vienna-Zagreb-Tirana-
Durres
Gurepe 26 Sen.. 10 Sen.. Intemational
Single-Weight (20 grams) Letter-Rate +
16 Sen.. Registration fee
RESUMPTION & EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES 1927.. South Manchuria 1923-1931 Mail to Europe
THE ‘CITY OF MUKDEN’, LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE NORTHERN CHINESE & SOUTHERN MANCHURIAN RAILWAYS, WAS TRANSFER POINT TO THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILWAY NETWORK FOR MOST CHINESE & PACIFIC-ORIGIN MAIL
TO WESTERN RUSSIA, EUROPE & BEYOND.
25 OCTOBER 1927 (Chinese Post Office)
Registered commercial cover, postmarked at Mukden, Manchuria, China,
with route endorsement
“Via Siberia” sent to Radeberg, Saxony, Germany.
11-day transit time!
Transit & Arrival Postmarks; (Reverse)
“Dresden, 5 November 1927” “Radeberg, 5 November 1927”
Route: Mukden-Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin-
Dresden-Radeberg
20 Cents... 10 Cents.. UPU International Single-Weight
(to 20 grams) Letter-Rate + 10 Cents.. Registration fee.
Reverse
RESUMPTION & EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES 1927.. North China 1923-1931 Hostilities
In July 1926, the Chinese Nationalist Party, “The Kuomintang”, under
General Chiang Kai-Shek, commenced an offensive in North China attempting to unify the country, moving northward in May 1927
toward Chili Province and the cities of Peking & Tientsin,
with Japanese intervention in the adjacent Shantung Province.
initially blocking General Chiang’s advance.
DESPITE HOSTILITIES & PRECARIOUS POLITICAL SITUATION IN THE NORTHERN PROVINCES, MAIL APPARENTLY WAS NOT DELAYED NOR RAIL INTERRUPTION OVER THE
TIENTSIN-PEKING-MUKDEN RAIL LINES, CONNECTING WITH THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAIL NETWORK.
34) GENERA
Fs ; POLEDNA WA WEROVSKY C/o. OF. THE JAPAN & CHINA TRADING CO. “FD. {
OTE JOINT @ OWNER AND i
Rowen 14 | = Nop2824 _PRAHA-PRAGUE i.
ieee RASINOVO NABREZI ép. 56/1. REGISTERED TRADE MARK RASIN-QUAL Nro. 56/1.-406.
15 AUGUST 1927 (Chinese Post Office)
Registered commercial cover, postmarked at Tientsin, China, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia” sent to Prague, Czechoslovakia. 14-day transit time.
Arrival Manuscript Marking; “19 August 1927”
Route: Tienstin-Peking-Mukden-Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin-Dresden-Prague
26 Cents... 10+6 Cents.. UPU International Double-Weight (to 40 grams) Letter-Rate
+ 10 Cents Registration fee.
1928.. China-Germany
Printed-Matter Mail
RESUMPTION & EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES 1923-1931
6 OCTOBER 1928
Printed-matter cover,
postmarked at
Shanghai, China, with route endorsement “Via Siberia”,
sent to Bidingen,
Hesse, Germany
Route:
Shanghai- Pukow-Peking- Mukden-Harbin- irkutsk-Moscow- Berlin-Bédingen
2 Cents... International
printed-matter
weighing up to 50 grams
(Validity: 1 January 1923 — 30 June 1930)
RESUMPTION & EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES 1923-1931
MAILFROM = PEKING
24 APRIL 1929 Vie (Chinese Post
Office)
Cover, postmarked at Peking, China,
with route
endorsement “Via Siberia”
sent to Leipzig.
Route: ii : ws Peking-
Mukden-
1929-30.. China-Germany
Commercial Mail
Harbin-
Irkutsk- Moscow-
Berlin-Leipzig
10 Cents... International single-weight
(to 20 grams)
letter-rate. (Validity:
1 January 1923 -30 June 1930) REGISTERED MAIL
A. J. SEREBRENNIKOFF & CO.
A. 1, CEPEBPEHHHKOB u KO.
.. Russian Printing Shop Pycexaa Tunoipagiua
a + WM BR B@ 24 Dickinson Road, Tientsin, Tet. 31222
Registered a
Via Siberia i
Messrs. Walter Birke Buntpapier-Fabrik Biosenthal b.R E RL IW
————_o
FROM TIENTSIN
6 NOVEMBER 1930
Cover, postmarked at Tientsin, China,
with route endorsement
“Registered Via Siberia”
sent to Biesenthal, Germany.
14-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Biesenthal, 20 November 1930”
Route: Tientsin-Peking- Mukden-Harbin- Irkutsk-Moscow- Berlin-Biesenthal
30 Cents... 15 Cents.. Single-
weight international letter-rate +
15 Cents Registration fee.
(Validity: 1 July 1930 -
31 January 1931)
RESUMPTION & EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES 1928.. Japan-England 1923-1931 Advertising Mail
28 JULY 1928
Advertising/ printed-matter/
commercial mail, postmarked at
Osaka, Japan, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia” sent to London,
England.
Probable Route: Osaka-Tsuruga Vladivostok
(Russia)-Harbin- Manchouli-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin-
Hamburg-England
4 Sen... International
printed-matter rate for mail weighing up
te 50 grams. = ae = ©
soe Te as” PA. ee ere |
Tt lw Occrmevtar Sewine Macumenr aro Accessous co. !
HARA RRR N SD BB
®. e Reverse
RESUMPTION & EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES 1923-1931
SINGLE-WEIGHT MAILTO ENGLAND
9 FEBRUARY 1929 (Japan Post Office)
Cover, postmarked in Japan, with route
endorsement “Via Siberia" sent to Epson
College, Epsom, England.
Route: Japan- (by sea) fo
Viadivostok-Harbin- Manchouli-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin-
Hamburg-England
10 Sen... UPU Intemational Single-Weight
(to 20 grams)
Letter-Rate.
1929.. Japan-Europe
Kx. ISHIDZO MI, No. 5-6, YANAGINOBAMBA BUKKOJI,
KYOTO, JAPAN.
REGISTERED Via SIBERIA
Monsicur PIETRO. IMPERIO CANALE TAVERNAPENTA, 42
(ITALY) | NAPOLI +O.
REGISTERED COMMERCIAL MAIL
TO ITALY
23 AUGUST 1929
Registered commercial cover, postmarked at
Kyoto, Japan, with route endorsement “Via Siberia”
sent to Naples, Italy. 17-day transit time.
Transit & Arrival Postmarks: (Reverse)
“Venice, 8 September 1929" “Naples-Rancom
Railway, 9 September 192?”
Probable Route: Kyoto-Tsuruga-
Vladivostok-Harbin- Manchouli-Irkutsk-
Moscow-Berlin-Munich- Naples
32 Sen... 10+4 Sen..
Double-weight (to 40 grams)
letter-rate + 16 Sen Registration fee.
RESUMPTION & EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES = 1929... Japan-Liechtenstein
1923 - 1931 Mail
The Post Office of the Principality of Liechtenstein, a smail territory located between Switzerland & Austria, was administered by the Swiss Post Office since 1921.
“c/o SEUMALL BROS. P.O. BOX 27
93 ISOBEDORI 4-CHOME
KOBE, JAPAN.
Per &%.......Pizst Mail CVI A
ae ee AR RE a TER ED
Messrs. H. Ogpelt Esqz.,
endern F. 0. Eschen, F. lL.
Alberg Route,
SWITZERLAND.
DOUBLE-WEIGHT REGISTERED RETURN-RECEIPT COMMERCIAL MAIL
FORM JAPAN TO LIECHTENSTEIN
19 SEPTEMBER 1929
Commercial cover, postmarked
at Kobe, Japan, with route endorsement “Via Siberia”
sent to Bendern, Principality of Liechtenstein, using the “Alberg (Mountain) Route, Switzerland”. 18-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Eschen, 7 October 1929”
Probable Route: Kobe.. by sea to Dalny- (by rail) to
Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin-Basel-Zurich-Liechtenstein
48 Sen... 10 Sen + 6 Sen.. Double-weight letter (to 40 grams)
+ 16 Sen.. Registration fee + 16 Sen.. Retumn-receipt fee
RESUMPTION & EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES 1929 .. Zeppelin Mail 1923 - 1931 “Via Siberia” to Japan
THE ‘GRAF ZEPPELIN’ ROUND-THE-WORLD FLIGHT OF 1929
canied commercial mail to Tokyo with other-destination-mail being forwarded by airmail from Tokyo.
Zeppelin Route: Friedrichshafen-Berlin- Danzig-K6nigsberg-Irkutsk-Tokyo
(15-19 August 1929)
GRAP ZEPPELIN FLIGHT FROM GERMANY TO JAPAN ‘VIA SIBERIA’
WITH AIRMAIL FORWARDING FROM TOKYO-SHANGHAI
15 AUGUST 1929
Cover, postmarked at Friedrichshafen, Germany, having route endorsement “With Air Ship Graf Zeppelin to Tokyo”
& supplemental routing cachet marking “Friedrichshafen (Bodensee) - Tokyo”
sent to Shanghai, China. 9-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Shanghai, 23 August 1929”
RM 4.00... Zeppelin Intemational Letter-Rate.
RESUMPTION & EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES 1923-1931
BECAUSE OF INSTABILITY IN
NORTH CHINA AND POTENTIAL MAIL TRANSIT DELAYS,
MAIL FROM SHANGHAI
(Central Coastal China) WAS
ROUTED BY SEATO JAPAN AND RUSSIA WITH MOVEMENT
OVER THE NORTHERN BRANCH
OF THE TRANS- SIBERIAN RAIL NETWORK TO
EUROPE.
1929.. China-England
Commercial Mail
‘Via Japan and Siberia’
27 DECEMBER 1929 (Chinese Post Office)
Registered commercial cover, postmarked at
Shanghai, China, with route endorsement “Via Japan and Siberia"
sent to Manchester, England.
Route: Shanghai- (by sea) to Japan
& Viadivostok (Russia)- Harbin-Manchouli-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin-Hamburg-
England
31 Cents... 10+6 Cents.. Double-weight
(to 40 grams) intemational letter-rate +
15 Cents.. Registration fee
(Validity: 1 October 1925 - 30 June 1930)
RESUMPTION & EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES 1929.. Sinkiang-Sweden 1923-1931 ‘Hedin Expedition’ Mail
SVEN HEDIN organized & led international SINO-SWEDISH EXPEDITIONS THROUGH Mongolia, the Gobi Desert and SINKIANG
PROVINCE OF CHINA between 1927-1935, with archeologists, astronomers, botanists, geographers, geologists, meteorologists and zoologists from Sweden, Germany and China, resulting in findings which are still today being published
and used in research.
THE EXPEDITION’S ASTRONOMER WAS ‘NILS PETER AMBOLT',
SINKIANG INSPECTED & CENSORED y,
MAILTO SWEDEN vay, S
13 FEBRUARY 1929
‘Nils Peter Ambolt’ cover, br
postmarked at an Tihwa (Wulumuchi/Urumchi), Sinkiang,
inspector-censored
(label attachment/red chop) at T’ach’eng
(Tahcheng/Dahcheng), Sinkiang (border town with Russia),
with route endorsement Front “Via Siberia - Moscow” sent to Lund, Sweden. Probable Route:
(Caravan-route) .. Transit Postmark: Tihwa-Tahcheng-Sarebryansk (Russia)-
(front) (by rail) Omsk-Moscow- “Tahcheng, St. Petersburg-(ship) Stockholm-Lund
28 February 1929” 10 Cents...
UPU International Single-Weight (1/2 ounce) Letter-Rate
RESUMPTION & EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES 1929-30.. China-Germany
1923-1931 Commercial Mail
MAIL FROM a a tn aoe
PEKING a Ue lee
24 APRIL 1929 eo {Chinese Post
Office)
Cover, postmarked : oe { :
at Peking, han China,
with route ‘ endorsement ay . Wiis . dh, “Via Siberia”
sent to Leipz;ig. £ -
Route: - -
Peking- Mukden- Harbin- 10 Cents... International
- single-weight
Ll (to 20 grams) Reverse oe letter-rate.
Berlin-Leipzig (Validity:
1 January 1723 -30 June 1930)
REGISTERED MAIL FROM TIENTSIN
ee ee 6 NOVEMBER 1930
: } Cover, postmarked
A. J. SEREBRENNIKOFF & CO. A. 4. CEPEBPEHHHKOB u KO. at Tientsin, China,
esas : : with route Russian Printing Shop is Pycenaa Tunowpagiua = endorsement
i : ‘ : “Registered
eS : Via Siberia”
a = Al bet ss = sent to Biesenthal, 24 Dickinson Road, Tientsin, Tel. 31222 Germany.
14-day transit time.
isters po a Arrival Postmark: aos \ (Reverse)
Vie Siberia Pe oe “Biesenthal,
Messrs. Walter Birke : 20 November 1930” Buntpapier-Fabrik Biesenthal b.R ER LIN © ___ Route:
Tientsin-Peking- Mukden-Harbin- Irkutsk-Moscow- Berlin-Biesenthal
30 Cents... 15 Cents.. Single-
weight international
letter-rate + 15 Cents
Registration fee. (Validity:
1 July 1930 - 31 January 1931)
RESUMPTION & EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES 1930.. China-Argentina
1923-1931 Mail
CHINATO SOUTH AMERICA ‘VIA SIBERIA” & EUROPE MAIL
23 APRIL 1930
(Chinese Post Office)
Commercial cover, postmarked at Chefoo, China, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia”
sent to Buenos Aires, Argentina. 32-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark (Reverse)
“Buenos Aires, 19 May 1930”
Probable Route: Chefoo- (by sea) to Dalny-Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin- Hamburg-
(by sea) to Buenos Aires
10 Cents...
UPU International Single-Weight (20 grams) Letter-Rate (Validity: 1 Jan 1923 - 30 June 1930)
RESUMPTION & EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES e e e e
1923-1931
IN AN EFFORT TO PREVENT THE PURCHASE & RESALE ELSEWHERE OF POSTAGE STAMPS SOLD IN MANCHURIA, WHERE THE CURRENCY WAS DEPRECIATED,
IN 1927 THE CHINA POST OFFICE OVERPRINTED THEIR REGULAR ISSUE OF 1923-1926
FOR USE IN THE PROVINCES OF KIRIN & HELLUNGKIANG.
AGRE
1930.. North Manchuria
Mail to Southern Europe
am On uy Vese ler ft
Mirin rh [3,4 fla hir
Ct chen
23 AUGUST 1930 (Chinese Post Office)
Registered commercial mail, postmarked at Harbin, Manchuria, China, with route endorsement
“Via Russia”
sent to Athens, Greece. 21-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark (Reverse)
“Athens, 13 September 1930”
Probable Route: Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin-Munich-Vienna-Zagreb-Belgrade- Athens
25 Cents... 15 Cents.. Single-weight (to 20 grams) leHter-rate
+ 10 Cents registration fee. (Validity: 1 July 1930 - 28 February 1931)
RESUMPTION & EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES 1930 .. ‘Via Siberia’ 1923 - 1931 DERULUFT Airmail
Airmail between Europe & the Soviet Union commenced soon after the conclusion of a peace treaty between Germany & the USSR in May 1921 along with establishment of DERULUFT, a joint
Russian-German Airline, in November 1921. The first air service route was between Moscow and K6nigsberg, East Prussia, Germany, in May 1922.
BY 1930, A MORE EXTENSIVE AIR ROUTE OF ‘BERLIN-DANZIG-KONIGSBERG-RIGA-SMOLENSK- MOSCOW- IRKUTSK’ (Siberia) TOOK EFFECT.
/ Be Obensus -
6 °° MAX NOSSLER & CO., G.M.B.H. 458 KIANGSE ROAD P.O. BOX 771 [Oe IN ne
Registered
By Air Mail: |.
sit fatipeR BEES Hofternt 7 fe :
Koeln am Rhein rermeany vis. Siberia
18 AUGUST 1930 Sechinesd wommneet| core, pushveriad CHINA-GERMANY COMMERCIAL MAIL BY RAILWAY FROM SHANGHAI TO IRKUTSK at Shanghai, China, with
Chinese/French/German/Russian cachets AND AIRMAIL FROM IRKUTSK TO GERMANY
“Par Avion”, “Luftpost” (= Airmail) sent to Cologne, Germany, 18-day transit time.
Transit & Arrival Postmarks (Reverse)
“Harbin, 23 August 1930” "Moscow, 3 & 5 September 1930” “Cologne, 5 September 1930”
Route: Rail: Shanghai-Pukow-Peking-Mukden-Harbin- Irkutsk
Air: Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin-Cologne
$3.63... 15+9+9 Cents.. triple-weight letter (60 grams) +
15 Cents.. Registration fee + 45 Cents.. Air Surcharge (China/Zone 3) +
$1.50.. Airmail Irkutsk-Moscow + $1.20.. Airmail Moscow-Germany
Reverse
RESUMPTION & EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES 1931 .. ‘Via Siberia’
1923 - 1931 DERULUFT & EURASIA Airmail
In February 1930, ‘Eurasia Aviation Corporation’ (China) was established
with commencement of service in 1931 having three main routes, one of which was Shanghai to Manchouli (Manchuria).
Together with the earlier-established air carriers DERULUFT/DOBROLET & EURASIA, using
the rail network, enabled movement of mail by ‘air-land-air’ from Shanghai to Berlin
in less time than by rail alone.
BY 1931, EUROPEAN AIRMAIL COULD BE SENT FROM BERLIN TO IRKUTSK WITH DERULUFT-DOBROLET
AIRLINES, THEN BY RAILWAY FROM IRKUTSK TO MANCHOULI (Manchuria), THEN AGAIN BY EURASIA AIRLINES FROM MANCHOULI-PEKING-SHANGHAI
UFTPOST Va
since another plane on the same route was shot down on 2 July 1931, whereupon air traffic was interrupted. Occupation of Manchuria by Japanese Forces
in September 1931 ended the air route Manchouli-Peking.
25 JUNE 1931 Airmail cover, postmarked
at Gotha, Germany, with route-endorsement “Par avion au dela de Moscow ef en Chine" & “Via Siberia”
sent to Shanghai, China. 17-day transit time.
Transit & Arrival Postmarks: (Reverse)
“Berlin, 26 June 1931” "Manchouli, 7 July 1931”
“Shanghai, 11 July 1931”
RM 1.25.. 25 Pfg.. UPU Single-Weight (20 grams) International Letter-Rate +
1.00.. Single weight airmail surcharge
RESUMPTION & EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES 1923 - 1931
1931 .. Rail & Airmail
to North America
North American-Bound mail from Western Siberia was routed
BY RAIL TO MOSCOW, AIRMAIL TO BERLIN WITH LUFTHANSA & SURFACE TO AMERICA.
COMMERCIAL REGISTERED MAIL FROM WESTERN SIBERIA TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Sender was an American engineer working for Freyn Engineering Company of Chicago, contractor to build a steel plant at Kuznetsk. Wellman Engineering Company of Cleveland,
the recipient, manufactured equipment for the plant.
12 SEPTEMBER 1931
Registered commercial airmail, postmarked Kuznetsk, Siberia, sent to Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.,
17-day transit time.
Transit & Arrival Postmarks (Reverse)
“Kuznetzk, 12 September 1931” "Berlin, 17 September 1931”
“ New York, 25 September 1931” “Cleveland, 2? September 1931”
Route: Rail.. Kuznetzk-Tomsk-Moscow
Air.. Moscow-Berlin Surface.. Berlin-Hamburg-New York-Cleveland
70 Kopecks.. Single-weight (20 grams) international registered airmail
Reverse
RESUMPTION & EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES 1931 .. Northern Rail Route 1923 - 1931 Japan- Austria
Despite political and border tensions between Russia & Japan involving Manchuria, mail sent from Japan to Europe continued to be moved by sea
from Tsuruga, Japan, to Vladivostok, Russia, and then continued OVER THE “NORTHERN” ALL-RUSSIA TRANS-SIBERIAN
RAIL ROUTE TO MOSCOW-BERLIN AND BEYOND.
Dr. OTTO KRESTA
c/o 8. GOTO FU-UNDO COMPANY. LTD.
AWAJICHO, KANDA : TOKYO, JAPAN
JAPAN-AUSTRIA REGISTERED COMMERCIAL MAIL
19 DECEMBER 1931 (Japanese Post Office)
Commercial registered cover, postmarked Tokyo, Japan, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia”, sent to Vienna, Austria.
Route: Tokyo-Tsuruga- (by-sea) to Viadivostok- (by-rail) to Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin- Vienna
26 Sen.. 10 Sen.. Single-weight (20 grams) international letter-rate
+
16 Sen.. Registration fee
RESUMPTION & EXPANSION OF MAIL SERVICES 1931 .. China-Germany Mail
1923 - 1931 Prior to ‘Mukden Incident” & Japanese Invasion of Manchuria
Under the pretense that
the Chinese were sabotaging the railroad between Mukden &
Port Arthur in Manchuria
PRINTED-MATTER MAIL TO GERMANY JUST PRIOR
TO THE “MUKDEN INCIDENT”
10 AUGUST 1931 (Chinese Post Office)
Printed-matter wrapper,
postmarked at Tientsin, China, with route
endorsement
sent to Holzminden, Germany.
Route: Tientsin-Peking-Mukden-Harbin-
Irkutsk-Moscow-
Berlin-Brunswick-Holzminden
4 Cents.. UPU International
Printed-Matter Rate (up to 50 grams)
VIII. HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA 1932 Shanghai Invasion
1931-1939 Eyewitness Mail
In July 1931, the new Chinese Government supported a BOYCOTT OF JAPANESE GOODS AS A RESULT OF ANTI-CHINESE RIOTS IN
JAPANESE-OCCUPIED KOREA.
That situation along with Japanese insinuation of Chinese sabotage to the rail line between Mukden (THE ‘MUKDEN INCIDENT’) and Port Arthur on the Liaotung Peninsula, Japanese
controlled territory, resulted in Japanese Forces (18 September 1931) entering and occupying the eastern Manchurian cities of Antung, Changsun (Hsiking), Kirin & Yinkow along with Harbin by 1932, resulting in interruption of operation on the eastern Chinese & southern
Manchurian rail line sections of the trans-Siberian network.
ON 26 JANUARY 1932, HOSTILITIES ALSO COMMENCED AT SHANGHAI WITH BOMBARDMENT OF THE CITY AND LANDING OF JAPANESE FORCES.
6 FEBRUARY 1932 Up-rated postal stationery card, postmarked at Shanghai, China,
with route endorsement
“Via Siberia”, written by a German printer working in Shanghai, sent to his
brother & sister-in-law at Leipzig, Germany.
“Dear Brother Oscar & Friedel, in the meantime, you have, no doubt, heard about the tumult in Shanghai. The Japanese took revenge for the loss which they had because of the boycott (of Japanese goods). The battle is currently continuing. The Japanese are particularly out for us at our company, The Commercial Press. It was in flames on the
first night from bombers. It is, however, our hope that everything is fireproof and a Jot can be rescued. Since the Commercial Press is relatively capital strong, everything will be rebuilt.
| personally have to temporarily suffer. | have moved my apartment to the consulate, and when everything is again clear, | shall go back to my old apartment. Otherwise | have emerged well from the affair.”
“All Russia” Northern Route:
Shanghai- (by sea) to Viadivostok- (by rail) to Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin-Leipzig
15 Cents... UPU Intemational Postcard-Rate
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA 1931-1932 ..
1931-1939 Japan-Germany Commercial Mail
ae ona, ae ae PRINTED MATTER ak Yuasa & Co.
GINZA MAIN STREET TOKYO. JAPAN
13 DECEMBER 1931
Printed-matter cover, postmarked
at Tokyo, Japan,
with route endorsement “Via Siberia” le*ander 3erezowski
to Gérlitz, Germany ¥ia arsed en eee
pea oh Goerlitz Route:
Tokyo-Vladivostok- Germany Tschita-Irkutsk- BS Moscow- ey MATTER Berlin-Gorlitz FD Rl
2 Sen.. International
printed-matter rate
for mail weighing up ia: to 50 grams. AS
= &
REGISTERED MAIL
THE HISHIH!RA‘CO., LTD. GENERAL IMPORTERS & EXPORTERS
P, 0. BOX NO. 16 OSAKA, JAPAN
VIA SIBERIA
7 SEPTEMBER 1932
Registered cover, postmarked at Osaka,
Japan, with route es; endorsement
Vereinigte Schmirgel-u. Mas¢Minen-¥abriken “Via Siberia” : to Hanover-Hainholz,
26-day transit time.
Meserse
Hannover-Hainholz,
\ a Arrival Postmark: Germa : (Reverse)
“Hannover, 3 October 1932”
Route: Tokyo-Vladivostok-
Tschita-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin-Hanover
REGISTERED. = sp Double-weight
(20-40 grams)
international letter-rate +
10 Sen.. Registry fee
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA British Forces
1931-1939 ‘China Garrison’
The ‘Boxer Protocol Peace Agreement’ signed by China and twelve nations in September 1901 permitted the establishment of foreign garrisons in selected areas of China
along with military post offices.
BRITISH MILITARY POST OFFICES WERE ESTABLISHED AT SHANGHAI IN JANUARY 1926 (UNTIL 1940) AND AT TIENTSIN (UNTIL NOVEMBER 1937).
SOLDIER’S MAIL TO ENGLAND
30 JANUARY 1931
i a
Cover, postmarked at “Field Post Office 1”
with route endorsement “Via Siberia" sent to Alton,
Hampshire, England.
Probable Route: Shanghai-Pukow-Peking- Mukden-Harbin-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin-Hamburg-
England
1% Pence... Military concession single-weight
(to 20 grams)
letter-rate.
SAILOR’S MAILTO
ENGLAND
DECEMBER 1933
Cover, written by a sailor aboard a British naval vessel at Shanghai, un-postmarked &
< un-franked with route endorsement “Via Siberia”,
_ sent to Plymouth, Devon, England, with postage
3 & penalty due.
Arrival Postmark: 3 “Received from _ HLM. Ships.. London, -
January 1934”
"Vik bIBBREA ~ RECEIVED FROM:
|.M, SHIPS =]
stowou SB. ?
' - PLYMOUTH.
DEVEN.
E ; : ] Probable Route:
: Shanghai-(by sea) \ ; = Dalny-Vladivostok- % , 5 Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin- es - iad Hamburg-London
3 Pence Postage Due:
1% single-weight letter +1% penalty
HOSTILITIES & WAR INMANCHURIA & CHINA
1931-1939
French Forces’
‘China Garrison’
In addition to British Forces remaining in China after the Boxer Conflict, French Forces remained retaining their military post offices at both Shanghai & Tientsin as well as aboard their Yangtze River Fleet
and at Shaameen Island, Canton.
ERICERIE > FRUITS
J. QUEGUINER 19, Rue des Minimes, 19
Se POL~DE~LEON
( inistere)
INBOUND UNDER-FRANKED COVER FROM FRANCE SENT TO AN OFFICER WITH THE FRENCH FAR EAST FORCES AT SHANGHAI
31 DECEMBER 1932
inbound cover, postmarked at Saint-Pol-de-Leon, France, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia” sent to Shanghai, China,
with short postage + penalty due. 33-days transit time.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Shanghdi, 2 February 1932”
Probable Route: France-Berlin-Moscow-Irkutsk-Harbin-Mukden-
Peking-Pukow-Shanghai
Fr. 0.50 postage ...
with 33 Cents postage + penalty due (covering Fr. 1.50 rate applicable)
Reverse
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA —1932.. Suspended Mail Service
1931-1939 Eastern Manchuria
By 1932, Japanese
Forces had occupied most of
Eastern Manchuria and controlled the Chinese Eastern &
Southern Manchurian Rail
Line intersection at
Harbin,
part of the
southern trans-
Siberian rail network, with MAIL FLOW TO
EASTERN MANCHURIA
NOW INTERRUPTED,
RE-DIRECTED, HELD AND/OR RETURNED TO
SENDER.
27 DECEMBER 1932 (German Post Office)
Printed-matter wrapper, postmarked at Munich, Germany, with route
endorsement “Via Siberia”
sent to Yenki, Kirin Province, Eastem
Manchuria,
“Service Suspended” to Yenki because of hostilities from the
Japanese inyasion and ongoing occupation of Manchuria. Mail also marked “Return fo
Sender” (probably at Harbin) and re-directed
to the Chinese Post Office at Shanghai. first arriving
there on 6 February 1933.
Probable Route: Munich-Berlin-Moscow-
Irkutsk-Harbin- interruption and re- direction in 1933 to
Shanghai
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA 1932-1934.. “Via America”
1931-1939 Mail Routing
Between 1932-1934, Japanese occupation of Manchuria resulted in a Chinese boycott of mail service to Manchuria causing an interruption of mail traffic
to/from Europe over the Manchurian & Eastern Chinese Railways’ portion of the Trans-Siberian-Far East Network.
TO BYPASS THE INTERRUPTION, THE GERMAN POST OFFICE ROUTED FAR-EAST-BOUND MAIL “VIA AMERICA”
Teste Hf. jokes AAO. ot 75
*
csr Sa Lecreal( ff
29 JULY 1933 (German Post Office)
Registered cover, postmarked at Wuppertal-Elbertfeld, with route endorsement
“Via America” sent to Shanghai, China. 31day transit time.
Arrival Postmark:
“Shanghai, 29 August 1933”
Route: Wuppertal Elberfeld-Hamburg-New York-San Francisco-Shanghai
60 Pfennig... 25 Pfg.. Single-weight (20 grams) international letter-rate +
30 Pfg.. Registration fee + 5 Pfg.. Convenience franking
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA 1932... Formosa & Korea..
1931-1939 Mail to Europe
The Sino-Japanese War of 1895 with resulting ‘Peace Treaty of Shimonoseki’ acknowledged the independence of Korea, albeit with Japan effectively controlling the government ending with full annexation in 1910. Under the same treaty, Formosa
was ceded to Japan and remained occupied uniil its WWII defeat in 1945.
JAPANESE POSTAGE STAMPS & RATES WERE USED IN KOREA FROM 1905-1945 AND ON FORMOSA FROM 1895-1946.
FORMOSA TO Vite tba pd re ae SWITZERLAND PRINTED-
Herm Warmer Nagel) 31 DECEMBER 1932
Printed-matter, Zz eas ol hove ers
postmarked at Taihoku (Taipei), Formosa, with
route endorsement . : 4
“Via Siberia” 7? Capes Ayeben ole to ZGrich, Switzerland. 7.
=s
Probable Route: 4 ou eh
7 pele, : ———
Taipei-Viadivostok-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin-Basel-
ZGrich
2 Sen... Printed-matter rate j {to 50 grams). = og
COMMERCIAL
MAIL FROM
KOREA TO
GERMANY
28 MARCH 1932
os Commercial
= mail, Ne: co Py postmarked at
M7 Of Keijo (Seoul), ~ Korea, with
route endorsement “Via Siberia” to Stuttgart,
Germany.
5 R oO
a oO Fr. Wechsstie Herren
Stu? icaR oS Route:
Baar ae moe shes oe eso ee Seoul-
Viadivostok- Irkutsk-
Z ; Moscow-Berlin-
GERMANY! Stuttgart
: 10 Sen..
UPU
International
Single-Weight (20 grams) Letter-Rate
HOSTILITIES & WAR INMANCHURIA & CHINA 1931-1939
1932.. Rise of "Manchukuo”
By 18 February 1932, “
oO
4’was occupied by Japanese forces,
establishing the Japanese vassal-state of “M Kt having its capital at Changsun (renamed “Hsinking”) with
abdicated (1912) Chinese Emperor Henry Pu-Yi, as regent.
JO” in March,
25 MAY 1937
Commercial cover, postmarked at Harbin,
Manchukuo,
with route endorsement “Via America’
sent to Basel (Basle), Switzerland
Route: Harbin-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin
Frankfurt/Main-Basel
20 Fen... Single-Weight
Intemational
Letter-Rate
"
hy Me \
19 Fever 1.
12 DECEMBER 1937
Registered cover, postmarked at Harbin,
Manchukuo, with route endorsement
sent to Kazanlik, Bulgaria.
17-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark:
“Kazanlik, 2? December
1937”
Route:
Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow- Berlin-Munich-Vienna-
Bulgaria
36 Fen... 20 Fen.. Single-Weight
Letter-Rate + 16 Fen.. Registration fee
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA 1932-1934 Manchuria .. 1931-1939 Chinese Mail Boycott
THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION
OF MANCHURIA & ITS VASSAL-STATE ‘MANCHUKUO’, boycotting mail to/through ‘via the trans-Siberian rail network’ .... ending in 1935... with bypassing such boycott with Europe-bound mail only by courier mail to Manchukvo for forwarding with the
Manchurian Rail/Trans-Siberian Railways, or by ship ‘via Suez’ or ‘via America’.
aa aaa Enea
(6) JUNE 1934 Cerf. Haveman
Triple-weight cover, 15 Cents franking, postmarked at Shanghai, sent to the German Embassy at Peiping (8 June 1934) requesting mail be forwarded to Germany (manuscript note on cover front) attempting to bypass Chinese postal boycott,
Mail, affixed with Japanese postage (10 Sen) for a single-weight cover, re-directed address applied, taken by courier and dropped in a Mukden mailbox, postmarked 1 December 1934;
Mail found to be under-franked by the Japanese Post Office requiring 30 Centimes/Pfennig postage due;
Because of damage, the cover was officially sealed at Kétzschenbroda, Germany, with delivery on 15 December 1934 per manuscript note
on reverse of cover.
Route endorsement: “Germany via Siberia”. 192 day transit time.
Route: Shanghai-Peiping-Moukden (by courier)-Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow-
Berlin-Kétzschenbroda
1935.. Commercial Mail
Manchukuo-Germany
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA
1931-1939
MAILTO ‘GERMAN BANK FORCOLONIAL-
GERMAN ; HARBIN (CHINA) SETTLEMENTS’ Samannaja No. 1.
P.O. Box 424,
3 May 1935 ry Dee
ee eee eS a
Cover, postmarked at Harbin,
Manchukuo, with route
endorsement “Germany via
Siberia”, sent to Berlin, Germany.
Kreditbank fur suslands & Kolonialdeutsche _
in uiguidevion, |
j : Berlin 9. Route: SSeS saeS See
Harbin-Irkutsk- Schellingstrasse 2. — Moscow-Berlin
i
CATHOLIC MISSION MAIL
DECEMBER, 1935
Cover,
postmarked at Yenki,
Manchukuo,
with route endorsement “Germany Via Siberia" to Bruchsal,
Baden, Germany.
Route: Harbin-Irkutsk- Moscow-Betlin- Stuttgart-Bruchsal 10 Fen...
Single-weight (20 grams) international letter-rate.
HOSTILITIES & WAR = 1933.. Japanese Control of the IN .__ “Liaotung Peninsula”
MANCHURIA & CHINA —_ 1931-1939 :
By 1933, Japanese Forces had control
of Manchuria and
controlled the trans-Siberian railway feeder
lines .. Southern
Manchurian &
Chinese Eastern Railways .. to
DALNY (DARIEN) ON THE CHINESE
LIAOTUNG PENINSULA, WHERE A JAPANESE POST
OFFICE WAS ESTABLISHED.
29 MARCH 1933 (Japanese Post Office)
Registered commercial mail,
postmarked at the Japanese Post Office at Darien, with route
endorsement “Via Siberia”
sent to Paris, France.
Transit Postmark:
“Hsinking,
31 March 1933”
Route:
Darien-Hsinking (Harbin)-Irkutsk-
Moscow-Berlin-Paris 32 Sen...
: 10+6 Sen... Double-
a Sa weight (40 grams) ye intemational
letter-rate + Tey 16 Sen.. Registration
fee
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA 1933.. Missionary Mail
1931-1939 North China-Germany
NORTH CHINA WAS THE FIRST AREA OF CHINATO BE UNITED BY THE NATIONALIST GOVERNMENT OF GENERAL CHANG KAI-SHEK
BETWEEN 1926-1936. Shantung Province in North China
had many German-established missions, hospitals and schools.
SHANTUNG, NORTH CHINA, CATHOLIC MISSION
MAILTO GERMANY
1933
Cover, postmarked at Taikiachwang/Tsining, China
with route endorsement “Via Siberia to Germany”
sent to Fischach/Augsburg, Germany.
Probable Route: Taikiachwang-Peking-Pukow-Shanghai- (by sea) to Viadivostok- (by rail) Kiachta-
Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin-Augsburg-Fischach
25 Cents... Single-weight (20 grams) international letter-rate.
(Validity: 1 February 1931 - 31 January 1936)
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA 1931-1933 ..
1931-1939 Missionary Mail to Germany MISSIONARY MAIL POSTMARKED =e ey ic
1931, 1932, 1933 RHENISH MISSION
2 July 1933 84, BONHAM ROAD.
HONG KONG.
Covers, ——--
postmarked at Hong Kong with Via Siberia.
route endorsement “Via Siberia”
sent to Stuttgart, Germany
Herr n
FR Se
Herrn .
Q 0s Bee T,
RHENISH MISSION 84, BONHAM ROAD,
TEL. 20314 HONG KONG .
I
| : Via Siberia!
ee i i
Probable Route: ee ae
Hong-Kong- ae
(by sea) to
Vladivostok- Soa. Dake.
(by rail) to Tschita-
Irkutsk-Moscow-
Berlin-Stuttgart ;
Stuttgart-Canns ta tti 20Cents. i ————si“(i eet ee ee eee ee eee we ee
International Germany! Wiesenstrasse 52, II.
single-weight 20-777 errs ee
(20 grams) letter-rate
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA 1933/35... >
1931-1939 Hong Kong to Europe
POSTAGE DUE MAIL TO ENGLAND
2 JULY 1933 F VIA SIBERIA
Unfranked, postage due letter cover, postmarked at Hong Kong * ‘i i
(reverse) f gem (( ‘ 1 fe - with route endorsement : s i .
“Via Siberia” sent to Plymouth, Devon,
England
Probable Route: Hong-Kong-
(by sea) to Vladivostok- (by
rail over the northern route) to
Tschita-Ikutsk-Moscow- Berlin-Hamburg-London-
Plymouth
5 Pence Postage Due..
2‘ Pence.. International single-weight letter-rate +
2% Penalty : mi is ails
COMMERCIAL MAILTO SWEDEN f
28 MAY 1935 THE SWEDISH TRADING COMPANY, ae
HONGKONG
fe RR Be BK Cover front, postmarked at Hong Kong
with route endorsement “Via Siberia”
Herr Advokat @.Grinbderg, ONS. ’ oe sentto
Stockholm, Sweden.
Probable
} Route: - STOCKHOLM. a4 | Hong Kong- 8 ES er Se aS Ee - ye |: (by sea)
yal Vladivostok- (by rail over
the northern
_ route) Tschita- irkutsk-Omsk- St. Petersburg-
20 Cents... (by seq) ; Sweden
UPU International Single-Weight (20 grams) Letter-Rate
HOSTILITIES & WAR INMANCHURIA & CHINA 1933/36 ..
1931-1939 China-France Mail
STANDARD LETTER MAIL
14 JULY 1933 (China Post Office)
Single-weight cover postmarked at Peiping, China
with route endorsement
“Via Siberia” to Paris, France.
32-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Paris, 15 August 1933”
CNC 0.25.. Single-weight (20 grams)
International letter-rate. (Validity:
February 1933 - 31 October 1934)
REGISTERED MAIL
4 NOVEMBER 1936 _- Cover, postmarked at
Tientsin, China, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia”, sent to Benon, France.
16-day transit time.
: Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“20 November 1936”
Probable Route: Tientsin-Mukden-Harbin- Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin-
Paris-Benon
CNC 0.50... CNC 0.25 international
“* single-weight (20 grams)
letter-rate +
CNC 0.25 Registration fee
(Validity:1 February 1936 - 31 August 1939)
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA 1934.. Germany-U.S.A.
1931-1939 ‘Via America’ Routed Mail
RESULTING FROMTHE JAPANESE OCCUPATION OF MANCHUKUO & INTERRUPTION
OF THE TRANS-SIBERIAN ROUTE NETWORK BETWEEN 1932-1934, GERMAN-ORIGIN USA-BOUND MAIL WAS ROUTED BY SEA FROM HAMBURG
THROUGH THE EAST COAST, U.S.A.
(yf f
é ) a
‘
A®
% r r
hm PACEI iD
“TRANS-SIBERIAN EXPRESS” ENDORSED-MAIL ROUTED ‘VIA AMERICA’
14 MAY 1934
Advertising cover, postmarked
at Stuttgart, Germany,, with cachet endorsement “Trans Siberian Express”
to Burlingame, California, and re-directed, upon arrival, to Paxton, California.
15-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Burlingame 29 May 1934”
Route:
Stuttgart-Hamburg- (by sea) to New York (by rail) to Chicago-San Francisco- Burlingame-Paxton
25 Pfennig ... Single-weight (20 grams) International letter-rate
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA 1934.. Airmail ‘Via Siberia’
1931-1939 Germany- Japan
Despite the trans-Siberian northern (all Russia) route availability for surface European mail to Japan, |
FASTER AIRMAIL FLGHTS, similar to the 1929 Zeppelin flight,
FOLLOWED THE GOVERNMENT-APPROVED TRAIN ROUTE FOR SAFETY & NAVIGATION PURPOSES.
Einschretben !
oe ae a
POST
x | Herrn
2 em 4 Pa Dr. Kenji Takahashi A a e 2 ie ms Kyoto, Sankyoku/ Japan
z @.:* Tanaka Takahara-cho = 1.
iw = Itsusujime, 26 Banchi
oc aes
REGISTERED COMMERCIAL AIRMAIL GERMANY -JAPAN
6 APRIL 1934 (German Post Office)
Registered commercial airmail, postmarked at Magdeburg-Buckau, Germany,, with endorsement
“Par avion au dela de Moscou” sent to Kyoto, Japan.
Probable Route: Magdeburg-Berlin-Moscow-Irkutsk-Vladivostok-
Tokyo-Kyoto
Mk 1.05... 25 Ptg.. Single-weight (20 grams)
International letter-rate + 50 Pfg.. Airmail Surcharge +
(up to 10 grams)
30 Pfg.. Registration fee
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA 1935.. Airmail ‘Via Siberia’
1931-1939 Chad (Central Africa) to China
REOPENING OF THE SOUTH MANCHURIAN & EASTERN CHINESE RAILWAYS IN 1935
enabled surface European China-bound mail to again transit the full ‘via Siberian’ network, including surface mail to Manchouli
to be forwarded by air with Eurasia Airways to southern China.
AIRMAIL FROM THE FRENCH COLONY OF CHAD TO SHANGHAI
5 AUGUST 1935
Lightweight “Air Afrique” postal stationery cover, postmarked at Fort Lamy, Chad, with endorsement
“Par Avion via Paris-Moscow-Siberia” sent to Shanghai, China.
18-day transit time
Transit Postmarks: (Reverse)
“Paris, 9 August 1935” “Berlin, § August 1935”
Manuscript Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Shanghai, 23 August 1935“
Route: Reverse
Chad-(Air Afrique-Sabena)-Paris-Berlin-Moscow-Irkutsk-
(by rail) to Manchouli-Tientsin-Pukow-Shanghai
Fr 5.00...
Single-weight (10 grams) International letter-rate
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA 1935...
1931-1939 China-Germany Commercial Mail
i OW. LEIDLOFF Pegistered_
voy {8 ae “Via Siberia.
ez Germany.
* Herren ‘
Samson-Apparatebau A. G.,
Frankfurt a/ilain- @sthafen.
SHANGHAI-ORIGIN REGISTERED COMMERCIAL MAIL TO GERMANY
13 JULY 1935
Registered cover, postmarked at Shanghai, China,
with route endorsement
“Registered Via Siberia Germany” to Frankfurt/Main, Germany.
19-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Frankfurt (Main), 31 July 1935”
Probable Route:
Shanghai-Tientsin-Mukden-Harbin-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin- Frankfurt/Main
CNC 0.40...
0.20.. Single-weight (20 grams) International letter-rate +
0.20 Registration fee Reverse (Validity: 1. June 1935 - 31 January 1936)
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA
1931-1939
1936..
China- Austria
Registered Mail
8 FEBRUARY 1936
Registered cover, postmarked at Shanghai, China with endorsement
“Via Siberia ” sent to Vienna, Austria.
Probable Route:
Shanghai-Tientsin-Mukden-Harbin-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin-Munich-Vienna
CNC 0.50...
0.25.. Single-weight (20 grams) International letter-rate +
0.25 Registration fee (Validity: 1. February 1936 - 1 September 1939)
Reverse
HOSTILITIES & WAR INMANCHURIA & CHINA
1931-1939
15 JANUARY 1936
1936..
Japan-Germany
Customs Inspected Mail
Double-weight cover, postmarked
at Tokyo, Japan, 7
with route endorsement “Via Siberia” ; 4 Y with Customs SJAd inspection at
Plaven, Germany.
17 SEPTEMBER 1936
Registered cover, postmarked at Tokyo, Japan, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia” sent to Plauen, Germany,
opened & inspected for possible
currency-violation and officially sealed. 20-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Plauen, 7/8 October 1936”
Route: Tokyo-Vladivostok-Ischita-Irkutsk-Moscow-
Berlin-Leipzig-Plaven
26 Sen...
10+6 Sen.. Double-weight (20-40 grams)
international letter-rate + 10 Sen.. Registration fee
REGISTERED CUSTOMS-INSPECTED JAPAN-GERMANY MAIL
aliberwag Hamtlid eb fynet
} aur [Bait feniiberwagaiig) 2
“ sollamtli@y “P41 z0llamtlia gedffuet
<7 Ber iTeudbermegusig |
geBffac
el e
LS yotiemey geBfinr
Reverse
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA
1931-1939
PRINTED-MATTER
28 NOVEMBER 1935
Printed-matter cover, postmarked at Changyea, Shansi Province, China, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia” sent to Bristol, England.
Probable Route: Changyea, Shanghai- Pukow-Peking-Mukden-
Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow- Berlin-Hanburg-London-
Bristol
4 Cents..
Single-rate (50 grams)
international
printed-matter rate (Validity:
1 June 1935 —31 January 1936)
1935-36..
y > China-England Mail Gf
DOUBLE-WEIGHT
LETTER MAIL
24 OCTOBER 1936
Cover, postmarked
at Wuhu, China, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia” to Radlett, England. 23-day transit time.
Transit Postmark; (Reverse)
“Tientsin, 26 October 1936”
Arrival Marking: (Front)
“16 November 1936”
Probable Route: Wuhv-Tientsin- Peking-Harbin-
Irkutsk-Moscow-
Berlin-Hamburg- England
40 Cents... 25+15 Cents .. Double-weight
(to 40 grams) international letter-rate
(Validity: 1 Feb. 1936 - 31 August 1939)
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA 1936.. Nanking
1931-1939
Already in June, 1928, the Nationalist Government established the City of Nanking as its capital. Between 1928-1936, the National Government, fighting a
civil war with the Communist Government, attempted to unify Chinese provinces
under the “Nationalist Front” of General Chiang Kai-Shek.
‘1936’ WOULD BE THE LAST PEACEFUL CHRISTMAS FOR NANKING.
CHINESE 1936 CRHISTMAS CARD NANKING TO GERMANY
30 NOVEMBER 1936
Printed-matter cover, postmarked at Nanking, China, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia” sent to Berlin-Zehlendorf, Germany.
Transit Postmark: (Reverse)
“Tientsin, 1 December 1936”
Probable Route: Nanking-Tientsin- Peking-Mukden-Harbin-
Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin
(Old Chinese Font)
HOSTILITIES & WAR INMANCHURIA & CHINA __ 1937.. In-Bound China-Mail
1931-1939 Prior to The Fall of Nanking
IN-BOUND ENDORSED “URGENT DESPATCH PRINTED-MATTER”
SENT PRIOR TO THE FALL OF NANKING
11 JULY 1937
Printed-matter cover. postmarked at Berlin, Germany, with route endorsement
Siberia” sent to Nanking, China.
18-day transit time.
Transit Postmark: Arrival Postmark: (Reverse) (Reverse) “Tientsin, “Nanking,
27 July 1937” 29 July 1937”
Probable Route: Berlin-Moscow-Irkutsk-Harbin-Mukden-Tientsin-
Pukow-Shanghai-Nanking
5 Pfennig... Intemational printed-matter rate for mail up to 50 grams in weight.
HOSTILITIES & WAR INMANCHURIA & CHINA 1937.. 1931-1939 ‘Marco Polo Bridge Incident’
(Begin of Sino-Japanese War)
On 7 July 1937, Japanese troops on night maneuvers at
Lukouchiao, about 9 miles SW of Peking,
clashed with Chinese troops, whereupon
Japan sent an ultimatum to China, which was ignored, resulting in Japanese
occupation of PEKING (28 July) & TIENTSIN (29 July). On 11 August, a Japanese naval force landed at
SHANGHAI resulting in fierce fighting.
28 OCTOBER 1937 (China Post Office)
Registered printed- matter front,
postmarked at Shanghai, China,
with route endorsement “Via Siberia”
sent to
Wusterhausen,
Germany.
“This cover was mailed during the
___ Probable Route: on-going hostilities Shanghai- (by ship) to Viadivostok- (by rail) at Shanghai
to Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin- Wusterhausen icaleuneri
35 CNC... 11 August - 10 CNC.. Up to 100 grams printed-matter + 8 November
25 CNC.. Registration fee whereupon the city surrendered.
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA 1937.. The “Panay Incident”
1931-1939 & The Fall of Nanking
Continuing their invasion of China and, having just occupied Shanghai, Japanese Forces attacked the United States Vessel ‘Panay’ as well as British Yangtze River gun boats near Nanking on 12 December 1937.
BY 13 DECEMBER 1937, THE CITY OF NANKING WAS OCCUPIED BY JAPANESE FORCES.
On 20 November 1937, the Nationalist Chinese Government moved to CHUNGKING,
Herrn Oberst Hederich
x
1) JAMIEABY 1987 REGISTERED EXPRESS MAIL SENT FROM THE
Registered express cover, postmarked at IOTH eile ctleercadie aie’ ARY Nanking, China, with route endorsement WEAPONRY’ PRIOR TO THE FALL OF
“Via Siberia --- Germany” sent to Berlin-Charlottenburg, Germany. TENTSIN, PERING 2. MABEING
21-day transit time.
Mea. 2.4 Ga_ Transit Postmark: Arrival Postmark: Ve Virbaliee ater txsceg
(Front) (Reverse) Aes Kee fiicssdncaph osc aca
“Tientsin, “Berlin Charlottenburg, 22
13 January 1937” 1 February 1937” ABS Mormchin
Probable Route: 7 =
Nanking-Tientsin-(by EURASIA) to Irkutsk (by rail) to-Moscow-Berlin
al
id e a €
Reverse
CNC 1.00... 0.25.. Single-weight (20 grams)
international letter-rate + 0.75.. Registered express fee
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA 1931-1939
MAILTO FRENCH AMBASSADOR IN
JAPAN
18 FEBRUARY 1938
Cover, postmarked at Paris, France, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia” sent to Tokyo, Japan.
Route: Paris-Berlin-Moscow-
Irkutsk-Tschita- Viadivostok-Tsuruga-
Tokyo
Fr 1.75... Single-weight
(20 grams) international
letter-rate
1938.. Europe-Japan Mail
‘Via Siberia’ Northern Route
7 Sp insaeiee SEs
DR.
*
Cc. KRAYER
WE 44 C Bluff
Nakaku
YOKOHAMA (JAPAN)
=
7, Gebdudetell, Stodwert oder Pofiféyliepfachnumner
GERMANY-JAPAN POSTAL STATIONERY
CARD MAIL
26 MAY 1938
Postal stationery card, postmarked at Bad Ems, Germany,
with route endorsement “Via Siberia”
sent to Yokohama,
Japan.
Route: — Bad Ems-Berlin- Moscow-irkutsk-
Tschita-Vladivostok- Tsuruga or
Yokohama
15 Pfg... International postcard-rate
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA 1938.. Japan-England Mail
1931-1939 ‘Via Siberia’ All-Russia Route
TRADE SAMPLE PARCELTO ENGLAND
1938
Parcel clip, postmarked Kobe, Japan,
with route endorsement “Via Siberia”
sent to
London, England.
Route:
Kobe-Tsuruga-
Viadivostok- Tschita-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin-
Hamburg-
London
L O N D O N ,
E.
C.
4
C H E A P S I D E ,
’ B O N A - F I D E T R A D E S A M P L E S
a Me af or
N E T W E I G H T
e / P e
Me ss rs .
M. M A K O W E R
&
40 Sen... (2x 20 Sen = New
Die = 18.5x22mm postage stamps) ae
—-
International Commercial
Sample Rate for mail up to
16 ounces in
weight.
40 ,
O L D
C H A N G E ,
S O N D O
ep ot
Ge ne rg ]
Po st
Of fi ce ,
M o u n t
Pl ea sa nt
\
"C /O
Th e
Of fi ce r
of Cu sf om s
an d
Ex ci se
E N G L A N D .
= of
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA
1931-1939
1939.. Blockade of French
& British Concessions at Tientsin
In an effort to enforce their control of occupied China and the objective to have the existing small but important French & British garrisons at Tientsin, protecting
their respective concessions there, evacuated, ON 14 JUNE 1939, THE JAPANESE BLOCKADED THOSE CONCESSIONS.
Vit oo DERE
fBer- fll; y” 2
FREE-FRANK FRENCH SOLDIER’S MAIL FROM THE FRENCH FAR EAST MILITARY ARSENAL AT TIENTSIN
AUGUST 1938
Single-weight free-frank cover, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia” sent to Dachstein, France.
Cachet Mark:
“Occupation Corps for China
Quartermaster”
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Dachstein,
9 September 1938”
by 6? bl flake. 16° $70 PPC dssenal te bed BeF Clore fad
Probable Route:
Tientsin-Peking-Mukden-Harbin- Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin-Strasburg-Dachstein Reverse
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA
GERMAN CUSTOMS INSPECTED & RESEALED
REGISTERED MAIL
8 MARCH 1939
Cover, postmarked Shanghai, China, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia", to Hamburg, Germany, Inspected & resealed. 17-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Hamburg, 25 March 1939”
Route: Shanghai-Pukow- Tientsin-Mukden-
Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow- Berlin-Hamburg
CNC 0.50... CNC 0.25.. Single-
weight (20 grams) international letter-rate +CNC 0.25.. Registry fee
(Validity: 1 February 1939 -
1 September 1939)
1939.. China-Germany Mail
1931-1939 Prior to Outbreak of WW II
= > mes an
pabcom Shanghai Nurseries P.0.Box 318 bung
3 Shanghei, Chine. 4 Se eo cw evi tn ee eae ae On one ae aa
. The Aguerium Hamburg, Sf
Richardstrasse 47,
Hamburg 22,
GHRALANY »
VIA SIBERIA
SHANGHAI
R No. 16086
= _ COMMERCIAL PRINTED MATTER MAIL
3 JANUARY 1939
Herrn
Max Morgenroth und
i.H.Berger & Wirth, Farbenfabriken
Frau Gemahlin
Waldbaurstr. 2
Cover, printed matter postmarked at
Shanghai, China, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia” sent to Leipzig,
Germany.
Route: Shanghai-Pukow- Tientsin- Mukden-
Harbin-Irkutsk-Moscow- Berlin-Leipzig
CNC 0.10... International printed matter rate up to
100 grams. (Validity:
1 February 1936 — 1 September 1939)
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA 1939-41.. Refugee Mail
1931-1939 to Shanghai
The Gleichschalfung Law (so-called “political coordination” law = elimination of opponents) by the ‘Third Reich’ Government and the impact of societal regulations of the
‘Nuremberg Laws of 1935’, amended in 1938, people of Jewish faith attempted emigration. Palestine, as a destination, was closed by the British, while a number of countries were unwilling to accept refugees.
SHANGHAI REMAINED AS A FREE TRANSIT PORT AND DID NOT REQUIRE VISA ENTRY.
THE INFLUX OF REFUGEES TO CHINA RESULTED IN ELEVATED MAIL TRAFFIC FROM EUROPE, BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1939 - JUNE 1941 .. NOT REQUIRING SPECIFIC ROUTE ENDORSEMENT.
'rau Lilli Danziger, cfé Stern
Chaoufongroad, Lane 280 House 5
§ ban eh asi. (Chima )
18 APRIL 1941 CHINA-BOUND ‘VIA SIBERIA’ REFUGEE GERMAN-CENSORED MAIL SENT BY
Cover, postmarked at “SIEGFRIED ‘ISRAEL’ FLEISCHMANN” Nuremberg, Germany, without route endorsement TO REFUGEE “LILI DANZIGER” AT SHANGHAI
sent to Shanghai, China
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse) Se Stacttzenes 5
“Shanghai, sees 1941”
ag er
of in
et
Probable Route: Nuremberg-Berlin-Moscow-Irkutsk-Harbin-Mukden- 4
Tientsin-Pukow-Shanghai
e y e
25 Pfennig... /
Single-weight (20 grams) =
international letter-rate Reverse
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA 1939.. German Refugee
1931-1939 Early Mail to Shanghai
EARLY IN-BOUND REFUGEE MAIL WAS SENT TO THE SHANGHAI POST OFFICE AS ‘GENERAL DELIVERY’ UPON WHICH THE RECIPIENT PAID A STORAGE FEE UPON RECEIPT.
Upon the advent of the German Third Reich in 1933, the addressee, an attorney, was forced to give up his law practice, survived as a stamp dealer until 1938
when he was arrested, permitted in 1939 to emigrate with his wife to Shanghai, and again emigrated after WWII, under the German-immigration quota, to the United States,
where he lived and died at Salt Lake City in 1982 at age of 81 years old.
RAILWAY-POSTED (VIOLATION) GENERAL DELIVERY ENDORSED MAIL SENT BY “EMMY LICHENHEIM"” TO REFUGEE SON “DR. MAX LICHENHEIM” AT SHANGHAI
~ hj won Linen
- 2b MAY 1938
ee ) Ma: - /, oe ne
De © General Bp ah of
uot Me Pais
De i e
h af : i
(hina. a
29 APRIL 1939
Un-inspected mail, lacking sender's “Sara” insert
(violation), postmarked aboard “Train 285” from Tl. feeheriitis Hag Stralsund-Rostock, Germany, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia” , with acceptance from Shanghai general-delivery on
22 May 1939... with 5 Cents fee paid.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Shanghai, 20 May 1939”
Probable Route:
Rostock-Berlin-Moscow-Irkutsk-Harbin-Mukden-
Tientsin-Pukow-Shanghai
Reverse
25 Pfennig...
Single-weight (20 grams) international letter-rate
HOSTILITIES & WAR IN MANCHURIA & CHINA
1931-1939 to Shanghai
MUNICH-
HAVING NO VISA RQUIREMENTS, AN ESTIMATED TWENTY THOUSAND EUROPEAN JEWS FOUND TEMPORARY HOMES AT SHANGHAI
with some starting businesses, schools, theaters, etc., until they could obtain visas to America, Australia, etc., or continued residency
SHANGHAI “ISAAC”
CENSORED MAIL
24 JANUARY 1941
Cover, postmarked at
Munich, Germany, with
route endorsement “Via Siberia”
sent to Shanghai, China.
Route: Munich-Berlin- Moscow-Irkutsk- Harbin-Mukden- Tienstsin-Pukow-
Shanghai
Doe ee Peed TS APRILII4I
= nap see per
J & Mr. & Mrs.
D. Pappenheimer
Via Sibierien China
va livin)
Cover,
postmarked at Berlin. Germany,
with route
BERLIN- SHANGHAI “SARA"
CENSORED
1939-41.. Refugee Mail
meet
endorsement “via Siberia”
Lap pled sent to Shanghai, China.
Route: @ hy 0 Xx d / Berlin-
Moscow- ati a. “i Irkutsk-
oe Harbin- Mukden-
25 Pfennig ... Tientsin- Single-weight (20 grams) international letter-rate. Pukow-
(Validity: 1 January 1925 - April 1945) Shanghai
HOSTILITIES & WAR INMANCHURIA & CHINA _1937-41.. Jewish Refugee Mail
1931-1939 from Shanghai SHANGHAI- VIENNA
CENSORED MAIL F —
12 FEBRUARY
1940 ; oe 1 eee
Cover,
postmarked Shanghai, China,
with route endorsement “Via Siberia”
sent to Vienna, Austria.
Route: Shanghai-
Pukow-Tientsin- Mukden-Harbin- Irkutsk-Moscow- , ae : thiteeay vo _
Berlin- Vienna ;
CNC 0.50... Single-weight
(20 grams) international rEg i t fee.
letter-rate : g (Validity:
1 Sept. 1939 - 31 Oct. 1941)
SHANGHAI- FRANKFURT/
MAIN CENSORED MAIL
320 SZECHUBNYROAD SHANGHAN.CHINA
16 APRIL 1941
7 Postcard,
postmarked at Shanghai, China,
with route indication
s “Via Siberia” 4 é sent to is ; it Frankfurt/Main
“Op, ,* *. Germany.
“ome ss Route:
Shanghai-Pukow- aon Tientsin-Mukden-
Harbin-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin- Frankfurt/Main
CNC 0.30... International postcard-rate
(Validity: 1 Sept. 1939 - Oct. 31, 1941)
IX. WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1939.. Eve of WWII
1939-1945 In-Transit ‘Via Siberia’ Mail
MAIL BAGS IN TRANSIT TO SOVIET-FRIENDLY NATIONS ON 1 SEPTEMBER 1939
CONTINUED TO BE FORWARDED TO THEIR RESPECTIVE EUROPEAN AND OTHER DESTINATIONS
PALESTINE-BOUND MAIL FROM ; . = MANCHUKUO ingee enter
EZ 20 AUGUST 1939 y / fs
View-card, wh postmarked at Harbin, =
Manchuria, with route <
endorsement : “Via Siberia”
sent to Tel Aviv,
Palestine, British Ze Os AG |
mom A NK MeAn ee Probable Route: rs Kote ae jee e- A, PD
Harbin-Irkutsk-
Samara-Tiflis-Istanbul- (by sea) to Tel Aviv a Lo A tlie. c= hy Ye"
4 Fen.. \
UPU International Postcard-Rate.
SWITZERLAND-BOUND MAIL FROM CHINA
Saye :
Shanghai. WILE joothow Creek
sy A 24 AUGUST 1939
View-card, postmarked at
Shanghai, China, with route endorsement
“Switzerland via
Siberia” sent to Thun, Switzerland.
29-day transit time.
Manuscript Arrival Inscription:
“22 September 1939”
Probable Route: Shanghai-Pukow- Tientsin-Mukden-
Harbin-Irkutsk- Moscow-Berlin-Basel-
ZGrich-Thun CNC 0.15... UPU International Postcard-Rate
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1939.. Eve of WWII Airmail
1931-1939 ‘Via Siberia’ China-Russia-England
* LEAGUE OF NATIONS’ MAIL
TO SCOTLAND
11 AUGUST 1939 (China Post Office)
Cover, postmarked at Kumming (Yunnanfv),
China, with
endorsement “By Airmail” to Scotland.
Probable Route: (Hamiata Airlines)
Kunming-Chungking- Alma-Ata- (by rail)
Moscow- (airmail)
Berlin-London- Scotland
$4.15... 25+15 Cents.. Double-
weight
(40 grams) International letter-rate
+
$3.75.. Airmail Surcharge
(0.75/5 grams) (Validity: 23 July 1932 -
5 December 1939)
War in Europe commenced on
1 September 1939
with this mail arriving in England just prior.
Reverse
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1 September 1939..
1939-1945 Outbreak of War in Europe “Via Suez" Mail
On 23 August 1939, Germany & the Soviet Union signed a non-aggression pact
avoiding early potential conflict between themselves for what would take place in September by German Forces.
On 1 September 1939, using a pretext of a German border-post being attacked by Polish troops, German Forces invaded Poland, resulting in Britain et al nations declaring war
on Germany on 3 September.
EFFECTIVE 2 SEPTEMBER 1939, MAIL TO EUROPE FROM CHINA ‘VIA THE SIBERIAN RAILWAY
NETWORK’ WAS INTERRUPTED, REQUIRING OTHER ROUTES TO BE UTILIZED FOR EUROPEAN NON-BELLIGERENT-NATION MAIL,
SUCH AS INITIALLY BY SEA “VIA SUEZ”. SECOND FLOOR
113 KIUKIANG ROAD P. O, BOX NO. 936 SHANGHAI, CHINA
a
Vea
Neesere,
EARLY-WORLD WAR II CHINA-ORIGIN MAIL ROUTED TO SWITZERLAND “VIA SUEZ”
2 SEPTEMBER 1939
Commercial cover,
postmarked at Shanghai, China, with route-endorsement “Via Suez”
sent to Zurich, Switzerland.
Probable Route: Shanghai-Singapore-Aden-
Suez Canal-Naples- (by rail) Zurich
CNC 0.50... Single-weight international (20 grams) letter-rate.
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1939 .. Reopening of
1939-1945 ‘Via Siberia’ Routed Mail
Upon conclusion of the German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact of 1939,
Relations between the two countries remained stable.
UPON GERMAN OCCUPATION OF POLAND IN SEPTEMBER 1939, AXIS-COUNTRY
MAIL ROUTED ‘VIA SIBERIA’ WAS AGAIN POSSIBLE BY ‘AUTUMN 1939" UNTIL ‘22 JUNE 1941’.
LATE 1939 GERMAN-ORIGIN CENSORED MAIL TO THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA “VIA SIBERIA & JAPAN"
20 DECEMBER 1939
Cover, postmarked at Rothenbach (Waldenburg), Province Silesia, with route endorsement
“Over Siberia” & Japan” sent to Binghamton, New York.
Probable Route: Rothenbach-Berlin-Moscow-Irkutsk-Tschita-Charborowsk-Vladivostok-
(by sea) fo Japan & San Francisco- (overland) to New York-Binghamton
25 Pfennig... Single-weight international letter-rate.
(Validity: 1 January 1925 — April 1945)
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1939-1945
AS A RESULT OF WAR CONDITIONS IN EUROPE AND THE PREVAILING BLOCKADE OF GERMAN COMMERICAL SHIPPING TO SOUTH AMERICA, MAIL DESTINED FOR ARGENTINA HAD TO MOVE
‘VIA SIBERIA’ TO VLADIVOSTOK, THEN TO SAN FRANCISCO (EITHER VIA JAPAN OR DIRECT), OVERLAND TO NEW YORK,
AND THEN BY SEA TO ARGENTINA.
wie : 3 Tit}. Der frommler
Buenos Aires / Ar Casilla de Yorreo
>
SPECIAL GERMAN REDUCED OVERSEAS-BOUND PRINTED-MATTER RATE
15 NOVEMBER 1940
Special reduced German-rate for printed-matter, postmarked at Hamburg, Germany, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia” & “Drucksache zu ermGBigter Gebdhr”
sent to Buenos Aires, Argentina.
1940.. Germany-Argentina
‘Via Siberia’ Printed- Matter Mail
Argentinien 80
Probable Route: Hamburg-Berlin-Moscow-Irkutsk-Tschita-Charborowsk-Vladivostok-
(by sea) to San Francisco (via Japan or direct) -
New York- (by sea) fo Buenos Aires
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1939-1945
BECAUSE OF WAR CONDITIONS IN EUROPE, THE ONLY SURFACE ROUTE AVAILABLE FOR P 7 :
SENT TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BET I | AUTUMN 1939 - JUNE 1941 WAS ‘VIA SIE |
IPRINTED-MATTER .. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BOUND MAIL
11 JUNE 1940
Newspaper/printed-matter, postmarked at Munich, Germany, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia”
sent to the “Minneapolis Journal” at Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
| 1940.. Germany-U.S.A. ‘Via Siberia’
Printed-Matter Mail
Probable Route:
Munich-Berlin-Moscow-Irkutsk-Tschita-Charborowsk-Vladivostok- (by sea) to San Francisco (via Japan or direct) — (overland) to
Minneapolis
10 Pfennig... International-bound printed-matter
at standard-rate for mail weighing up to 100 grams
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1940.. U.S.A.-Germany 1939-1945 ‘Via Siberia’ Mail
WARTIME CENSORED U.S.A-ORIGIN MAILTO GERMANY
+ § days, return to
MPORTING CO., INC., 111 W. Ohio St.,
g HICAGO, ILL.
| Mr. George Sussmann .
4 Jungfrauental 18
J Hamburg 8
2 GERMANY fp ° % 3 % anese Steamer to Ja Zz ” 2
“Shence via Siberia ot : 8 S. . ‘ a
2 MARCH 1940 Chicago, Illinois, postmarked commercial cover,
route endorsement “Japanese Steamer to Japan, Thence via Siberia” , British-censored (Bermuda), German-censored (Frankfurt/Main) sent to Hamburg, Germany.
L.H.Schuman,
654 Clearmont Drive, :
Youngstown, Ohio : é NDS
POSTMASi:
Mrs. Betty Schumann,
Loehnerstrasse 10/2, Nuernberg - 0. Germany.
Vie Siberia.
33 Oy) 23 SEPTEMBER 1940
Youngstown, Ohio, postmarked cover, route endorsement “Via Siberia” , German-Censored (Frankfurt/Main), sent to Nuremberg, Germany.
Probable Route: Youngstown-San Francisco-(by sea) fo Yokohama-Tsuruga- Viadivostok- (by rail) Charbarowsk-
Tschita-Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin- Frankfurt-Nuremberg
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1939-1945
1940.. Denmark- China
‘Via Siberia’
German Censored Mail
ON 9 APRIL 1940, GERMAN FORCES OCCUPIED DENMARK, WHEREUPON ALL FOREIGN-BOUND MAIL WAS HENCEFORTH CENSORED BY THE
‘HIGH COMMAND OF THE GERMAN MILITARY’.
Dr. N. Eskelund
2 Peking Road
Glen Line Buildin
SHANGHAT
CHINA
EARLY-OCCUPIED-DENMARK GERMAN-CENSORED MAILTO CHINA
27 APRIL 1940
Early German-Censored cover, (soon after occupation by German Forces)
postmarked at Copenhagen, Denmark, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia” sent to Shanghai, China. 30-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Shanghai, May 27, 1940”
Probable Route: Copenhagen-Berlin-Moscow-Irkutsk-Harbin-Mukden-
Tientsin- Pukow-Shanghai
30 Ore... Single-weight (20 grams) international letter-rate
Reverse
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1940.. Netherlands-Dutch East Indies
1939-1945 ‘Via Siberia & China’ German & Dutch Censored Mail
ON 10 MAY 1940, ALL DUTCH MAIL SERVICES STOPPED UPON THE GERMAN INVASION OF HOLLAND, AGAIN STARTING DOMESTICALLY ON 29 MAY,
WITH MAIL TO THE DUTCH EAST INDIES ONLY POSSIBLE BETWEEN 22 JUNE - 23 JULY 1940 FOR THE REMAINDER OF WORLD WAR Il
(Dutch/German Postal Service Order H.304.bis)
BY WAY OF THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAIL NETWORK & CHINA
OCCUPIED NETHERLANDS GERMAN-CENSORED MAILTO THE DUTCH EAST INDIES BY WAY OF SIBERIA & CHINA
18 JULY 1940
Late-usage German-Censored Dutch-origin mail (during 22 June- 23 July 1940 mail period)
postmarked at Lisse, Netherlands (“Flower Bulb Center’),
with route endorsement “Via Siberia & China” sent to Lahat, Sumatra, Dutch East Indies, with Dutch-
Colonial censorship. 194(+)-day transit time.
Arrival Censor Postmark: “Censor (Dutch East Indies),
28 January, 1941”
Probable Route: lisse-Berlin-Moscow-Irkutsk-Harbin-Mukden- Tientsin-Pukow-Shanghai-(by sea) to Sumatra 12% Cent...
Single-weight (20 grams) UPU International Surface-Mail Letter-Rate
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1939-1945
VIA SIBIRIA,
1940.. China-Austria
‘Via Siberia’ Censored Registered Wartime Mail
No. 313
TEHCHOY
{3 oY Ma Dy
4 SEPTEMBER 1940
Registered censored cover, postmarked at Tehchow (Shandong), China,
with route endorsement “Via Siberia”
sent to Vienna (Austria), “Greater Germany
2p, y Pearce a].
eS
Herrn Hofrat Dr. Frang BARTELMUS.S.
wtlEe YX iv,
EUROPE,
SHORT-FRANKED REGISTERED & CENSORED CHINA-AUSTRIA WARTIME MAIL
22-day transit time.
y seo? dep 3
/s. a)
[2 Ser Transit Postmark: Arrival Postmark: “. Gepriift, \. ees
(Reverse) (Reverse) \ 4 \ Be —
“Tientsin, “Vienna, Os ae & 4 ” ” _ zen =, ah i ” < +
5 September 1940 26 September 19740) te. ‘i te — 3
Probable Route: Tehchow-Tientsin-Mukden-Harbin-irkutsk-Moscow-
Berlin-Munich-Vienna
CNC 0.50 Cents... Short-franked 50% by postal-clerk who was not
aware of the rate increase on 1 September 1939!
NALYVYOWNYE ZLind eg
0.25.. Single-weight (20 grams) international letter-rate
+ 0.25 Registration fee. (Validity: 1 February 1936 -31 August 1939)
Reverse
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1940-1941.. Norway-U.S.A. 1939-1945 ‘Via Siberia & Japan’
German Censored Mail
ON 10 APRIL 1940, NORWEGIAN FORCES SURRENDERED TO GERMAN OCCUPATION FORCES,
WHEREUPON ALL NORWEGIAN FOREIGN-BOUND MAIL WAS HENCEFORTH CENSORED BY THE GERMAN MILITARY.
GERMAN-CENSORED NORWEGIAN COMMERCIAL MAIL
VIA SIBERIA & JAPAN TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
3 MARCH 1941
Commercial cover, i meter-postmarked at Oslo, Norway, ee
with route endorsement ar a ey
“Via Siberia ", i sent to Los Angeles, California, USA,
Probable Route: ;
Oslo-Berlin-Moscow-Irkutsk-Vladivostok- fe Tsuruga-Kobe-San Francisco
50 Ore... Single-weight (20 grams)
UPU International Surface-Mail Letter-Rate
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1940.. China - Occupied France
1939-1945 “Two Ocean” Airmail
BECAUSE OF THE SUSPENSION OF ‘AIR FRANCE’ FAR EAST SERVICE TO EUROPE IN JUNE 1940, FRANCE-BOUND MAIL WAS DIVERTED TO
HONG KONG FOR “TWO OCEAN” AIRMAIL SERVICE CHINA-U.S.A.-PORTUGAL- FRANCE.
Monsieur L. CHERFIIS
11 Rue du Garet
+ via U.S. A. owing 18 1a 2, be
igi) France, serviety
LYoONW (me oa Gm 0 ees eo OEP
VIA AIR FRANCE
21 JUNE 1940 WARTIME COMMERCIAL MAIL CHINA-FRANCE
Cover, postmarked at Shanghai, China,
route endorsement “By first mail to Hong Kong" & e
“Diverted by air via USA owing fo suspension From ZUNG CHONG TRADING Cc =
of Air France Service” P.0.Box 55° mz sent to Lyon, France, with British censorship at SHANGHAT ae
Hong Kong. 98-day transit time. a AY, 6
Mail delay because of British censorship at Hong Kong, is. ws German occupation of Lyon commencing is | ow
on 20 June 1940 and discontinuance of 8- Far East ‘Air France’ Service. : a
Arrival Postmark: FJ = (Reverse) + 6
“Lyon, Rhone, 27 September 1940” , 4 &
Probable Route: ® = Shanghai-Hong Keng-Manila-Guam- Midway Island- 5 Honolulu-San Francisco-New York-Horta-Lisbon-Lyon BS
CNC 2.25... Reverse
0.25 Airmail surcharge for China only + 2.00 ‘Air France’ airmail (5 grams) letter-rate ..
(Validity: 1 September 1939 - 20 September 1940)
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1940.. China- Austria
1939-1945 Airmail in China/‘Via Siberia’ Route
CANTON-SHANGHAI AIRMAIL & RAILWAY TO AUSTRIA
17 OCTOBER 1940
Censored cover, postmarked at Canton, China, with route endorsement “Via Shanghai & Siberia” sent to Vienna, Austria.
Probable Route: Canton- (by air) to Shanghai- (by sea) to Viadivostok-
(by rail) to Charborowsk-Tschita-Irkutsk-Moscow- Berlin-Munich-Vienna
CNC 0.76... 0.50 International single-weight (20 grams) letter-rate +
0.25 Airmail surcharge for China only + 0.01 Convenience over-franking. (Validity: 1 September 1940 - 31 October 1941)
Reverse
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1940.. China-Moscow
1939-1945 ‘Via Alma Afa’ Airmail Bypassing ‘Via Siberia’ Route
As a result of Japanese-occupation of northern China and its interference of mail from non-occupied southern China as well as to strengthen
communications between ‘free’ China with Moscow & Europe, bypassing the still-operational ‘via Siberia’ route,
CHINA AGREED WITH THE SOVIET UNION TO ESTABLISH THE ‘SINO-SOVIET AVIATION CORPORATION’ ENABLING AIR SERVICE FROM CHUNGKING & KUNMING TO ALMA ATA
(‘CHUNGKING-HAMI LINE’) AND BEYOND TO MOSCOW & EUROPE.
Although the agreement was concluded in 1939, operation of the route by air first commenced on 8 April 1940 and ended on 3 July 1941.
feiscls ‘juéthanse 4.0. os fur bo UaSSR
et ee ee ee ee
‘Hotel Metropole . — Pwerdlow P1l.4
USSR. .
17 DECEMBER 1940 REGISTERED & AT MOSCOW-(SECRETLY)-CENSORED
Single-weight registered, postmarked at CHINA-MOSCOW WARTIME MAIL
Kunming, China, with route endorsement
“Via Alma Ata”, at Moscow-(secretly)- censored, sent to (“Lufthansa Office”) in
Moscow. 14-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark:
(Reverse)
“Moscow, 31 December 1940”
Route: Kunming-Hami-Urumchi-Alma Ata-Atbasar-
Magnitagorsk-Kasan-Moscow
CNC §$ 2.15... 0.50.. Single-weight (20 grams)
international letter-rate +
1.15 European ‘Russia’ Airmail-Rate +
0.50 Registration fee. (Validity: 1 June 1940 -22 March 1941)
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1939-1945
1941.. China-France “Via America”..
Two Ocean Airmail
BY 1941, OCCUPATION OF LYON BY GERMAN FORCES WAS COMPLETE, WITH FRENCH CENSORSHIP OF IN-BOUND
FOREIGN MAIL IN EFFECT.
8 JANUARY 1941
Registered cover, postmarked at Shanghai China, with route endorsement
“France via America” sent to Lyon, France,
with British censorship at Hong Kong & French Censorship at Lyon.
Probable Route: Shanghai-Hong Kong-Manila-Guam-Midway Island-
Honolulu-San Francisco-New York-Horta-Lisbon-Lyon
Transit Postmarks: Arrival Postmark: (Reverse) (Reverse)
“Honolulu, 22 January 1941” “Lyon, Rhone “New York, 27 January 1941”
WARTIME DOUBLE-CENSORED REGISTERED COMMERCIAL AIRMAIL CHINA-FRANCE
Reverse
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1941...
1939-1945 Wartime Europe/South America ‘Via Siberia’ Mail
AS LONG AS THE ‘UNITED STATES OF AMERICA’ REMAINED NEUTRAL PERMITTING
TRANS-SHIPMENT OF MAIL, GERMANY-ORIGIN MAIL SENT TO NORTH & SOUTH
AMERICA USING THE ‘VIA SIBERIA-JAPAN-USA” ROUTE WAS POSSIBLE. GERMANY -
COLUMBIA Se anne = nara =
BANK MAIL j
15 MARCH 1941
German-censored cover, postmarked
at Hamburg, Germany, with route $
endorsement “Via Siberia-Japan”
sent to Bogota, Columbia. :
72-day transit time. Banco de Golombia
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
dima pa Bogota / Colombia
Probable Route: Hamburg-Berlin- Moscow-Irkutsk-
Tschita- Charborowsk- Vladivostok-
(by sea) to Japan-
San Francisco- Panama Canal-
Cartagena-Bogota
VENEZUELA- GERMANY
CIVILIAN MAIL
13 APRIL 1941
German-censored
view-card , postmarked at Caracas, Venezuela, with route
endorsement “Via Japan-Siberia”
sent to Solingen-Ohligs, Germany.
Probable Route:
Caracas-Panama Canal- San Francisco-
Yokohama-Viadivostok- (by rail) Charborowsk- Tschita-Irkutsk-Moscow-
Berlin-Solingen
* WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1941.. Germany-China
1939-1945 Wartime Airmail to Moscow &
‘Via Siberia’ Rail Network to China
BETWEEN 1938-1941, PRIOR TO THE GERMAN INVASION OF THE SOVIET UNION ON 22 JUNE 1941,
OVER 20,000 EUROPEAN REFUGEES OF JEWISH FAITH FLED EUROPE FOR SHANGHAI, CHINA,
SINCE IT DID NOT REQUIRE VISA OR ENTRY PERMITS,
resulting in exchanges of mail between friends or relatives in Europe with those refugees in China.
PIPPI LIT
30 JANUARY 1941
Registered German-censored cover to Jewish-refugee ‘David Pappenheimer’, former businessman of Munich, now residing in China,
postmarked at Munich, Germany, with route endorsement “By Airmail fo Moscow”, sent to Shanghai. 32-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Shanghai, 2 March 1941”
First-Day Cover for German-Italian Brotherhood-in-Arms
Commemorative Stamp Issue & Postmark
Route:
¢ Munich-Berlin-Moscow by airmail ¢e Moscow-Shanghdi ‘via Siberia’ rail network
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1941.. Germany-U.S.A.
Wartime Airmail to Moscow &
‘Via Siberia’ Beyond
1939-1945
3 MAY 1941 P, . ar avion
au dela Moscou Newspaper wrapper, <anmmnenemnen:
postmarked at aricantt ee Frankfurt/Main, ae ed
Germany, gs with route
endorsement “Par avion au dela
Moscow”,
sent to New York City.
DRUCKSACHE
Dr.Louis Hauswirth 7 £.87th Street
‘New Pe City 5 * i
N 4
© f
a = : - : 2
0a Mina ktege So Woy
Se eeeliaaaicne: : PAR AVION =
Probable Route:
Berlin- (by air) Moscow- (by rail) Irkutsk-Vladivostok- (by ship) Yokohama-
San Francisco & (by rail) Destination in U.S.A.
27 FEBRUARY
1941
Single- weight
te- directed
“Sara” cover, post-
marked at Berlin,
Germany, censored, resealed,
endorsed
“Via
Siberia - Airmail to
Moscow”
sent to
Cambridge Mass.
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1941.. Germany-China & U.S.A.
1939-1945 Wartime Judaica/Ghetto Mail
AIRMAIL TO MOSCOW & SURFACETO
SHANGHAI GHETTO
14 FEBRUARY 1941 obnort, and Suftell bei
Postal-stationery card, ae ‘a g soe ¢ postmarked at Berlin, Sri ei s ae.
censored, route q? 2 ec eee endorsed A GQ negs | : a
“Airmail to Moscow & gs oa, a a Mit Gartpost via Siberia” Hee aoe wy he bis MOSKAU !
i. dqigca a0 Ga sent to Shanghai ane dé g 5 o4
Probable Route: ee £8 aS ls ae (Airmail )Berlin-Moscow- Be ooo pa ce (Rail) to Irkutsk-Harbin- 8G i BOS Mukden-Tientsin- ieee ae Pukow-Shanghai ereggs os | GBA NOB
Pig: ea aon $ : i 5
15 Pig UPU So deaeed NN us i... wie Sipivien =. 7 hiternalioned Podcund wm oe aq : ae s cl Be vy Sx ne} Stings, Sanenammer, SebiyPMReil, Steswert oder Panis apes
Rate + Boke Beas H pase | iter “\ 10 Pig. Europe-Aimall leg ee ANE / Surcharge to Moscow
LITZMANNSTADT GHETTO MAILTO USA
ee
24 MARCH 1941
Registered postal- stationery return card,
censored & validated by the ghetto’s
“Alteste der Juden in Litzmannstadt”, postmarked Litzmannstadt
(Lodz = Lodsch), German-occupied Poland, censored at
K6nigsberg, Germany, sent general delivery
to the ‘American Express Company’ in
New York City. 44-day transit time.
Skrage, Sausnummer, Gebaudetelt,
390116 Transit & Arrival
fh Postmarks: . “San Pedro, California,
Probable Route: “N bone ork Reuiilcy
Litzmannstadt-Kénigsberg-Moscow-Irkutsk-Vladivostok- Office, Yokohama-San Pedro-New York City May 7, 1941”
45 Pfg...
15 Pfg International Postcard Rate + 30 Pig. Registration Fee.
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1939-1945
1941...
Refused & Returned
German-China Mail
On 2 April 1940, a postal ordinance was issued
THE VIOLATION AND RETURNED TO SENDER.
regarding the content, the type of envelopes or postcards, indication of sender's address, etc., permitted for foreign-bound mail.
ANY MAIL NOT ADHERING TO REGULATIONS WAS CACHET STAMPED INDICATING
REFUSED POSTCARD
25 MAY 1941 Atef pinx. Stroje lujowe Taniee ,.Zbdjnicki”
La nationale danse. p¢ German-censored
viewcard, postmarked at Posen, Germany, with route
endorsement dun “Via Siberia” der, ptt
sent to Manchouli, . Manchukuo. RR ad Gh sleds aj
“The mailing of ane ot veer 7 picture postcards to Me “A sol if oe
foreign destinations is j 3 not permitted.” a Cats Area site Cie
Asch hihr © Thee a. 2 }
15 Pfg.. ee Herne International Pe AE COL rn, fate ates |
postcard-rate Voem, Batavia he POW. 2 2. pres os
Hon \Frow Fin Abjender juciids ent{pridt nidit onung fiber den crete 0. 2.4.1940
coo. Mouchen +b, Sos
(. Raed 1A
/ ° £ ¥
i fej — Att « /
¥
j Wr, Go 7 sn Ou
Vert Vlihyidime Berfendung vott x Seinen acl
dag
REFUSED COVER UNDER ORDINANCE
OF 2. APRIL 1940
27 MAY 1941
Censored cover,
postmarked at Wuppertal- Langerfeld, Germany, with route
endorsement “Via Siberia”
sent to Shanghai, China.
25 Pig.. International single-weight
(20 grams)
letter-rate. (Validity:
1 January 1925 -
April 1945)
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1941.. Germany-China
1939-1945 ‘Via Siberia’ Miss-routed
Triple-Censored Mail
TRIPLE-CENSORED COMMERCIAL MAIL TO CHINA
2 MAY 1941 |
Commercial cover,
postmarked at Frankfurt/Main, Germany, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia” sent to Shanghai, China,
incorrectly routed by sea, not ‘Via Siberia’ resulting in triple censorship ..
Germany, France & Britain/Hong-Kong. Transit time: 50 days.
H O N G K O N G
G me
* OP EN ED
BY C E N S O R
Probable Route: Frankfurt-Marseilles-Suez-Aden-Hanoi/Haiphong-
Hong-Kong-Shanghai
25 Pfennig... Reverse
Single-weight (20 grams) international letter-rate
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1940 .. 1939-1945 Germany-USA Bank Mail
BERLIN- NEW YORK BANK MAIL
21 AUGUST 1940
Censored cover,
postmarked at Berlin, with route
endorsement “Via Siberia- Japan” sent to
New York City.
ips +i , | Off ktengefchafte % | bain “Bee STUTTGART-
ide fragensiedie = | | ZO CHICAGO BANK 7 c ; j ’ MAIL
; ung Dipaans eineaate nese |, Reichs of SoA ia 4 6 MARCH 1940
Censored cover, postmarked at
Stuttgart, with route
' endorsement . Herrn “Via Japan- Hans Levi : Siberia”
4737 Ingleside Avenue santlo Chieage.
Chicago /Tllinois Probable Routes:
i -qgpirten 200 co S ecten near: ‘a9 Z ceca “a Tschita-
y _ Charborowsk- on __- Viadivostok- ar ae _ (by sea) to Japan-
Ss ‘San Francisco- : (overland) to
Chicago or New York City.
25 Pfennig...
Single-weight (20 grams) international letter-rate. (Validity: 1 January 1925 — April 1945)
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 22 June 1941..
1939-1945 German Invasion of the Soviet Union
Despite having signed a non-aggression pact in August 1939, Germany initiated a surprise invasion of the Soviet Union from occupied Poland on 22 June 1941.
SUCH INVASION IMMEDIATELY CEASED ALL MAIL TRANSIT ‘VIA SIBERIA’ FROM/TO
GERMANY AND MOST OF EUROPE. COMMERCIAL
MAIL PRIOR TO CESSATION OF
‘via Siberia’ a —} en \
ry ¥ } i tui aia iagciaaieictiedy sak
SERVICE <4 | REG STERE!
at 10 MARCH 1941
Registered
commercial cover, Fa.
postmarked at Shanghai, China,
with route endorsement “Via Siberia”, sent to Berlin,
_ SSeS eA
Germany. 44 Berlin N.W. 7 ils: 19-day transit 3 | Dorotheenstrasse 11.
a GERMANY
TTO WOLFF, ABT. acm
CNC 1.00... = “ —*
0.50.. Single- ;
a R bHANGHAT | | [ international i
(20 grams) letter No. 6482 | | rate + . :
0.50.. Registration e fee Bee
(Validity:
20 Sept. 1940 — 31 Oct. 1941)
Abfende: Mau
TELS
LATE GHETTO MAIL PRIOR TO CESSATION
OF ‘Via Siberia’ SERVICE
30 MAY 1941
Reply postal-
stationery card, postmarked at
Oppeln, Germany, endorsed
“China via Siberia”, sent to Shanghai- Hongkew, China.
15 Pfennig..
International postcard-rate.
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS
1939-1945
With the beginning of WW Il in September 1937, all British Commonwealth counties, including Canada, were at war with Germany, necessitating eastern mail movement
through the United States to Europe.
IN ORDER TO AVOID FOREIGN CENSORSHIP IN CANADA OR BRITAIN, GERMAN BANKS & BUSINESSES ENDORSED THEIR MAIL.
“VIA SIBERIA-JAPAN” or “VIA SIBERIA CALIFORNIA-SERVICE
NOT VIA CANADA”
GERMAN-CENSORED ‘REGISTERED & EXPRESS’ BANK MAILTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
18 AUGUST 1940
Bank cover, postmarked at Munich, Germany,
with route endorsement.. “Via Siberia-Japan”
sent to New York City. 44-day transit time.
Probable Route: Munich-Berlin-Moscow-Irkutsk-Tschita-Charborowsk- Viadivostok-(by sea)
Tsuruga or Yokohama-San Francisco- (overland) to New York.
105 Pfennig...
25 Ptg.. Single-weight (20 grams) international letter-rate + 30 Pfg.. Registration fee + 50 Pig Express Mail
(Validity: 1 January 1935 — April 1945)
1939-1941.. Germany-USA Bank Mail
“Via Siberia-Japan” & “California-Service, Not Canada”
GERMAN-CENSORED ‘REGISTERED’ BANK MAIL TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
8 FEBRUARY 1941
Registered bank cover, postmarked Berlin, Germany,
with route endorsement.. “Via Siberia-Japan
California Service Not via Canada” sent to New York City. 55-day transit time.
Transit & Arrival Postmarks: (Reverse)
“San Francisco, California 31 March 1941”
“New York Registry Division, 4 April 1941”
Probable Route: Berlin-Moscow-Irkutsk-Tschita-Charborowsk-
Viadivostok- (by sea) to San Francisco- (overland) to New York.
70 Pfennig... 40 Pig.. Double-weight (40 grams) intemational
letter-rate + 30 Pfg.. Registration fee (Validity: 1 January 1935 - April 1945)
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 22 June 1941..
1939-1945 German Invasion of the Soviet Union
GERMAN MAIL DELIVERED IN THE SOVIET UNION ON DAY OF THE INVASION
Cote
Shextoxtiiok fear
5 JUNE 1941
International postal-stationery card, railway-postmarked aboard Train “2.0449 ... Magdeburg-Ostenberge”,
sent to “Bugmilla Pukhalsk” at Belostok/Bialystok, Byelorussian SSR (territory annexed from Poland by the Soviet Union in 1939),
subsequently censored at Berlin and released, arriving at destination on 21 June 1941
with delivery on 22 June 1941.
15 Pfennig.. international postcard-rate.
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1939-1945
TRANS-SIBERIAN RAIL NETWORK FOR MOVEMENT OF FAR EAST MAILTO NON-BELLIGERENT EUROPE & TURKEY
AFTER THE INVASION OF THE SOVIET UNION ON 22 JUNE 1941
f ead " C ? IS ~ er
- f <a Ss s Ds _— . ee - ‘ 4 — o (os WS Brussels Cos oe Zz NN DR & 4 ° :.
Bertin g “\Dirschau FP ze Oe I) {{ { X
EUROPE” ~,Pikutinto ) alle 5 YD 4 - @ Alexandrowo “#St Petersburg ) WS a
Vienna * War: SOVIET UNION me f Fink sroseow SIBERIA { # 4
Tula « yee f ~% Cor
Samara et Lake Ne
. Krasnojarsk : Charbarowsk
Omsk — Novosibirsk Irkutsk , Suifenho.
MONGOLIA
e-- io Northern & SouthernTrans-
= >) shanghai
_ Siberian & Southern Yellow River “> \ Soviet Union Railway Network AL 2 To Turkey, Europe & Mid-East Yangtze River ,
With the invasion of the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941, all heretofore mail transit to/from the Far East through Moscow to Berlin & Western Europe ceased while
war conditions prevailed along most of the eastern border of the Soviet Union.
MOVEMENT OF MAIL TO NON-BELLIGERENT EUROPE & TURKEY WAS NOW ONLY POSSIBLE USING THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAIL ROUTE TO SAMARA CONNECTING WITH THE
SOUTHERN SOVIET UNION RAILWAY NETWORK TO TIFLIS & TURKEY...
“VIA SIBERIA-TIFLIS-ISTANBUL”
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1941.. Germany-China
1939-1945 ‘LATI’ Airmail
UNABLE TO ROUTE MAIL ‘VIA SIBERIA’ TO CHINA BECAUSE OF HOSTILITIES WITH THE SOVIET UNION, THE GERMAN POST OFFICE
FORWARDED AIRMAIL WITH ITALIAN ‘LATI AIRLINES’ (Linee Aeree Transcontinentali Italiane)
MOVING MAIL THROUGH SOUTH AMERICA TO CHINA BETWEEN JUNE-DECEMBER 1941.
oO ox Lf).
=
he Beaded. rath, Peau 7 BLD de ER
29
EX AM IN
GERMANY-CHINA BANK MAIL SENT VIA SOUTH AMERICA THROUGH ‘LATI’ AIRLINES
WITH INTERRUPTION & BRITISH-CENSORSHIP AT BERMUDA
27 AUGUST 1941
German & British censored cover, postmarked at Berlin-Friedenau, Germany, sent to Tientsin, China, with
air surcharge for mail using ‘LATI’ Airlines, unsuccessfully attempting to avoid British censorship at Bermuda but released for forwarding to China.
Probable Route: Berlin-Rome-Rio de Janeiro-Buenos Aires-Lima-Cristobal-Mexico City-New York- Bermuda-New York-San Francisco- (by sea) to Japan & Shanghai- (rail) to Tientsin
240 Pfennig... 25 Pfg.. international single-weight (20 grams) letter-rate +
215 Ptg.. Airmail Surcharge (5 grams) for LATI-flown mail
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1942.. Commercial Mail 1939-1945 Occupied China - Denmark
‘Via Siberia..Turkey” Route
Shanghai- origin (Japanese-Occupied) mail intended for German-occupied Denmark in Western Europe was possible until outbreak of hostilities in the Balkans, using the route
SHANGHAI (by sea) - VLADIVOSTOK - TRANS-SIBERIAN RAIL ROUTE TO SAMARA, CONNECTING THERE WITH OTHER RAIL LINES TO TIFLIS-ISTANBUL-
BULGARIA-ROMANIA- AUSTRIA-GERMANY -DENMARK.
WAR-TIME MAIL THRU CHINESE POST OFFICE TO
DENMARK
5 MAY 1942
Registered cover, -
German censored, postmarked at
Shanghai, China, with route
endorsement “Via Siberia Ankara” sent to
Copenhagen, Denmark.
55-day transit time
ae
% °o
: 3,
Transit & Arrival Postmarks: |
(Front & Reverse)
“Istanbul, 29 June 1942” “Copenhagen, 12 June 1942”
(Reverse)
$2.00 ...
$1.00.. Single- weight (20 grams)
SIBERIA- 5 _ International letter
. - i a et fe § ‘ Di i $1.00. Soukby fee of (1 November 1941-
CAA Z| ‘ on eises
FESTBLAN Bow | ~~ - COURIER MAIL
SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER 1942
Mes. EH. William Nielsen, . 5 Shanghai
27 Kronprinsensvej, Danish- Copenhagen - F, _ Consulate
_ courier -carried
DENMARK, & posted mail in Denmark.
EUROPE.
Upon arrival in Denmark, cover was affixed with domestic Danish postage (“On Government Service" Perfin), postmarked
“12 October 1942” at Copenhagen
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1942.. Missionary Mail
1939-1945 Manchukuo-Switzerland ‘Via Siberia .. Turkey” Route
Mail intended for neutral Switzerland in Western Europe was possible throughout most of the war years using the
TRANS-SIBERIAN ROUTE TO SAMARA CONNECTING TO TIFLIS, TURKISH RAILWAY TO ISTANBUL, OTHER RAIL LINES TO DESTINATION
Registered.
Via siberia--Istanbul.
H.H.Andreas Huser Missionshaus Bethlehem
WAR-TIME REGISTERED MISSIONARY MAIL .. MANCHUKUO-SWITZERLAND
8 AUGUST 1942
Registered missionary mail, postmarked at Harbin, Manchukuo, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia-Istanbul, La Suisse-Schweiz-Switzerland” sent to Immensee, Switzerland. 53-day war-time transit time
Transit Postmark: Arrival Postmark: (Front) (Reverse)
“Istanbul, “Immensee, 24 September 1942” “30 September 1942”
Route: Harbin-Irkutsk-Samara-Tiflis-Istanbul-ZGrich
36 Fen...
24 Fen.. Double-rate (20-40 grams) International letter +
12 Fen.. Registration fee
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1939-1945
31 DECEMBER 1942
Registered commercial cover,
postmarked at Chungking, China, with route endorsement
“By B.O.A.C. to Lagos, Nigeria, via Calcutta, Cairo and thence by P.A.A. to destination”,
sent to London, England, censorship upon arrival
at London. 109-day transit time.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“London, 19 April 1943”
Air Route: (NAL) Chungking-Calcutta-(BOAc) Cairo-Lagos-(PAA)
Bathurst-Natal-Belem-Port-of-Spain-San Juan-Miami- New York-Horta-Lisbon- (BOAC) London
CNC $73.20... CNC § 1.50.. China/intemational Letter (30 grams)
(Postal clerk mistakenly omitted charge for 2" weight levell) + Registration Fee.. CNC $1.50 +
Air Surcharge Unified Rate (6x 5 grams) .. CNC 70.20 (Validity: 25 February 1942 - 29 May 1943)
1942-1943.. China-England
‘Via Siberia’ .. Wartime Alternative Airmail
“CHUNGKING-LONDON’ REGISTERED COMMERCIAL CENSORED MAIL
91
& O P E N E D
BY
& O P E N E D
BY
& O P E N E D
BY
Reverse
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1943.. Missionary Mail
1939-1945 Korea-Switzerland ‘Via Siberia .. Turkey” Route
Mail from Japanese-occupied Korea to non-belligerent countries of Europe remained possible over the Trans-Siberian Railway Network
through Turkey as long as the Soviet Union and Japan were not at war.
“BONIFAZIUS SAUER”, A BENEDICTINE BISHOP, ARRIVED IN KOREA IN 1909 TO ESTABLISH A MISSION,
DIED IN A NORTH KOREAN PRISON IN 1950.
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WAR-TIME MISSIONARY MAIL .. KOREA-SWITZERLAND
4 NOVEMBER 1943
Japanese postal stationery card, written by ‘Bonifazius Sauer’,
postmarked at Tokungen, Korea, with route endorsement
“Via Siberia-Tiflis-istanbul-Switzerland”, sent to Basel (Basle), Switzerland.
Route: Korea-Harbin-Irkutsk-Samara-Tiflis-Istanbul-Zdrich-Basel
10 Sen... International postcard-rate
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1939-1945
INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS MAIL FROM CHINA TO SWITZERLAND
3 AUGUST 1943
International Red Cross cover, postmarked at Japanese-occupied Shanghai, China,
sent through the Chinese Post Office, with cachet route weg ar Ter
fia U.S.S.R./Tiflis/Turkey .. Via Sib
sent to IRC Headquarters at Geneva, Switreriane.
1943.. Red Cross Mail
Shanghai-Switzerland
“Via U.S.S.R/Tiflis/Turkey" Route
Reverse
Probable Route:
| Shanghai- (by sea) to Viadivostok- (by rail) Harbin-Irkutsk- Samaro-Tiflis-Istanbul-Geneva
CNC 6.90... CNC 2.00 + 1.20 + 1.20 .. Triple-weight (40-60 grams)
international letter-rate +
CNC 2.50 War Tax (Validity: 1 June 1943 - 1 May 1944)
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1939-1945
1943.. German Red Cross Mail
Germany-China-Germany
‘Via Siberia .. Turkey’ Route
+ Deutsches Rotes Kreuz
Prisidium / Auslandsdienst Berlhn SW 61, Blicherplatz 2 a, NOY. 1943 Age O8 AE vo4
ANTRAG an die Agence Centrale des Prisonniers de Guerre, Genf
— Internationales Komitee vom Roten Kreuz — auf Nachrichtenvermittlung
REQUETE de la Croix-Rouge Allemande, Présidence, Service Etranger
& V Agence Centrale des Prisonniers de Guerre, Genéve — Comité International de la Croix-Rouge —
concernant la correspondance
. tenuitte Nikon ., Buggh. 36.
bittet, an prie de bien vorloir faire parvenir &
ae Verwandtschaftsgrad : . Mutter.
Sadiand . trill. —
ShAN GAA... .
1. Absender _
Expéditeur
iy 4
2. Empfanger _
Destinataire
folgendes zu aibermitteln [| ce qui suit: (Héchstzahl 25 Worte!) (25 mots au plus!) —
Baaf Sepdomber efablen ? - Sot Deion Scfnae auch De rgelmicaty |
nich, ‘a oe ee fea eusaxtot
Be
WARTIME GERMAN RED CROSS
REPLY-FORM TO SHANGHAI & RETURN
30 OCTOBER 1943
Red Cross Form, sent
from Waldshut, Germany, to Shanghai, China with
reply.
Sequence of Evenis:
* Mail Date: 30 Oct. 1943
* German Red Cross, Berlin: 13 Nov. 1943
¢ IRC Geneva:
19 Jan. 1944 * Red Cross Shanghai:
no date indicated * Reply from Shanghai:
22 May 1944
¢ Turkish Red Cross: 11 Sept. 1944
* Censored in Turkey
« IRC Geneva:
12 Oct. 1945
Probable Route:
Waldshut-Berlin-Geneva- Istanbul-Tiflis-Samara-
Irkutsk-Tschita- Charborowsk-
Vladivostok- (by sea) to Shanghai-return to Geneva using
same route.
Reverse
WORLD WAR Ii & ITS EFFECTS 1939-1945
INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS MAIL FROM HONG KONG TO SWITZERLAND
19 FEBRUARY 1944
Red Cross cover, postmarked at Japanese-occupied Hong Kong,
with cachet route endorsement ..
“Via S! ia
sent to the IRC Headquarters at Geneva, Switzerland.
Cachet Marking: (in red)
“Courier received .. | June 1944”
1944.. Red Cross Mail Hong Kong-Switzerland
“Via U.S.S.R/Tiflis/Turkey" Route
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Cm E
SD a a
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Reverse
Probable Route: Hong Kong- (by sea) to Vladivostok- (by rail) Harbin-Irkutsk-
Samara-Tiflis-Istanbul-Geneva
32 Sen... 20+12 Sen .. Double-weight (20-40 grams)
international letter-rate
1944.. Commercial Mail
Manchukuo-Switzerland
a “Via U.S.S.R/Tiflis/Turkey" Route
Mail intended for neutral Switzerland in Western Europe was
possible throughout most of the war years
using the TRANS-SIBERIAN
NETWORK TO SAMARA CONNECTING WITH RAIL LINES AT TIFLIS WITH THE TURKISH
RAILWAY TO
ISTANBUL, with forwarding by rail through the Balkans to
Switzerland.
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a i ® Py
ay e 3 “ a JAPANESE-CENSORED
ae * % REGISTERED MAIL fe YW q FROM MANCHUKUO
WwW GO & y TO SWITZERLAND
eis . & $4 af 10 JUNE 1944 22 £ NX f
, LY ni rns @ j Registered tiv ?. Sow = commercial cover, ot Pay wee postmarked at Harbin,
an O oy )% Manchukuo, sent to Zérich, Switzerland.
Route:
Harbin-Irkutsk-
Samara-Tiflis-Istanbul- ZGrich
36 Fen... 24 Fen.. International-
letter double-rate
(20-40 grams) + 12 Fen.. Registry fee
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1944.. Commercial Mail
1939-1945 Japan-Switzerland ‘Via Siberia..Turkey’ Route
Riké 867
WARTIME JAPANESE-CENSORED REGISTERED COMMERCIAL MAIL ... JAPAN TO SWITZERLAND
28 JUNE 1944
Registered cover, aK
postmarked at Kobe, Japan, PnWS OUEST HOR
sent to Zérich, Switzerland. 2-, sadn—
57-day wartime transit time. C. SCHUMACHER. P, @. Bor 228
KOBE.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Zortich, 24 August 1944”
Route:
Kobe- (by sea) to Valdivostok-(by rail) Harbin-Irkutsk-
Samara-Tiflis-Istanbul-ZGrich
Reverse
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1939-1945
1944-45.. Double-Censored Mail
Japan-Switzerland
‘Via Siberia .. Turkey-Palestine’ Route
As a result of the Soviet Military offensive in the Balkans in late 1944, HERETOFORE MAIL OVER THE TRANS-SIBERIAN RAIL NETWORK ROUTE CONNECTING WITH
TURKEY TO ‘DESTINATION SWITZERLAND’ WAS NOW INTERRUPTED AND DIVERTED TO PALESTINE, SUBJECT TO BRITISH CENSORSHIP, FOR FORWARDING.
4 JULY 1944
Registered mail, postmarked at Kobe, Japan, diverted to Palestine, with British censorship
before being forwarded to Zitich, Switzerland, arriving there after V-E Day (May 8).
291-day wartime transit time.
Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“Zorich, 23 May 1945”
Probable Route: Kobe- (by sea) to Valdivostok-(by rail) Harbin-Irkutsk-
Samara-Tiflis-Istanbul-Palestine-(by sea) France- Basel-Ztrich
50 Sen... Single-weight (20 grams)
international letter-rate + Registration fee
QU MI MN Y]
10 uu ad e
9 O d
WARTIME JAPANESE & BRITISH-CENSORED REGISTERED MAIL FROM JAPAN TO SWITZERLAND
Reverse
WORLD WAR II & ITS EFFECTS 1944-46.. Postwar Delivered Mail
1939-1945 Japan-Switzerland ‘Via Siberia .. Turkey-Palestine’ Route
As a result of the widespread military campaigns in Central, Southern & Eastern
Europe in late 1944 until ‘V-E Day (May 8, 1945),
MAIL TO SWITZERLAND WAS INTERRUPTED FOR CENSORSHIP AT PALESTINE OR UNTIL
POSTAL FACILITIES & ROUTES WERE RE-ESTABLISHED PERMITTING FORWARDING OF MAIL TO DESTINATION.
Walter Sehlieper
59 Talstrasse
Zuerich,
Switzerland.
7 SEPTEMBER 1944 WARTIME JAPANESE & BRITISH-CENSORED
POSTWAR-DELIVERED REGISTERED MAIL Registered commercial cover, postmarked at Kobe, Japan, FROM JAPAN TO SWITZERLAND
diverted to Palestine from Istanbul, where British censorship took place before being forwarded
to ZGrich, Switzerland, first arriving there in 1946!. 16-month transit time!
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Arrival Postmark: (Reverse)
“ZGrich, § January 1946”
C. SCHUMACHER. P.O. Box 228
“Kone. 2
OP EN ED
BY EX AM IN
Probable Route:
Kobe- (by sea) to Viadivostok- (by rail) Harbin-Irkutsk-Samara-
Tiflis-Istanbul-Palestine-(by sea) France-Basel-ZGrich
oe.
50 Sen...
Single-weight (20 grams) international letter-rate + Registration fee
Reverse
X. EPILOGUE
Japanese Forces in Manchuria surrendered on 22 August 1945, and the surrender of Japan on
2. September 1945 ended World War Il.
THE END OF WORLD WAR II ENABLED THE TRANS-SIBERIAN
RAIL NETWORK TO AGAIN BECOME OPERATIONAL, ALBEIT
AS A ROUTE ENDORSEMENT SAW ITS DEMISE.
COMMENCING IN THE POSTWAR PERIOD, MOST MAIL MOVEMENT EAST/WEST WAS HENCEFORTH BY AIR WHICH CONTINUES TO THIS DAY.
BeEs ir. Sau e4
Washingt D,'
USA.
Demise of “Via Siberia” Mail Route Endorsement
Today's Trans-Siberian Rail Network, beginning in eastern Russia at the coastal port city of Viadivosfok and ending in the west
at Moscow, is highly electrified, handling primarily freight and container traffic to
Europe from the Far East.
Route Endorsements on 1940 Printed-Matter Mail from Germany
sent to Eastern & Western United States of America.
No longer required after World War Il.
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Updated 11 December 2024