DDR
Commemoratives of 1949-1950
The DDR, Deutsche Demokratische Republik, or German Democratic Republic, as it is called in English was proclaimed on October 7, 1949. Two days later, the new country, issued their first commemorative postage stamp, celebrating the anniversary of the Universal Postal Union. Many of the early stamps of the German Democratic Republic reflected Socialist political themes, emphasizing social, industrial, and agricultural progress within their Communist state.
The 50 Pf. denomination stamp shown above (Mi. #242, Sc. #48) was issued on October 9, 1949 to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Postal Union (UPU).
The two stamps shown above (Mi. #243-44, Sc. #49-50) were issued on October 27, 1949 to celebrate the Day of the International Postal Workers' Trade Union.
The designs feature two letter carriers, a globe, and the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.
The two stamps shown above (Mi. #246-47, Sc. #51-52) were issued on March 2, 1950 to publicize the First East German Winter Sports Championship Matches in Schierke.
The two designs feature a skier and a skater.
The two surtaxed pictorial DDR stamps shown above (Mi. #248-49, Sc. #B15-16). were issued on March 5, 1950 for the Leipzig Fair (Spring), a trade fair that has been held every year in Leipzig, since the early Middle Ages.
The illustrations on the stamps are as follows:
- 24 Pf. + 12 Pf. - First porcelain at the Leipzig Fair in 1710.
- 30 Pf. + 14 Pf. - Municipal Store at the Leipzig Fair in 1894.
The four surtaxed pictorial DDR stamps shown above (Mi. #256-59, Sc. #B17-20) were issued on June 14, 1950 to celebrate Bach Year and to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the Death of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750).
The designs on the stamps are as follows:
- 12 Pf. + 04 Pf. - Shepherd boy with double flute.
- 24 Pf. + 06 Pf. - Girl with hand organ.
- 30 Pf. + 08 Pf. - Johann Sebastian Bach.
- 50 Pf. + 16 Pf. - Chorus.
The ten small-format pictorial stamps shown above (Mi. #261-70, Sc. #58-67) were issued on July 10, 1950 to commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the Academy of Science in Berlin.
The portraits on each of the stamps are as follows:
- 01 Pf. - Leonhard Euler (1707-1783), mathematician, physicist and astronomer.
- 05 Pf. - Alexander von Humbolt (1769-1859), naturalist and geographer.
- 06 Pf. - Theodor Mommsen (1817-1903), historian.
- 08 Pf. - Wilhelm von Humboldt (1767-1835), philosopher and statesman.
- 10 Pf. - Hermann von Helmholtz (1821-1894), philosopher and physicist.
- 12 Pf. - Max Planck (1858-1947), physicist.
- 16 Pf. - Jacob Grimm (1785-1863), writer.
- 20 Pf. - Walther Nernst (1864-1941), physicist.
- 24 Pf. - Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716), philosopher, writer, and founder of the academy.
- 50 Pf. - Adolf Harnack (1851-1930), Lutheran theologian and historian.
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The 12 Pf. + 03 Pf. denomination stamp shown above, at the left (Mi. #271, Sc. #B14), was issued on October 30, 1949 for Stamp Day and to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the first Bavarian postage stamp.
The design features a magnifying glass and the first Bavarian postage stamp.
The 84 Pf. + 41 Pf. denomination stamp shown above, at the right (Mi. #272, Sc. #B21), was issued on July 1, 1950 to publicize and benefit the up-coming German Postage Stamp Exhibition (DEBRIA) at Leipzig and to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the first Saxony postage stamp.
The design features a globe, dove, and the first Saxony postage stamp.
The DEBRIA 1950 souvenir sheet, shown above (Mi. Block 7, Sc. #B21a), incorporates the designs of the 1949 Stamp Day issue and the 1950 German Postage Stamp Exhibition issue. The souvenir sheet was issued on August 26, 1950.
The two DDR stamps shown above (Mi. #273-74, Sc. #68-69) were issued on September 1, 1950 to celebrate 750th Anniversary of the opening of the Mannsfeld Copper Mines.
The two designs feature depictions of mining and smelting.
The four DDR stamps shown above (Mi. #276-79, Sc. #71-74) were issued on December 15, 1950 to publicize the "Fight for Peace".
The designs feature a hand shielding a dove from: a tank, an exploding shell, a nuclear explosion, and a cemetery.
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DDR - Commemoratives of 1949-1950
The 30 Pf. denomination stamp shown above (Mi. #250, Sc. #53) was issued on May 1, 1950 to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Labor Day.
The 24 Pf. denomination stamp shown above (Mi. #275, Sc. #70) was issued on September 28, 1950 to publicize the National Elections on October 15, 1950.