Third Reich
Commemorative Issues - 1937
The three stamps shown above (Mi. #643-45, Sc. #481-83) were issued in the Third Reich on March 3, 1937
to publicize the Reich Air Protection League.
These stamps depict a
shield bearer. The Air Protection League was responsible for training civilians to protect themselves, in the event of air raids.
The souvenir sheet pictured above (Mi. #646 (Block 7), Sc. #B102) was issued on
April 5, 1937 to celebrate Adolph Hitler's 48th birthday. Though the
sheet only contains 24 Pf. worth of postage, it sold for 1 RM.
The sheet contains four perforated stamps depicting the portrait of Adolph Hitler. In the lower margin is the inscription "WER EIN VOLK RETTEN WILL / KANN NUR HEROISCH DENKEN", which means "He who wants to save his people must think heroically".
These
souvenir sheets were purchased by collectors and used for commemorative
or patriotic cancellations for every conceivable type of event
throughout the year 1937.
An imperforate
version of this souvenir sheet (Mi. #647 (Block 8), Sc. #B103) was issued on April 16, 1937 for the
German National Philatelic Exhibition in Berlin, June 16-18, 1937, and for
the Philatelic Exhibition of the Stamp Collectors Group of the Strength
Through Joy Organization at Hamburg April 17-20, 1937. The sheets sold
at the philatelic events for 1.50 RM each.
This souvenir sheet (Mi. #648 (Block 9), Sc. #B104) was issued June 10, 1937 for
Hitler's Culture Fund. The souvenir sheets were identical to the ones
issued in April, except that they were rouletted along the top and
bottom of each of the stamps, extending to the edge of the sheet, and
the rouletted sections were inscribed "25 Rpf. / einschließlich /
Kulturspende".
The sheets were rouletted to
allow for separation of each stamp with its component label. They were
sold at the post office as individual stamps or in complete souvenir
sheets.
On September 3, 1937, this souvenir
sheet was reissued (Mi. #650 (Block 11), Sc. #B106), with a black vertical overprint, at the side of each
stamp, reading "REICHSPARTEITAG" / "NURNBERG 1937", to celebrate the
1937 Nazi Party Congress at Nürnberg.
On August 1, 1937, the Third Reich re-issued the 1936
Brown Ribbon souvenir sheet (Mi. #649 (Block 10), Sc. #B105), with the stamp portion overprinted "1
AUGUST / 1937 / MUNCHEN- / RIEM" in red. This overprinted re-issue
publicized the fourth running of the Brown Ribbon horse race in
Munich-Reim.
The nine Third Reich semi-postal stamps shown
above (Mi. #651-59, Sc. #B107-15) were issued on November 4, 1937 featuring a theme of Ships. The surtax was for Winter Relief
charities.
By denomination, from lowest to highest, they depict a lifeboat, light ship "Elbe I", fishing smacks, a steamer, a sailing vessel, the "Tannenberg", sea train "Schwerin", the "S.S. Hamburg", and the "S.S. Bremen".
The 40 + 35 Pf. is actually an error. The inscription below the design indicates the "S.S. Bremen", however the ship pictured on the stamp is actually the "S.S. Europa"!
The 3 Pf., 5 Pf., 6 Pf., and 12 Pf. denominations were also issued in booklets.
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