Weimar Republic
Commemorative Issues
1919-1923
The new Weimar Republic issued their first stamps at the beginning of 1919, utilizing stocks of the Germania wartime printings of the former German Empire.
The two Germania wartime printing stamps of the German Empire, shown above (Mi. #105-06, Sc. #B1-2), were issued on May 1, 1919, as charity stamps, each with a 5 Pf. surcharge. The two stamps were surcharged and overprinted "5 / Pf / für Kriegs / geschädigte" to raise money to help War Invalids.
The first commemorative stamps of the new republic are shown above (Mi. #107-10, Sc. #105-08). The 10 Pf., 15 Pf., and 25 Pf. denominations were issued on July 1, 1919 for the Opening of the National Assembly in Weimar. The 30 Pf. denomination, with the same design as that of the 25 Pf. stamp, was issued during February of 1920.
The stamp designs feature allegorical symbols of Germany's emerging from the devastation of World War I. The 10 Pf. denomination depicts a tree with new growth. The 15 Pf. denomination depicts new growth from a tree stump. The 25 and 30 Pf. denominations depict a builder.
The set of six stamps shown above (Mi. #199-04, Sc. #212-17) were issued on April 2, 1922 for the German Industrial Exhibition in Munich, held from May through October.
Each of the stamps shows the coat of arms of the City of Munich as its central design. Munich's name is derived from the Benedictine Monks who founded the city during the 13th Century. Thus, a monk is depicted as the central figure of the city's coat of arms.
The two charity stamps shown above (Mi. #233-34, Sc. #B3-4) were issued on December 11, 1922. The 6 Mk. + 4 Mk. denomination and the 12 Mk. + 8 Mk. denomination were sold to raise money for the Aid to the Elderly and to Children.
Each of the stamps depicts a woman planting a tree.
The three hyperinflation period definitive stamps of the Weimar Republic, shown above, were issued on February 19, 1923 as charity stamps. These three stamps were surcharged, then overprinted "Rhein / Ruhr / Hilfe" to raise money to help refugees of the French Occupation of the Rhein - Ruhr Region in January 1923. The region was returned to German control in 1925.
The 5,000 Mark commemorative stamp, shown above left (Mi. #261, Sc. #237), was
issued in May of 1923 to mark the 850th anniversary of the construction
of Wartburg Castle, near Eisenach, in Thuringia.
Today, the castle is
on the World Heritage List, and it is listed as an "outstanding monument
of the feudal system in Central Europe". One of the castle's most
famous residents was Martin Luther, who lived there from 1551 to 1552.
The 10,000 Mark commemorative stamp, shown above right (Mi. #262, Sc. #238), was
issued in late July of 1923 to mark the 600th anniversary of the
construction of Cologne Cathedral, which was begun in 1248.
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Commemorative Issues - 1919-1923
