Weimar Republic
General Issues
1928-1933
The Weimar Republic, beginning in 1928, issued a new series of definitive postage stamps, featuring the portraits of their presidents.
Under the Weimar constitution, the head of state of the German Republic was the "Reichspräsident" or the "President of the Federal State".
The first Reichspräsident was Friedrich Ebert (1871-1925), who held the office between 1919 and 1925. The second Reichspräsident was Paul von Hindenburg (1847-1934), who held the office from 1925 to 1934.
The Weimar constitution actually remained in effect as the "official" government charter through 1945. The third Reichspräsident was Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), who held the office from 1934-1945. Out of respect for Hindenburg though, Hitler chose to be called "Führer und Reichskanzler" or "Leader and Reich Chancellor".
The final Reichspräsident was Admiral Karl Dönitz (1891-1980), who held the office for a brief time in 1945, between the death of Adolf Hitler and the surrender of Germany at the end of World War II.
For the purposes of the entity we refer to as the Weimar Republic though, there were only two presidents.
All of the Reichspräsident Series of definitive postage stamps are shown in the scans above (Mi. #410 // 66, Sc. #366-84). They were issued between September 1928 and January 1932, and all of them show the portraits of either Friedrich Ebert or Paul von Hindenburg.
The scans above show the issues by the Scott Catalog grouping. In the Michel Catalog, they are spread out into different groupings, according to their date of issue.
All the stamps shown above were issued in both panes of 100 and in vertical coil rolls.
The 4 Pf. Light Blue, 5 Pf. Green, 6 Pf. Olive Green, 8 Pf. Dark Green, 12 Pf. Orange, and 15 Pf. Carmine Rose were also issued in booklets. There are seven combination booklet panes listed in the Michel Catalog, as well as numerous collectible se-tenant pair combinations from the panes.
A scarce variety of the 8 Pf. Dark Green denomination exists with a sideways network watermark.
The 2 Reichsmark denomination definitive stamp, shown above (Mi. #440, Sc. #387),
was issued in May 1930. The stamp is identical to the 2 Mark denomination stamp issued
in 1924, with the exception that the inscription at the top of the stamp
has now been changed to "Zwei Reichsmark" instead of "Zwei Mark".
The 1 Reichsmark denomination definitive stamp, shown above (Mi. #IX, Sc. N/L), was never issued.
At
about the time the 2 Reichsmark denomination stamp was issued, examples of the 1924 1 Mark
were also printed, with the inscription at the top of the stamp having "Eine Reichsmark" instead of "Eine Mark".
Though they were never released, a few examples did make it into hands
of collectors. They are all unused, on un-gummed paper, and they are
exceedingly rare. Even if one had the 20,000 Euros that this stamp catalogs, an example of this stamp could probably not be easily located for purchase.
The seven stamps shown above (Mi. #467-73, Sc. #391-97) were actually issued October 1, 1932 to celebrate the 85th Birthday of President Paul von Hindenburg.
These are the first issues of what would become the Hindenburg Medallion Series of definitive postage stamps.
With the exception of the 50 Pf. Dark Brown denomination, all of these Weimar Republic definitive postage stamps were issued in both panes of 100 and in vertical coil rolls. The 5 Pf. Green denomination was also issued in booklets.
The set of Hindenburg Medallion definitive postage stamps shown above (Mi. #482-95, Sc. #401-14) were all issued between April and August of 1933.
The stamps issued under the Weimar Republic are all watermarked network. These definitive postage stamps would continue in use well into the Third Reich, but those stamps are all printed on watermarked swastika paper.
With the exception of the 40 Pf., 60 Pf., 80 Pf., and 100 Pf. denominations, all these stamps were produced in both panes of 100 and in vertical coil rolls.
The 6 Pf., 8 Pf., and 12 Pf. denominations were also produced in booklets. The booklet panes of these watermarked network stamps are scarce.
eBay Auction and Store Links
Weimar Republic
The following links feature category-focused affiliated seller listings on various eBay sites worldwide. They may enable visitors to shop
for and to buy specific items for the
particular collecting subject they've just read about.
The
affiliated eBay seller auction lots provided by eBay,
Inc. are not the responsibility of the management of this
website. On high priced material, make sure the lots you are buying are properly authenticated.
Remember
that the lots on European eBay sites are priced in EUROS. Shipping
charges may be more, and the lots may take longer to arrive. Also, make
sure the foreign seller ships to your country, before bidding on or
buying his lot.
Return to Weimar Republic from
General Issues - 1928-1933
