Lars,
I lent my P volume out, so I can't confirm, but I think that most Polish stamps during second war were issued under General Gouvernment, not under Polish authority. I have no idea of Soviet-occupied areas.
However, it's the colors that make me think this a commemoration of Polish POWs, not POW stamps.
Furthermore, POWs were allowed to post letters free-franked. Don't know the limit, but rules were similar to what Allied service members "enjoyed."
Finally, Poland was an occupied country from the beginning of the war until..... well kinda forever. I doubt they had any other nations' POWs to whom to offer stamps.
David
What makes you think these are POW stamps? I don't see any reference on the stamp itself.
This stamp is listed in the Stamp Encyclopaedia Poland under the heading:
Camp post - Inter-camp post in Germany - Lubeck. Fischer 1 Year of issue 1945 (Syrena/Mermaid)
http://www.stampspoland.nl/index.html
Here is one used on a postcard:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1945-WWII-POLAND-GERMANY-GEESTHACHT-LUBEKA-LUBECK-MERMAID-CAMP-POST-POW-CARD/282432421778?hash=item41c248bf92:g:I1wAAOSwJSJXGI3w
that's a post-war CDS.
"that's a post-war CDS."
Hi Lars,
I think the heading of "Polish prisoners of war camps" given in http://www.stampspoland.nl/index.html may have been misunderstood.
The heading is used for a number of related topics including "Inter-Camp Post" and gives the following reference for this:
http://www.stampdomain.com/country/poland/intercamp/index.htm
This describes the Inter-Camp Post system and its purpose.
It described the situation of refugees in camps after the end of the war.
People started to write one another, however the postal system was non existent. Polish committees were formed in Bremen, Hamburg, Bergedorf, Lubeck, Cologne, Hannover, Munich and other locations.
It was these committees who organised the movement of mail between the camps and decided to organise an Inter Camp Post for the Polish refugees within the British, US and French sectors of Germany.
The link gives more detail on this.
So they were for POST war camps. That makes more sense.
Thank you so much for the clarification, Nigel!
The big question is: are fakes a major concern with these?
Lars
I copied the image and showed this to an friend of mine (who also used to be my high school history teacher). He was a resident of one of the displaced persons camps as a young boy before he came to Canada. His parents were forced labourers from Poland and he remembered mail using similar stamps, although he couldn't remember (quite understandably) whether they were Polish or something else entirely.
I found these:
Apparently they are WWII POW stamps, but I don't see them listed in Germany or Poland in Scott. I assume that would require a specialized catalog. Does anyone know where I can find some history on these items. I've seen some on cover as well.
Lars
re: WWII POW stamps
Lars,
I lent my P volume out, so I can't confirm, but I think that most Polish stamps during second war were issued under General Gouvernment, not under Polish authority. I have no idea of Soviet-occupied areas.
However, it's the colors that make me think this a commemoration of Polish POWs, not POW stamps.
Furthermore, POWs were allowed to post letters free-franked. Don't know the limit, but rules were similar to what Allied service members "enjoyed."
Finally, Poland was an occupied country from the beginning of the war until..... well kinda forever. I doubt they had any other nations' POWs to whom to offer stamps.
David
re: WWII POW stamps
What makes you think these are POW stamps? I don't see any reference on the stamp itself.
re: WWII POW stamps
This stamp is listed in the Stamp Encyclopaedia Poland under the heading:
Camp post - Inter-camp post in Germany - Lubeck. Fischer 1 Year of issue 1945 (Syrena/Mermaid)
http://www.stampspoland.nl/index.html
Here is one used on a postcard:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1945-WWII-POLAND-GERMANY-GEESTHACHT-LUBEKA-LUBECK-MERMAID-CAMP-POST-POW-CARD/282432421778?hash=item41c248bf92:g:I1wAAOSwJSJXGI3w
re: WWII POW stamps
that's a post-war CDS.
re: WWII POW stamps
"that's a post-war CDS."
re: WWII POW stamps
Hi Lars,
I think the heading of "Polish prisoners of war camps" given in http://www.stampspoland.nl/index.html may have been misunderstood.
The heading is used for a number of related topics including "Inter-Camp Post" and gives the following reference for this:
http://www.stampdomain.com/country/poland/intercamp/index.htm
This describes the Inter-Camp Post system and its purpose.
It described the situation of refugees in camps after the end of the war.
People started to write one another, however the postal system was non existent. Polish committees were formed in Bremen, Hamburg, Bergedorf, Lubeck, Cologne, Hannover, Munich and other locations.
It was these committees who organised the movement of mail between the camps and decided to organise an Inter Camp Post for the Polish refugees within the British, US and French sectors of Germany.
The link gives more detail on this.
re: WWII POW stamps
So they were for POST war camps. That makes more sense.
Thank you so much for the clarification, Nigel!
The big question is: are fakes a major concern with these?
Lars
re: WWII POW stamps
I copied the image and showed this to an friend of mine (who also used to be my high school history teacher). He was a resident of one of the displaced persons camps as a young boy before he came to Canada. His parents were forced labourers from Poland and he remembered mail using similar stamps, although he couldn't remember (quite understandably) whether they were Polish or something else entirely.