This airmail cover was posted at Hamburg on 22nd April 1938 and addressed to Sr. Walter Philipp in Havana, Cuba. The manuscript instruction “Flugpost via New-York” directed the letter by air through New York for onward transmission to Cuba. The reverse bears a Havana arrival marking dated 25th April 1938, indicating that the journey from Hamburg to Havana was completed in approximately three days. A Cuban slogan marking on the reverse reads “COMPRE PRODUCTOS DE CUBA – PROTEJA LA INDUSTRIA NACIONAL” (“Buy Cuban products – protect national industry”).

The cover is franked with a 25 Rpf Hindenburg definitive and three 6 Rpf stamps commemorating the plebiscite of 10th April 1938, giving a total franking of 43 Reichspfennig. The 6 Rpf stamps, Michel 662, carry the propaganda inscription “Ein Volk – Ein Reich – Ein Führer” and had been issued in connection with the plebiscite following the German annexation of Austria. Consequently, these stamps were being used on this international letter only twelve days after the plebiscite, providing an example of contemporary Nazi political propaganda entering ordinary overseas postal use almost immediately.

The sender's address on the reverse appears to read R. Philipp, Pilatuspool 1, Hamburg, giving the sender and recipient the same surname. A family relationship is therefore possible, although this has not presently been established, nor has a commercial connection between the two Philipps been identified. Ref: 22.04.1938 - 37/3