23rd May 1937 23rd May 1937 Solitude Rennen NSKK Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

3rd January 1937 3rd January 1937 Princess Letter 10 3rd January 1937 Leustetten to 27 Queen Square, Bath Dear Madeleine! It was awfully sweet of you to send us that nice book. Thank you ever so much for it. I read it immediately and I like it very much. It is very interesting and well written. I love D’Arcy but Lady Catherine de Bourgh is just a haughty and stupid woman. Lizzy & Jane are both very good girls, almost too good to be true. Shall I tell you how we spent our Christmas? The whole day of 24th our sitting room is closed and only Mami, Ludwig & Deidi may enter it in order to help the “Christkind” as we call Jesus. Rasso is told it is him who brings all the lovely things and the Xmas-tree down from the sky. Only in the morning, about 6 o’clock, the whole family assembles and on the sound of a bell, the door opens and we all enter the salon. Some people sing, but as we are all incapable of it, we don’t. We all admire the Xmas tree and the (I don’t know the word for it in English, Krippe Creche in French). Ours is very sweet, all figures in wax. It stands beneath the Xmas tree. All round the room stand tables covered with white linen cloth. On them are displayed all our gifts. We got ski outfits, all of us. Muck and I got evening frocks. Mine is most beautiful, light blue resembling the Empire fashion, Mucks is a taffeta in the colour of her hair. And then I got a book about the Churches, Castles and Hotel de Ville of Flanders and a bag of silver leather for the evening and some yards of yellowish wool to make a dress of it, but I wont make it myself. I have had enough of the pinafore, which I really did finish myself. The others also got books and such things. Baby got a book about the famous Admiral Byrd, who explores the South Pole. She is very fond of it and admires him very much. The other day we went to see the circus. Rasso was very excited and admired it. It was the first he ever saw. Then we took him to the opera to see “Christ-Fairy” and “The Princess and the 7 dwarfs”. Tonight we go to see “Rienzi” over again or maybe Deidi and I go look at Richard II by Shakespeare. They play many Shakespearean plays here and I like them very much. They are much better than some Germans. My favourite will always remain Schiller but I don’t like Goethe. My first film I saw since I am here was “Burgtheater” with Werner Kraus. He is the most famous actor in Germany. I saw him also on the stage in King Lear. I was greatly impressed by it. The film is one of the best. Sorry you have no chance of seeing it. It was worthwhile. Next week carnival begins and I hope I may enjoy some parties and balls. I am so fond of dancing. I sometimes hear on the radio some of the records we used to dance at Middelkerke “The music goes round & round”! Le plus beau de tous les tangos du monde. Tous va tres bien Madame La Marquise”. You remember them don’t you? Do you know the record “Lollipop Shop”. I heard it at Radio Luxemburg. Give my best regards to your family With best love Lolli-pop Please tell your Aunt Eileen we all thank her very much for her cards and wish her a happy New Year. Love Loll Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

6th June 1937 JB:Regensburg 6th June 1937 Bochmann Regensburg Gautreffen Postcard commemorating the Gau meeting of the Bavarian Ostmark in Regensburg, 6th June 1937. The slogan at the foot reads, 'Mit Hitler marschieren wir, furchtlos und stark, braun schimmert die Grenze und treu steht die Mark!' (With Hitler we march fearless and strongly! Brown the border gleams and faithfully stands the Marks! - From 'Trutzlied der Bayerischen Ostmark'). Featuring a special cancellation to the stamp. Ref: 06.06.1937 REGENSBURG cancellations as featured in the Bochmann catalogues (1952) JB: Regensburg9/638 - 'Gautreffen Bayerische Ostmark/ Bruckner-/ Feier/ 6.6.37.' Ref: 06.06.1937 Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

8th August 1937 8th August 1937 Anklam BV259 Commemorative postcard (one of four imprint variations) for the 2nd Philatelic show in Anklam (held at the Möbelhaus Blanckenfeldt). Poor example. Ref: 08.08.1937, BV259 Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

27th September 1937 Benito Mussolini 27th September 1937 Benito Mussolini Postcard depicting 'Der Duce' Benito Mussolini (1883-1945). The hat that Mussolini wears is referenced in Wikipedia when describing the Italian Army's elite forces of WWI, the Arditi, 'Their use of a uniform with black ties, insignia and fez was later taken up by Benito Mussolini's paramilitary forces, the Blackshirts'. Ref: 27.09.1937 Benito Mussolini (1883 - 1945) Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian dictator who founded and led the National Fascist Party (PNF). He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922, until his deposition in 1943, as well as Duce of Italian fascism from the establishment of the Italian Fasces of Combat in 1919, until his execution in 1945. As a dictator and founder of fascism, Mussolini inspired the international spread of fascist movements during the interwar period. Mussolini was originally a socialist politician and journalist at the Avanti! newspaper. In 1912, he became a member of the National Directorate of the Italian Socialist Party (PSI), but was expelled for advocating military intervention in World War I. In 1914, Mussolini founded a newspaper, Il Popolo d'Italia , and served in the Royal Italian Army during the war until he was wounded and discharged in 1917. Mussolini denounced the PSI, his views now centering on Italian nationalism, and founded the fascist movement which opposed egalitarianism and class conflict, instead advocating 'revolutionary nationalism' transcending class lines. In October 1922, following the March on Rome, Mussolini was appointed prime minister by King Victor Emmanuel III, becoming the then youngest to hold the office. After removing opposition through his secret police and outlawing labour strikes, Mussolini and his followers consolidated power through laws that transformed the nation into a one-party dictatorship. Within five years, Mussolini established dictatorial authority by legal and illegal means and aspired to create a totalitarian state. In 1929, Mussolini signed the Lateran Treaty with the Holy See, to establish the Vatican City. Mussolini's foreign policy was based on the fascist doctrine of ' Spazio vitale ' ('living space'); which aimed to expand Italian possessions. In the 1920s, he ordered the Pacification of Libya, the bombing of Corfu over an incident with Greece, and annexed Fiume, after a treaty with Yugoslavia. In 1936, Ethiopia was conquered following the Second Italo-Ethiopian War and merged into Italian East Africa (AOI) with Eritrea and Somalia. In 1939, Italian forces annexed Albania. Between 1936-39, Mussolini ordered an intervention in Spain in favour of Francisco Franco, during the Spanish Civil War. Mussolini initially tried to retain the Versailles status quo by sending troops to delay Hitler's Anschluss, and taking part in the Treaty of Lausanne, Four-Power Pact and Stresa Front. However, he alienated the democratic powers as tensions grew in the League of Nations, which he left in 1937. Now hostile to France and Britain, Italy formed the Axis alliance with Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. The wars of the 1930s cost Italy enormous resources, leaving it unprepared for the Second World War. Therefore, when Poland was invaded in September 1939, Mussolini declared Italy's non-belligerence. However, in June 1940, believing Allied defeat imminent, he joined the war on Germany's side, to share the spoils. After the tide turned, and the Allied invasion of Sicily, King Victor Emmanuel III dismissed Mussolini as head of government and placed him in custody in July 1943. After the king agreed to an armistice with the Allies, in September 1943 Mussolini was rescued in the Gran Sasso raid by Germany. Hitler made Mussolini the figurehead of a puppet state in German-occupied north Italy, the Italian Social Republic, which served as a collaborationist regime of the Germans in their fight against the Allies, including the Kingdom of Italy, and the Italian resistance. With Allied victory imminent, Mussolini and mistress Clara Petacci attempted to flee to Switzerland, but were captured by communist partisans and executed on 28 April 1945 near Lake Como, and their bodies strung up in Milan. Source: Wikipedia Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

1st April 1937 Consulate Covers 1st April 1937 Consulate covers Official cover sent from the 'American Consular Service' in Breslau to an address in New York. The reverse bearing the hand-stamp of the American Consulate in Breslau. Ref: 01.04.1937 Consulate covers Note on 'Frei durch Ablösung Reich' (Free by replacement of Reich) : With the law concerning postage exemptions in the territory of the North German Confederation ( Postage Freedom Act ) of 5th June 1869, exemption from postage fees in Germany remained only for 'the reigning princes, their wives and widows'. However, according to Section 11 of the Postage Freedom Act, the Federal Postal Administration retained the right to conclude agreements with state authorities to the effect that the authorities would pay aversionary sums (lump sums) to the Federal Postal Administration instead of the postage and/or fees for individual shipments. By 1920, contracts had been concluded with 34 state authorities. All of these agreements were repealed by the Law on the Abolition of Fee Exemptions in Postal and Telegraph Traffic of 29th March 1920. However, the Reich Postal Administration retained the authority to conclude agreements with state authorities on the flat-rate postal fees provided for in Section 11 of the Postal Freedom Act. On 1st October 1923, such an agreement was concluded with the office of the Reich President. The mail items were marked 'Frei durch Ablösung Reich' (Free by replacement of Reich ) and had an official seal with a national emblem underneath. The lump sum was determined by counting and paid to the post office in monthly instalments. Official stamps, which were already in use in Bavaria and Württemberg, were also introduced as a replacement for such mail items. Source: Wikipedia (2024) Czechoslovakia Cover sent from 'Consulate General of the Czechoslovak Republic in Berlin'. Addressed to the Czech Red Cross in Prague. The consulate address appears to have been demolished and rebuilt (the consulate is no longer located there), however, the Syrian Consulate is next door at Rauchstrasse 25... perhaps the street was a 'consulate' street, i.e. like Belgrave Square in London. Ref: 20.05.1938 - 14/88 United States of America See 18.01.1936 - 24/74 (New York) Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

22nd January 1937 22nd January 1937 Princess Letter 12 22nd January 1936 [postmarked 1937 - a common error on correspondence written at the beginning of the year] Leutstetten to 27 Queen Square, Bath Dear Madeleine! Thank you very much for your letter. I think I should have written already a long time ago but I was too lazy and in the holidays we had a guest and never much time. Now I have been ill for a week lying in bed with grippe but I am quite well ever since three days. As we have not much room in our house, a cousin of us who was here in the holidays had to sleep with me and Rasso who generally sleeps with me, with Mammi and Papi. Naturally we talk along time in the evenings and it was usually after 12, when we stopped – Baron Banffy, a student friend of Ludwig was sleeping in my governesses room. You can imagine that we had a lot of fun like that. Once we made a long walk over the moors on a cold day and the ground quite frozen, otherwise it would have been impossible to pass without sinking into the marsh. It was very amusing as we were always afraid of breaking the ice and sink down. In the middle of the moor there was a rather broad brook which was not frozen yet and so we had to jump over it. Naturally Ludwig and Baron B passed easily but Loll the first of us tried to jump with the aid of BB and fell into it into the knee. Then our cousin Thereschen and Deidi jumped and passed well being held on both hands by the boys. Then came my turn and I jumped and got over but unfortunately I slipped upon my knees and L gave me such a push that I got my foot into the water. But I did not get very much water into my shoe. At last Muck joined us and we continued our walk. I think it must have been awfully funny to see all without being obliged to jump over. We learned Bar. B skating and then the second day he had already to play with us ice-hockey. One evening, the last Thereschen was here we made a punch, and danced and played murder in the dark and then played in the dark and again danced etc until it was passed midnight and nanny told us to go to bed. It was much fun. My governess was ill too and came only Sundays after the end of the birthdays. I was very content at that, naturally. The others are going out as one says in German. Yesterday there was a tea party and they seemed to enjoy it very much. They danced a lot and at 7 o’clock they came to fetch me at our uncles because where I waited and we went together to see Siegfried of Wagner. It was very beautiful indeed and I liked it very much. In the holidays we had seen Madam Butterfly which was very good too. I’ll have to stop now as we are going to supper. I hope my English is not too bad. I wrote this in haste. Yours very truly Baby Kind remembrances to your mother and Mary Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

9th June 1937 9th June 1937 Princess Letter 20 9th June 1937 Leutstetten to 27 Queen Square, Bath Dear Madeleine! Thank you so much for your letter. Please excuse that I did not write for such a long time now. Baby thanks you very very much for the nice book you send her and your letter, she was so pleased to get it. She would have answered since a long time, but she has to learn now a lot and has really no time, so she asked me to write instead of her. I have been speaking and writing French the whole time now, so I forgot my whole English, you must excuse the bad writing. I have been in Lindau at the Bodensee for some time now to visit cousins of mine. I spent a charming time there, we had beautiful weather and made a lot of excursion looking at old castles, beautiful churches and visiting some other relations living near by. Once we went sailing when there was much wind, and we saved a poor man who had fallen in the water with his boat and was very tired and cold. Here it is very hot too and we could bath already. Muck and Loll are at Lindau now. Ludwig is at Sarvar in Hungary now, but he will come back next month. Yesterday I was at the opera with Mami, we saw Salome by Richard Strauss, I don’t like it very much, but it was very well played by Hildergard Ranczak who also played that part often in England. We went to sail some days now, when there is nice wind. Ludwig took part in the racings of sailing boats and won every time, he is very good at it. I hope you are all well. Baby was so glad to get your nice book, please take this letter also as her thanks as she really has no time. Best greetings, Deidi Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

31st March 1937 MHB 39 31st March 1937 MHB39 Commercial cover from stamp dealer 'Briefmarken Geiling' to the Berlin address, 'ZwPA des PA' - Zweigpostamt des Postamts (Branch Post Office of the Post Office) in Spichernstr.' Featuring stamp sequence KZ23 from booklet sheet MHB 39. Ref: 31.03.1937 Stamp sequences from booklet sheet MHB 39 KZ23 (Mi.519+Z+Z+Mi.519) from MHB 39. Ref: 31.03.1937 W67 (A10+Mi.519). A10 - 'Deutschland, ein hort des friedens' (Germany, a haven of peace). From MHB 39. Ref: 21.01.1937 Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

31st July 1937 Barlog 1476 & 8712 31st July 1937 Barlog 1476 Barlog cartoon postcard depicting a group of soldiers in the canteen together with a humorous 'Magenfahrplan'. Bestell-Nr.1476 (without grey shaded background). Note: Research barracks at Wahn. Ref: 31.07.1937 The caption reads: Translation required VARIATION Variation of Bestell-Nr.1476. Identical image with the added grey shaded background. Bestell-Nr.8712. Ref: 31.10.1940 Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

8th October 1937 8th October 1937 Princess Letter 27 8th October 1937 Sarvar to 27 Queen Square, Bath Dear Madeleine! Why don’t you write? I was waiting for a letter from you since I was here. But I remember I have not thanked you for your nice card of the World Exhibition. I hope you enjoy your stay at Paris as much as the rest of your journey. And now you are safely back in Bath and school has started for you. Isn’t it your last term? I have stopped learning two years ago and now I have already forgotten everything I ever knew. One could kill me but I don’t know when Edward the Confessor lived. The only date I can remember is the coronation of Charlemagne. Rasso has got a governess, but we three girls don’t do anything than sit in our drawing room and write letters. We do write letters, and if you want it, we would write to you every week or fortnight. But we expect you to answer just as often. Muck is busy collecting stamps and playing the accordion and Baby is playing the piano, and I don’t see any possibility of running away. And now we read every one of Deidi’s books before they are sent to her. She has got about 20 Pimpernel books and my head is quite dizzy with them, but they are amusing and I read Jayne Eyre too and I liked it very much. I hope you got Baby’s postcard of Tristran. I am sorry we can’t go to the opera now but we go to see the pictures every week. We saw “A Tale of Two Cities” it is marvellous. And something about Chinese gold with Gary Cooper. It was exciting and he knocked out the whole lot of his enemies. Next week we are going to see “Anthony Adverse”. Here one sees rather a lot of American and English films and many Germans too. The few Hungarians are awfully bad and not worthwhile seeing. We have many guests and enjoy our stay here. I go riding for 2 hours every morning. And we play tennis and Ping-Pong. We have got an Irish girl staying with us till November. She is called Mary D’Arcy. And she stayed five years at the Convent of the Sacred Heart at Roehampton near London. So we are practicing our English. Deidi is coming to see us in November. Now she is living at Mandelieu and finishing her little villa. She has got five rooms and a lovely big garden and is very happy. Much love Loll Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

26th June 1937 26th June 1937 Apothekertag Essen Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page