17th November 1940 Feldpost 'a1' designation etc. 17.11.1940 'a1' desingation reverse.jpeg 17.11.1940 'a1' desingation reverse.jpeg 1/1 Registered feldpost cover featuring 'a1' designation to the cancel (level position). Ref: 17.11.1940 'FELDPOST ' designation letters: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o , a1etc. , Aa etc. , Misc. Feldpost designation letter 'a1', b1', and 'c1' variations 'a1' designation. Level position. Ref: 17.11.1940 'b1' designation. Level position. Ref: 16.07.1941 Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

22nd June 1937 'Deutschland' incident 22nd June 1937 'Deutschland' incident 22.06.1937 verso.jpeg 22.06.1937 verso.jpeg 1/1 Cover sent by 'El Interventor' (Chief Accounting Officer, from the town council at Palma de Mallorca) to Kurt Haffeneier (?) (a 'Feuerwerker - Ordinance Technician) on board the 'Panzerschiff Deutschland', moored at Wilhelmshaven. The correspondence arrives a month from when the heavy cruiser had disembarked from Mallorca and subsequent bombing by Soviet aircraft on the 29th May 1937. Note about the cover: a postage stamp has been cut from the upper right corner. Ref: 22.06.1937 - 3/138 The 'Deutschland' incident The Deutschland incident of 1937 occurred in May of that year, during the Spanish Civil War. On 29th May 1937, a pair of Tupolev SB Soviet bombers attached to the Spanish Republican Air Force raided Nationalist air bases and the port of Ibiza, in the Mediterranean Sea. The aircraft departed from the airbase of Los Alcázares, near Cartagena. The German heavy cruiser Deutschland , which was part of the International Non-Intervention Committee patrol, was anchored off Ibiza and was allegedly misidentified by the bombers' crew as the Nationalist heavy cruiser Canarias . Two Soviet pilots, Captain Anton Progrorin and Lieutenant Vassily Schmidt, dropped their bombs on Deutschland , causing large fires on the ship and killing 31 sailors and wounding 74. The following day German naval forces shelled the Republican held city of Almería in retaliation for the Republican air attacks on Deutschland . (See 14.06.1937 postcard from 'Seeadler' ) Because of the Deutschland incident, Germany and Italy left the meetings of the Non-Intervention Committee. The heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer shelled the port and the city of Almería with 200 rounds, resulting in 19 deaths, 55 wounded, and the destruction of 35 buildings. Source: Wikipedia Notes: 29th May - Bombed 30th May - British dockyard at Gibraltar 31st May - In the Mediterranean 11th June - Return to Gibraltar to pick up wounded sailors 16th June - Arrives back in Wilhelmshaven Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

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27th October 1939 Mi.P285/01-06 WHW 27th October 1939 Mi.P285/01-06 WHW 1/0 Mi.P285/01 (27.10.1939) WHW/ Heinrich I Mi.P285/02 (27.10.1939) WHW/ Martin Luther Mi.P285/03 (27.10.1939) WHW/ Ulrich von Hutten - See 30/31 Mi.P285/04 (27.10.1939) WHW/ Friedrich der Große - See 30/3 Mi.P285/05 (27.10.1939) WHW/ v. Bismarck Mi.P285/06 (27.10.1939) WHW/ Carl Peters - see 30/14 Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regrding this page

Stamp first issued on 6th January 1936 to commemorate the Tenth anniversary of Lufthansa. Mi.603 (06.01.1936) 1/1 Stamp first issued on 6th January 1936 to commemorate the Tenth anniversary of Lufthansa. Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

16th March 1937 16th March 1937 1/0 16th March 1937 Leutstetten to 27 Queen Square, Bath Dear Madeleine! Thank you very much for your dear letter, it gave me a great deal of pleasure. I have not written to you for a long time, as my sister said that they are going to write. Loll was waiting for a letter from you since some time. We are all very well. I was for 10 days in Vienna for the wedding of my friend, it was very nice, a very great wedding and a lot of people. At the great soirée the day before there were 600 people, all in the nicest evening dresses with very nice jewellery. I amused myself very much, seeing all my friends of Vienna and many Hungarians too, there were also many of Mami’s friends, they were all very nice to me. It was only a pity that one did not dance at the soirée. At the wedding the Hungarian gentlemen were in their national gala dress and looked very nice. Somebody sent us a photo of the wedding that was in an English newspaper. After the wedding I stayed still some days and I was still at some very amusing parties where we danced a lot. I was very glad to see my friends and cousins there. Now we are beginning to sew in Munich, Muck, Loll and I. We are going there to a sewing school three times a week before noon. One learns drawing of patterns and everything. I have already made for me a nice pink woollen dress. I also have drawing and painting lessons and in my spare time I do a lot of practicing to print and draw. We had also some visits of girls we know now. Tomorrow and after tomorrow we are invited to tea where there will be many people. We have some nice opera’s now – Meistersingers and Tannhauser of Wagner and others. I saw in the theatre Richard II by Shakespeare. I like it very much. I always like plays from Shakespeare. Ludwig and my father are now in Sarvar in Hungary but they will be back at Easter. Some days we had snow here and tried to go on ski, we like it very much, especially as we went in the mountains twice to do it. Please excuse my bad writing, I am very sleepy already. I hope Mary’s well again. Much love Deidi. Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

29th November 1945 29th November 1945 1/1 Commercial postcard sent from Robert Fischer, Dresden to a company in Seiffen. Featuring definitive stamp (Numeral series) Mi.58. Ref: 29.11.1945

Postcard issued to publicise the upcoming Saar Referendum. Ref: 13.01.1935 - 24/27, BV1235 13th January 1935 Saar Postcards (I) 1/1 Postcard issued to publicise the upcoming Saar Referendum. Ref: 13.01.1935 - 24/27, BV1235 Further examples Postcard titled 'Gruß Lied zur Saar Abstimmung'. Featuring various signatures to the reverse under the words 'Sieg Heil' and beside the slogan 'Alles für Deutschland, unsere Liebe, unsere Lieben'. Ref: 13.01.1935 Fleurs & Papillions Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

4th April 1942 Feldpost 'h' designation 04.04.1942 'h' designation reverse.jpeg 04.04.1942 'h' designation reverse.jpeg 1/1 Feldpost cover with clear 'h' designation on the cancel (level position). Ref: 04.04.1942 'FELDPOST ' designation letters: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o , a1etc. , Aa etc. , Misc. Feldpost designation letter 'h' variations Small typeface. Level position. Local field post office number. Ref: 29.05.1941 Condensed typeface with narrow shoulder. Level position. Ref: 19.09.1944 - 14/16 Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

Cover sent from Ludgerstal (Ludgerovice - Czech Republic) to an address in Berlin. Featuring a provisional 'Postamt Ludgerstal' cancellation together with a slogan cachet stating, 'Wir danken dem Führer/ Tag der Befreinung 8.X.1938' (We thank the Leader - Day of liberation 8.X.1938). Ref: 08.10.1938 8th October 1938 Ludgerstal 08.10.1938 Ludgerstal reverse.jpeg 08.10.1938 Ludgerstal reverse.jpeg 1/1 Cover sent from Ludgerstal (Ludgerovice - Czech Republic) to an address in Berlin. Featuring a provisional 'Postamt Ludgerstal' cancellation together with a slogan cachet stating, 'Wir danken dem Führer/ Tag der Befreinung 8.X.1938' (We thank the Leader - Day of liberation 8.X.1938). Ref: 08.10.1938 Ludgerstal (Linked via 'Bochmann' in the index but not part of the Bochmann catalogue of 1952) From Wikipedia.de Following the Versailles Treaty of 1919, the Hultčín region was ceeded to Czechoslovakia on 4th February 1920 and the Okres Hlučín was formed from it. In 1921, 3,250 people lived in the 432 houses in the municipality of Ludgeřovice / Ludgerstal , including 2,740 Czechs, 454 Germans and six Jews. By 1925, the Deutsch Krawarn – Annaberg railway line, which was unfinished by the First World War, was completed on the section between Hlučín and Petřkovice, giving Ludgeřovice a train station. In 1930 Ludgeřovice consisted of 561 houses and had 3,916 residents. According to the Munich Agreement, Ludgerstal was occupied by theGerman Reich on 2nd October 1938, together with the Hultschiner Ländchen. The community now belonged to the Hultschin district, which was incorporated into the Ratibor district in the Prussian province of Silesia in 1939. The Petershofen district, newly established on 17th January 1939, consisted of the communities of Koblau, Ludgerstal, Markersdorf and Petershofen. During the Second World War, 250 residents died. After the end of the war, Ludgeřovice returned to Czechoslovakia. Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

20th November 1939 Bayrische-Motoren-Werke (BMW) 20th November 1939 Bayrische-Motoren-Werke (BMW) 1/0 Cover sent from FPN36704 (1. Batterie Reserve-Festungs-Flakscheinwerfer-Abteilung 310) to Bayrische Motoren Werke (BMW), München. Ref: 20.11.1939, MFP1P15 (Type 25 feldpost cancel - 27mm/13mm - 3 date lines. Not illustrated in MFP). BMW during the era of National Socialism Extract taken from the BMW website During the era of National Socialism, BMW underwent a transformation from a mobility company to an armaments firm and became one of the most important enterprises operating in the German war economy. The production of motorcycles and automobiles continued but the aero-engine business line contributed the lion’s share of the company’s sales. New sites were developed and production was massively ramped up to meet the demand for armaments. During the war, the company management exhibited no moral scruples in making widespread use of forced labour and prisoners in concentration camps in order to comply with the production figures laid down by the authorities. These people had to work under terrible conditions and many died of hunger and exhaustion. BMW bears a substantial share of the burden of responsibility for these events and undoubtedly incurred a burden of guilt in committing these crimes. BMW therefore participated in compensation payments and commissioned two academic dissertations to investigate this dark part of its own history. The BMW Group is proactively committed to an open and free society without any discrimination or prejudice. BMW R 75 side-car motorcycle. TRANSFORMATION INTO AN ARMAMENTS COMPANY. When the National Socialists seized power in 1933, BMW’s business environment underwent a fundamental change. As a result of the policy driving the powerful rearmament programme being pursued at that time by the Third Reich, BMW was transformed into one of the most important companies in the German armaments industry. In 1934, the production of aero-engines was hived off into BMW Flugmotorenbau GmbH with the aim of concealing the increase in the volume of orders received for aero-engines and rearmament of the German Air Force (Luftwaffe). As a privately operated limited company (GmbH), this wholly-owned subsidiary was not required to meet the same level of disclosure in reporting its financial statements as a joint-stock company (Aktiengesellschaft, AG) and this meant that the enormous growth in the aero-engine sector was not shown in the balance sheet of BMW AG.However, the company was unable to deliver the unit volumes demanded by the Reich Air Ministry (Reichsluftfahrtministerium, RLM) at its two existing plants in Munich and Eisenach, alongside the production of motorcycles (Munich) and automobiles (Eisenach). Two factory complexes were therefore constructed in 1936 and 1937 respectively at Munich-Allach (today MTU Aero Engines) and Eisenach-Dürrerhof with the support of substantial government funds provided through the state aviation bank Luftfahrtkontor GmbH. Both of these plants were planned from the start as “shadow or forest plants” and provided with appropriate camouflage.When production of the liquid-cooled aero-engine BMW VI was discontinued in 1937, BMW became a manufacturer of purely air-cooled aero-engines (BMW 132, from 1940 also the BMW 801), alongside Siemens subsidiary Brandenburgische Motorenwerke GmbH (BRAMO). As part of this commitment to air-cooled engines, a joint venture for development was set up with BRAMO in 1938, which led to the purchase of BRAMO by BMW in 1939. As a result of this acquisition, BMW took on ownership of the Berlin plants in Spandau and Basdorf. Production of the Bramo 323 “Fafnir” was continued until 1943.In 1940, the existing plants were augmented by the Zühlsdorf plant, which was located opposite the Basdorf plant. These two plants were merged and renamed the Niederbarnimer Flugmotorenwerke GmbH, Berlin, in 1941.BMW manufactured aero-engines at all its plants but the highest production figures were achieved at the industrial mass-production plants in Allach and Dürrerhof. This enormous expansion of the company is also revealed by the company’s business figures. In 1933, sales of RM 35.56 million were generated by 6,514 employees, whereas by 1939 the company was generating sales of RM 275.5 million with a workforce of 26,918. These figures were to undergo a further increase by 1944 to sales of RM 750 million generated by 56,213 employees.Production concentrated on the aero-engines BMW 132, Bramo 323 “Fafnir” and the twin-row radial engine BMW 801. A further engine was produced from 1944 in the form of the BMW 003 jet engine. Alongside aero-engines, BMW also manufactured motorcycles like the BMW R 75 for the German Army (Wehrmacht), and this production was supplemented from 1938 to 1940 by the BMW 325 standard passenger car. When the government put a stop to automobile production in 1941, BMW went over to being solely an armaments company. Production of BMW 801 aircraft engines. FOREIGN WORKERS AND FORCED LABOUR. When the economy started to boom on the back of government orders for armaments, Germany started to be beset by a drastic shortage of labour from the mid-1930s. Women were increasingly co-opted in order to redress the deficit, although this went against the ideology of National Socialism. The start of the Second World War further exacerbated the situation since large numbers of workers were called up to serve in the German Army. At the end of 1939, the first Polish prisoners of war were put to work in Eisenach in order to enable the company to meet its production targets. BMW also tried to recruit workers from the occupied territories or from other Axis countries. There was a particular drive to recruit workers from Western Europe with technical training and skills. These “foreign workers” ( Fremdarbeiter ) had comparable rights to German workers including an entitlement to social benefits.Workers from Western and Southern Europe were generally better treated and received more pay than Poles or workers from the territories in the east known as “eastern workers” ( Ostarbeiter ). There were substantial differences in the working and living conditions depending on the origins of workers. As the war progressed, foreign workers gradually also lost their rights and privileges and this ushered in a gradual transition to forced labour. All the forced labourers ( Zwangsarbeiter ) had to contend with shortages of food and inadequate accommodation, and their living conditions underwent further drastic deterioration as the war progressed. CONCENTRATION CAMP PRISONERS IN ALLACH Starting in 1941, prisoners of the SS were pressed into work, and inmates from concentration camps were forced to become labourers from 1942. The Allach and Dürrerhof plants had their own satellite camps. By the end of 1944, around 29,000 forced labourers were engaged in work at BMW, accounting for more than 50 percent of the total BMW workforce. Without this massive deployment of forced labourers, mass production would not have been possible. These workers had to work up to 12 hours a day and the “eastern workers” and prisoners from concentration camps were singled out for particularly harsh treatment, violence and death even in the case of trivial misdemeanours. As a consequence, death rates among “eastern workers” and concentration camp prisoners were significantly higher than for other groups.At the end of the Second World War, a large proportion of the forced labourers who survived left the destroyed country of Germany for good. When they departed, the memory of the horrors they had endured and the crimes that had been committed against them largely faded. Along with most other German companies, BMW for a long time suppressed its own responsibility for this part of the company’s history. At the beginning of the 1980s, BMW started to address the issue of forced labour for the first time by commissioning the book entitled “Vor der Schallmauer” [In front of the sound barrier] by Horst Mönnich. Since the end of the 1990s, BMW has been a founding member of the Foundation Initiative of German industry “Remembrance, Responsibility and Future”. This organisation has paid financial compensation to forced labourers and today it remains dedicated to making amends for the past. Furthermore, BMW commissioned two dissertation projects by independent researchers to investigate the involvement of the company in National Socialism and most importantly the use of forced labour. 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11th May 1939 11th May 1939 1/2 Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page