Postcard sent by a soldier in Division Gavinana, via 'Posta Militare' from Eritrea to Verona. Fef: 24.05.1936 24th May 1936 1/1 Postcard sent by a soldier in Division Gavinana, via 'Posta Militare' from Eritrea to Verona. Fef: 24.05.1936 The 19th Infantry Division Venezia was a mountain infantry division of the Regio Esercito, which was raised in 1934, to serve in the Second Italo-Ethiopian War under the name Gavinana division. The Gavinana division was staying in Eritrea near Ethiopian border in the Adi Quala and Enda-Ghergis. On October 3, 1935, it crossed the Mareb River as part of the Italian II Corps, thus beginning the invasion. On that day, it crushed an Ethiopian fortified position at De’āro Teklē. On October 4th, the Gavinana division captured the town of Ādī Ābun, and on October 6th, it captured an important road junction at the town of Adwa. The advance then largely stopped, as several battles were fought around Adwa, particularly at Inda Mīka’ēl to the south of the town. After the eventual Ethiopian counter-attack was stalled, the Gavinana division participated in the Second Battle of Tembien, starting on February 26, 1936 with an attack around Shire, Ethiopia. On March 2nd, it destroyed a large Ethiopian formation near Mai Nebri, Eritrea, and March 3rd, it was in pursuit of shattered Ethiopian troops along the Tacazze River, returning to Inda Silasē near Shire, Ethiopia on March 4th. Between March 5th and 7th, it reached the town of Indabaguna and by March 9th, the Gavinana division had occupied Debarq, then arrived at Debat on April 2nd. It was relieved from front-line duties on April 22, 1936 and sent to Axum. For the rest of war, it participated in mopping-up operations around Mendefera. It was demobilized and reduced a brigade in July 1936, but again mobilized on April 15, 1939, under the 19th Infantry Division "Venezia" name. The only difference between line infantry divisions and mountain infantry divisions was that the latter's artillery was carried by pack mules instead of the standard horse-drawn carriages. Italy's real mountain warfare divisions were the six alpine divisions manned by the "Alpini" mountain troops. In October-November 1943, it had gradually transformed into the partisan Garibaldi division, fighting together with Yugoslav Partisans against the Axis. SEE PUNCH CARTOON FEATURING MUSSOLINI AND ABYSSINIA HERE Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

20th August 1935 1/1 Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

11th March 1935 DAF - Zahlungsbestätigung 1/0 DAF - Zahlungsbestätigung postcard - See 12.03.1935 - 24/62 Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

2nd February 1938 1/2 2nd February 1938 Sarvar to 27 Queen Square, Bath Dear Madeleine! Many thanks for your letter. I am very glad to have got it today. Tomorrow morning we are leaving for Munchen, to enjoy the carnival. Our address will be “Munchen, Hotel Vier Jahiesgeiten”. Mami is taking Muck and Baby and me there for a month. I hope it will be fun. And I hope to go to many balls and parties and to the opera and skating and skiing. Ludwig is in Lengries doing his military service and he promised to take us skiing on his Sundays out. The other day I saw Sonja Henie in her first film, “One In A Million”. Her skating is really wonderful. Today we are going to see a German film “Ave Maria” with the famous tenor Benjamino Gilgi. He is very ugly but has a marvellous voice. Yesterday I was at a party at Steinamanger, 27km from here. It was a “Catholic Evening” but it really was great fun and we three danced so much. My feet hurt still. At the beginning I was very shy to go there with Papi. Mami had such a headache that she had to lie down. But we three came off very well. It is amazing how well all those Hungarians speak German. I did not dance with one who was not able to speak 3 German words. Most of them speak fluently. I don’t know 10 words of Hungarian although we live here since 15 years. Isn’t it a shame! But our house is nearly all German, and even the maids understand some German. I made up my mind to take Hungarian lessons when I come back. But I have made this resolution very often, and always broken it till now. Muck wants to go to England in March or April. I wonder if she really will. I rather think she will. When something has got into her head, she is pretty sure to do it, she is so mule-headed you know. Well, I’m not sure whether mule-headed is very polite, I took it out of some cowboy book. I must tell you that I write without a dictionary. I’m much too lazy to look words up, besides one always catched the wrong sense. I’m very sorry to hear that your Grandfather had died. It is always such a shock to come home and find a telegram there. I must stop now, Anny is so busy packing for Munchen, there is such a row. So good-bye now, give my love to Mary, Yours as ever Loll Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

Cover featuring overprint Mi.9 (Postmarked 'Schluckenau' with Czech town name of 'Šlucknov' erased - Rumburg District). With slogan overprint 'Wir Sind Frei!' (on Mi.350). Ref: 02.10.1938 - 2/28 Mi.1-52 (26.09.1938) Rumburg 02.10.1938 -9_28 Sudetenland reverse.jpeg 02.10.1938 -9_28 Sudetenland reverse.jpeg 1/1 Cover featuring overprint Mi.9 (Postmarked 'Schluckenau' with Czech town name of 'Šlucknov' erased - Rumburg District). With slogan overprint 'Wir Sind Frei!' (on Mi.350). Ref: 02.10.1938 - 2/28 RUMBURG - Local Official Issues The district of Rumburg consisted of about 50 towns, 42 with their own post offices Mi.3 (Nixdorf - Rumburg district). Mi.279 overprinted with surcharge type I. Ref: 22.09.1938 - Note: Michel has the issue date as 26th September 1938. The area had been evacuated by the Czech authorities on 21st/22nd September. Mi.9 (Schluckenau - Rumburg district). Mi.350 overprinted with surcharge type I. Ref: 02.10.1938. Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

23rd January 1947 Friedrich Schneider 23rd January 1947 Friedrich Schneider 23.01.1947 - 16_34 Schneider reverse.jpeg 23.01.1947 - 16_34 Schneider reverse.jpeg 1/1 Commercial cover sent from 'Markenhaus Schneider' in Reutlingen to an address in Buchloe. Ref: 23.01.1947 - 16/34 Also see 28/56 (business postcard, 1944) Markenhaus Schneider Founded in1928 by Friedrich Schneider as a stamp mailing business known as Markenhaus-Schneider. Link to the current business in Reutlingen Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

1st February 1940 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th 21st 22nd 23rd 24th 25th 26th 27th 28th 29th 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th 21st 22nd 23rd 24th 25th 26th 27th 28th 29th

15th July 1940 Orléans 1/0 See 15.07.1940 - 23/100 Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

4th December 1939 4th December 1939 1/1 Postcard depicting the German light cruiser 'Emden'. Ref: 04.12.1939 Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

1st April 1940 Luftgaupostämt 1/0 Example of a Vorbindezettel (Pre-tie label), imprint 'Fp 4 zu 12 Din A3'. Featuring a 'Frankfurt (Main)/ a/ Luftgaupostamt' cancellation. Sent from FPN 31554 (Regimentsstab u. Nachrichten-Zug Flak-Regiment 38). Ref: 01.04.1940, MFP4/52 The Luftgaupostämter were subordinate to the 'Deutsche Feldpost' and directed postal traffic to and from Luftwaffe offices and units. The postmarks used there were generally only used internally and are very rare. They also appear on parcel cards of the service post. Loose translation from MFP Variations Luftgaupostämter - 'Frankfurt (Main)/ a/ Luftgaupostamt' cancellation on a Vorbindezettel. Ref: 01.04.1940, MFB4/52 Luftgaupostämter - 'Hamburg/ b/ Luftgaupostamt' cancellation on a Vorbindezettel. Ref: 10.12.1940 - 32/1, MFB5/52 Also see 19.01.1940 - 30/34 - FPN 31554 (Berlin PSST cancel) 30/77 - 'Luftgaupostamt Munchen 2' hand-stamp to reverse of envelope - Also see 02.12.1940 - 30/89 hand-stamp briefstempel bearing 'Luftgaupostamt Munchen 2' name. 32/14 - 'Luftgaupostamt Hamburg 1' hand-stamp briefstempel. Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

4th January 1940 Mi.P289 1/0 See 06.01.1940 - 30/45 (cancel - Danziger Marienkirche) Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

Mixed postage cover featuring the cancel 'Wir sind frei!' (We are free!). Stamps: 3pf Mi.513; 1Kč - Mi.396. Ref: 03.10.1938, MFP31P40 3rd October 1938 Hitler's speech in Eger 03.10.1938 EGER reverse.jpeg 03.10.1938 EGER reverse.jpeg 1/1 Mixed postage cover featuring the cancel 'Wir sind frei!' (We are free!). Stamps: 3pf Mi.513; 1Kč - Mi.396. Ref: 03.10.1938, MFP31P40 Link to JB:Eger cancellations Hitler's speech in Eger, 3rd October 1938 In part, 'Today, for the first time, I may greet you as my Egerlanders! Through me, the entire German Volk greets you! At this moment, it not only greets you but the entire Sudeten German territories which will, in a few days’ time, belong to the German Reich in its entirety. This greeting is at the same time an avowal: never again shall this land be torn from the Reich! This Greater German Reich is protected by the German shield and by the German sword. You yourselves form part of this protecting umbrella. From now on, like all other Germans, you will have to do your part. It is a cause of great pride for all of us that each and every German son will participate not only in Germany’s joy, but also in our duties and, if need be, in our sacrifices as well. For you, this nation was willing to draw the sword! And you will all be willing to do likewise wherever German lands or the German Volk be threatened. In this community of will and fate, the German Volk will, from now on, mold its future. And no power on earth will ever be a threat to it again! And so all of Germany, from East to West, from North to South, stands prepared to stand up for each other. There is great happiness in all of Germany these days. Not only you feel this, it is felt by the entire nation which rejoices with you. Your happiness is the happiness of the seventy-five million who have made up the Reich until now, just as your sorrow was their sorrow until a few days ago. And thus you step forth onto the path leading to Germany’s great future! In this hour, let us thank the Almighty who has blessed our paths in the past, and let us pray to Him: may He lead us forth onto the path of righteousness in the future as well.' Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page