25th December 1943 Stalag 367 25th December 1943 Stalag 367 1/1 POW letter sheet mail sent by Colonel Romano Altomani to Guastalla, Italy, from Stalag 367 at Tschenstochau (General Government). With grey pencil strike-through of the words 'Kriegsgefangenenpost/ des prisonniers de guerre', which has been over-stamped with 'Militär-Internierte'. The inmate status changing from prisoner of war to military internee. From Autumn 1943 Italian prisoners were sent to the camp. Ref: 25.12.1943 Stalag 367 'To tell how the Germans treated them, just go to page 125 of the latter and as always tasty book by Alfio Caruso ( Save the Italians, Neri Pozza), where it is said that in Stalag 367 in Poland one day when the temperature was below zero, the German police rounded up the Italian prisoners and subjected them to a search that lasted five and a half hours. Two Italian officers whose appearance had not been deemed up to par had their trousers stripped away, leaving them in their underwear. So much so that to the protests of some of those who were at the top of the CSR, who complained that the condition of Italian prisoners was that of "semi-slaves", Adolf Hitler had replied: "Everything we do, we do for the Duce, because the German people cannot love those who have betrayed them". Said in other words:the Italian prisoners were waste, rubbish, people who deserved nothing at all. Not even of being enlisted in the formations that fought alongside the Germans, and this was because the Italians had shown that they were worthless on the battlefield. Caruso, whose books must be read line by line since each line indicates a fact or marks a character, writes that Mussolini himself read with satisfaction of a military episode in which the "Badogliani" soldiers had behaved valiantly against the Germans. Besides, he knew that he himself was an exceptional prisoner of the Germans.' Text translated from www.ilfoglio.it Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

PSST (Feldpostsammelstellen) PSST (Feldpostsammelstellen) 1/0 Example of a Munich PSST Collecting Station cancellation on a feldpost Vorbindezettel. Ref: 25.04.1940 The cancellations of the field postal collection and control centres (PSST) were cancels of the German Reichspost. However, they were used almost exclusively for cancelling collection envelopes, pre-binding slips and bag flags. Loose translation from MFP Variations Berlin PSST (f). Type 1. On a Vorbindezettel. Ref: 19.01.1940 - 30/34, MFP1/63 See 09.11.1940 (Berlin) PSSt Dresden (b). Type 4. On a Beutelfahnen. Ref: 20.12.1939, MFP10/64 PSST Düsseldorf (c). Type 2. On a Vorbindezettel. Ref: 05.06.1940, MFP14/64 PSSt Frankfurt (Main) (a). Type 4. On a Vorbindezettel. Ref: 11.02.1940, MFP16/64 Frankfurt (Main) SSt. Type 5. On a Vorbindezettel. Ref: 22.12.1940, MFP17/64 Frankfurt (Main) PSSt. Type 6. On a Vorbindezettel. Ref: 11.02.1940, MFP18/64 Kassel PSST (b). Type 8. On a Vorbindezettel. Ref: 26.04.1940, MFP25/64 Königsberg PSST (a). Type 1. On a Vorbindezettel. Ref: 03.05.1940, MFP29/64 München PSST (b). Type 17. On a Vorbindezettel. Ref: 15.04.1940 - 25/73, MFP35/64 München PSST (c). Type 17. On a Vorbindezettel. Ref: 25.04.1940, MFP35/64 PSST (x) (Nuremberg) Type 20. On cover. Ref: 19.10.1939, MFP55/65 Postsammelstelle Wien (a). Type 11. On a Beutelfahnen. Ref: 01.01.1940, MFP53/65 Postsammelstelle Kassel (hand-stamp). Type 22a. On a Vorbindezettel. Ref: 26.04.1940, MFP26/65 Postsammelstelle Stuttgart (hand-stamp). Type 23a. On a Vorbindezettel. Ref: 25.04.1940, MFP49/65 Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

Postcard depicting the Heinkel He 60 (most likely the He 60C variant produced in the late summer of 1934). Postmark 'Altes Lager/ Kr. Juterborg'. Ref: 07.03.1936 7th March 1936 Heinkel He 60 07.03.1936-altes-lager-juterborg-he-60-reverse.jpeg 07.03.1936-altes-lager-juterborg-he-60-reverse.jpeg 1/1 Postcard depicting the Heinkel He 60 (most likely the He 60C variant produced in the late summer of 1934). Postmark 'Altes Lager/ Kr. Juterborg'. Ref: 07.03.1936 Heinkel He 60 The Heinkel He 60 was a German single-engined biplane reconnaissance seaplane designed to be catapulted from Kriegsmarine (German navy) warships of the 1930s. The Heinkel He 60 was designed by Heinkel engineer Reinhold Mewes, the designer of the He 59. The resulting design was a single-engined biplane of mixed wood and metal construction with fabric covering. Its single bay wings were of equal-span and had significant stagger. The first prototype flew early in 1933 and proved to be underpowered with its 492 kW (660 hp) BMW VI engine. The second prototype had a more powerful version of the BMW engine, but this only marginally improved its performance and was unreliable, so production aircraft reverted to the original engine. Of conventional configuration, the He 60 was a sturdy aircraft, designed (as the specification required) to be capable of operating on the open sea. As a result, it was always somewhat underpowered for its weight, which made handling sluggish and the aircraft vulnerable to enemy fire. Attempts were made to solve its lack of power by fitting one aircraft with a Daimler-Benz DB 600 engine, but engines were not available for production. About 200 He 60Cs and Ds were built by Arado and Weser. Initial deliveries of the He 60 were to Kriegsmarine training units in June 1933. From 1934, the major production version, the He 60C began to be delivered to the shipboard observation seaplane units of the Kriegsmarine , operating from the catapults of all German cruisers. It also saw action with Spanish Nationalist forces during the Civil War. Heinkel He 60 (most likely the He 60D that went into production in 1936. Ref: 07.02.1940 In 1939 it was replaced as a shipboard aircraft first by the He 114 in service, then soon after by the Arado Ar 196 , but it remained in service with several coast reconnaissance Staffeln (squadrons) when World War II began. It had been withdrawn from front-line service by 1940, but returned to use following Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, being used by various SAGr (Seeaufklarungsgruppe/Maritime reconnaissance group) for coastal patrol work in the Baltic and Mediterranean Seas. All He 60s were removed from service by October 1943. Source: Wikipedia Altes Lager/ Jüterbog Airfield Jüterbog Airfield (also known as Altes Lager airfield ) was a military air base located west of the town of Jüterbog, in Brandenburg, Germany. Nowadays paragliders and hang gliders start from Altes Lager. Developed as part of Nazi Germany's program to develop the German population's flying skills in preparation for war, it was opened as a glider training establishment. Taken over by the Luftwaffe in 1933, it was fully developed as a military airfield. After being overrun by the Red Army in May 1945, towards the end of World War II, it came under the control of the occupying forces of the Soviet Union . From this point forward, several units of the Soviet Air Force were stationed at the site. After extending the runway to 2,600 meters (8,500 ft), the Soviet military added an anti-aircraft missile site 5.6 kilometers (3.5 mi) west of the near Lindow. The 833rd Fighter Aviation Regiment (833 IAP) was initially equipped with the Mikoyan MiG-9, later replaced by the Mikoyan MiG-29 'Fulcrum-A/B' fighter and Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 UM 'Flogger-C' operational trainer. The regiment was part of the 16th Guards Fighter Aviation Division within the 16th Air Army with headquarters in Damgarten. With the reunification of Germany on 3rd October 1990, the Soviet Armed Forces agreed to return all bases by the end of 1994. The airfield was handed back to the district authorities in 1992. Source: Wikipedia Link to a website with information regarding the airfield at Jüterbog Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

9th December 1943 FPN 14399 9th December 1943 FPN 14399 1/1 Feldpost using a window envelope and pictorial letterhead sent from a solder of a Flak Division based in Berlin (FPN 14399). To the reverse there is a label depicting a golden Luftwaffe eagle. Ref: 9.12.1943 - 17/6 Pictorial letterheads sent by correspondent at FPN 14399 (link to golden eagle labels) Ref: 09.12.1943 - 17/6 Ref: 16.12.1943 - 15/50 FPN 14399 (Reserve Flak Division 123) The Reserve Flak Division 123 was formed on 26th August 1939 in Berlin-Blankwitz from parts of the I./Flak Regiment 12 with three heavy and two light batteries. The division was deployed in Berlin. In 1940, the 1st battery became the 3rd/mixed Flak Division 604 and was then reorganised. In January 1941, the division was renamed the II./Flak Regiment 12. Reorganised in January 1941 in Berlin as the mixed Flak-Abteilung 123 (T) with three heavy and two light batteries. The division was again deployed exclusively in Berlin and renamed I./Flak-Regiment 42 in July 1941. Third reorganisation in August 1941 as reserve tower anti-aircraft division 123 with six batteries. The division was deployed in Berlin and was subordinate to the 1st Flak Division. At the end of 1941, the 2nd battery was exchanged for the 2nd/heavy anti-aircraft division 335. From September 1943, the division was again called mixed anti-aircraft division 123 (T). In mid-1944, the division was reduced to three batteries. Source: lexikon--der--wehrmacht-de Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

Self-addressed commercial cover sent from Osterode to Hannover. Featuring stamp sequence W125 tied with cancel JB:Osterode2/613. Ref: 18.03.1938 - 16/23 18th March 1938 JB: Osterode 18.03.1938 - 16_23 W125 Osterode reverse.jpeg 18.03.1938 - 16_23 W125 Osterode reverse.jpeg 1/1 Self-addressed commercial cover sent from Osterode to Hannover. Featuring stamp sequence W125 tied with cancel JB:Osterode2/613. Ref: 18.03.1938 - 16/23 OSTERODE cancellations as featured in the Bochmann catalogues (1952) JB:Osterode2/613 (1938) - 'Truhenstadt/ Sösetalsperre'. Ref: 18.03.1938 - 16/23 Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

9th July 1939 MHB 49 9th July 1939 MHB 49 09.07.1939 MHB 49 reverse.jpeg 09.07.1939 MHB 49 reverse.jpeg 1/1 Nachnahme cover sent from stamp dealer Walter Goecks to a 'Stadtinspektor' in Eckernförde. Featuring KZ22.4 (15mm between vertical dashes) from MHB 49. Ref: 09.07.1939 - 2/41 Stamp sequences from booket sheet MHB 49 KZ22.4 (Mi.516+Z+Z+Mi.516 - 15mm between vertical dashes) from MHB 49. Ref: 09.07.1939 - 2/41 Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

17th October 1936 1/0 17th October 1936 Leutstetten to 27 Queen Square, Bath Dear Madeleine! Thank you very much for your letter. Please excuse my not writing you, but I too had no time. Now for the moment I am alone, but Mami and Muck will soon return from Munich. Loll and Deidi are at Lindau for some days at our aunts Calabrian I have to learn with my governess, and if I am free I have to go out. I have always school from 8 in the morning till a quarter pass eleven, and every afternoon piano lesson and homework from five till 7 in the evening. Then we have supper at seven and afterwards we often go to the opera in Munich. Yesterday we saw “Zar and Carpenter”(or how it is called in English) of Lortzing. We took our two eldest cousins of Uncle Rupprecht with us. They are 13 and 12 years old. Some days before we had seen “The Barber of Sevilla” which I liked very much. Last week we saw “Lohengrin” of Wagner. Loll did not go, because she doesn’t like it. Tomorrow we go to a horse-racing. I hope it will be good weather, or we will be frozen to death! The last days were quite nice, but last week we had 30cm of snow. A lot of trees and branches broke off it was if the leaves are still on the trees. We have rather often visits, so you see we are not left lonely as in Sarvar. Papi and Ludwig went back to Sarvar on the 15th. They have the big autumn shootings now. It is a pity we are not there, I liked it very much. Papi will return next month, but Ludwig has to stay till Xmas. I think I wrote you a lot of things which don’t interest you at all, but I can’t write letters. Please excuse my mistakes, I only hope you can read all. Yours very truly, Baby I send some old photos of Middelkerke and one of the castle where we lived in olden times and of our new home. I was born in the castle. Now our uncle Rupprecht lives there with his family. Note: There were no photos with this letter. Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

10th May 1939 10th May 1939 1/1 Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

4th June 1939 Budweis 4th June 1939 Budweis 1/1 Postcard commemorating the 'Kreistag der NSDAP/ Budweis/ 4.Juni 1939'. Featuring a 'mitläufer' Czech postage stamp (Mi.M349) and commemorative cancellation. Ref: 04.06.1939 Budweis České Budějovice České Budějovice (German: Budweis) is a city in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 97,000 inhabitants. The city is located in the valley of the Vltava River, at its confluence with the Malše. From 1848 until World War II, there was again a Jewish community here, which in 1925 numbered over 1,400 people. The city remained a German-speaking enclave until 1880, after which Czechs became the majority. Until the end of World War II the city contained a significant German minority (about 15.5% in 1930). The ratios between the Germans and the Czechs were in 1880: 11,829 Germans to 11,812 Czechs, in 1890: 11,642 to 16,585, in 1900: 15,436 to 23,427, in 1910: 16,903 to 27,309 and in 1921: 7,415 to 35,800. The reason for the change in the ratio was the high increase in the city's population, mainly caused by newly immigrated Czechs. The share of Germans fell below the legal limit of 20% and thus the Czech language became the only official language. The coexistence of Czechs and Germans was mostly peaceful, which changed only in the 1930s, when most of Germans tended to Nazism. During the Occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1939–1945, the city was part of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. There was said to be established then a Gestapo prison and a forced labour camp in the city. During the final stages of World War II, in March 1945, České Budějovice was significantly damaged by United States Army Air Forces raids on strategic locations. At the end of the war, on 9th or 10th May 1945, Soviet troops occupied the city. The almost entire German population, which numbered 6,000 people, was then expelled under the Beneš decrees. Source: Wikipedia Budweis ( České Budějovice) cancellations Commemorative cancellation for the 'Kreistag der NSDAP'. Ref: 04.06.1936 Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

21st January 1947 Egon Rudolf 21st January 1947 Egon Rudolf 1/1 Commercial letter-sheet sent from stamp dealer Egon Rudolf of Neugersdorf to a collector in Briese. Featuring a printed representation of Soviet Zone postage stamp Mi.B I. With further information and price list printed internally and to the reverse. Ref:21.01.1947 Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

Mi.692-693 (22.04.1939) Mi.692-693 (22.04.1939) Mi.692 1/1 Main image: Mi.692 (Ref: 03.06.1939), secondary image: Mi.693 (Ref: 13.06.1939) Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

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