18th March 1944 18th March 1944 1/1

Mi.866 - 868 (11.02.1944) Mi.866 - 868 (11.02.1944) 25th anniversary of German airmail service, 12 + 8pf - Mi.867 25th anniversary of German airmail service, 42 + 108pf - Mi.868 25th anniversary of German airmail service, 12 + 8pf - Mi.867 1/2 25th anniversary of German airmail service. Main image: Mi.866, gallery images: Mi.867 and Mi.868. All Ref: 17.03.1944 next stamp issue Cover featuring the three '25th anniversary of German airmail service' stamps (Mi.688 - 868). Ref: 17.03.1944

29th November 1944 Stalag Luft 1 29th November 1944 Stalag Luft 1 Screenshot 2021-11-27 at 09.29.50.png Screenshot 2021-11-27 at 09.29.50.png 1/1 Stalag Luft 1 Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

6th October 1944 B&M Labour Law 6th October 1944 B&M Labour Law Untitled.jpeg Untitled.jpeg 1/1 Official postcard sent from the labour office in Iglau requesting information be sent regarding the recipients work status (perforated reply portion has been returned). Ref: 06.10.1944 Translation from the German text On the basis of section 1 of the Reg. decree of 4 May 1942 on measures to direct the workforce (Coll. 154/42), you are requested to answer the questions on the attached postcard accurately and have them confirmed by your employer in order to complete the card index. The reply card must then be detached and returned to the Labour Office within 3 days of receipt. Incomplete or incorrect information or certificates as well as late return of the card will be penalised with fines or imprisonment. If you are unemployed, this must be noted and the reply card returned nonetheless. Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

5th April 1944 Landhandelsbund e.V. 5th April 1944 Landhandelsbund e.V. 1/1 Cover sent from Delmenhorst to Berlin, featuring vignettes for the 'DEUTSCHER LANDSHANDELS=BUND e.V.' (with slogan 'GEMEINNUTZ VOR EIGENNUTZ' - Public interest before self-interest). Ref: 05.04.1944 Detail of the vignette for the 'Deutscher Landhandelsbund e.V.' Note: There are variations of this design. Contact Brief History to inform us of additonal information regarding this page

8th October 1944 Estonia 8th October 1944 Estonia 08.10.1944 Estonian map reverse.jpeg 08.10.1944 Estonian map reverse.jpeg 1/1 Feldpost envelope sent from FPN 53600 (4th Air Division) - most likely posted from Poland. the envelope is made from a German language map featuring Haljala and Rakvere in Northern Estonia (it is to be noted that the 4th Air Division do not appear to have fought in Estonia). Ref: 08.10.1944 Envelope details Link to location in Northern Estonia Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

26th September 1944 Stalag XX-B 26th September 1944 Stalag XX-B 26.09.1944 Stalag XX-B reverse.jpeg 26.09.1944 Stalag XX-B reverse.jpeg 1/1 Kriegsgefangenenpost postcard sent from an Italian POW at Stalag XX-B to an address in Montescheno. At the time of writing the Stalag housed over 6,500 Italian soldiers. Ref: 26.09.1944 Stalag XX-B Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

16th May 1944 16th May 1944 16.05.1944 Pst cover.jpeg 16.05.1944 Pst cover.jpeg 1/1 Feldpost cover sent from Meuselwitz (with FPN number) to FPN 23039 (Verwaltungs-Kompanie 15 u. Verwaltungs-Trupp Abteilung Stab 15). Featuring propaganda vignette depicting a soldier with his finger to him lips above the slogan, 'Schweigen!! der Feind hört mit!!' (Silence!! The enemy is listening in!!). Part of the 'Pst' propaganda campaign. Ref: 16.05.1944 Examples of 'der Feind hört mit!!' and 'Pst' campaign 'Silence!! The enemy is listening in!!'. Ref: 16.05.44 'Pst - Enemies are listening!'. Loose - Ref: 16.05.44 Contact Brief History to inform us of additonal information regarding this page

29th June 1944 Schloss Dimokur 29th June 1944 Schloss Dimokur 1/1 Official registered cover sent from the Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Prague to the 'Siedlungsamt-SS' (Settlement Office) at Schloss Dimokur. Featuring two Bohemia and Moravia Service Stamps (Mi.19 & Mi.20). Ref: 29.06.1944 - 3/18 Schloss Dimokur and the 'Siedlungsamt' ( Dymokury Castle) In late 1931, Himmler established a SS Race and Settlement Office ( Rasse- und Siedlungsamt ) to evaluate applications of SS men seeking to marry under a new internal 'Marriage Decree'. This 'expertise', developed through maintaining 'racial purity' in the SS, would later be utilised in wartime to determine whether an individual was 'German' or not. Such a determination could, at a minimum, mean a job and better rations for a resident in German-occupied territory during World War II. For a Polish forced labourer in the Reich accused of having had sexual relations with a German woman, this 'racial evaluation' could mean the difference between life and death. Source: Wikipedia The 'racial experts' of the Office played a major role in promoting the concept of a reorganisation of Europe on a 'racial' basis. The settlement plans they developed required the decimation/displacement of the local Czech population and resettlement from other areas (e.g. ethnic Germans). They carried out selections that decided on the further life ('Germanisation', resettlement, forced labour) or death of those selected. Source: arge-ost.de Schloss Dimokur In the 14th century, a fortress stood on the site of today's Dymokury Castle , which served as the seat of the lordship. After several changes of ownership, it came into the possession of the Waldstein family in 1573 and then in 1614 to their relative Albrecht Jan Smiřický of Smiřice. He had the fortress converted into a Renaissance castle. In 1660, under Wilhelm Lamboy of Cortesheim, the western wing was added. During the rule of the Colloredo-Wallsee family, two further wings and the castle tower were built. In 1723, the castle chapel of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows was built. In 1787, Franz Karl von Colloredo-Wallsee had it rebuilt into a three-winged baroque castle. In 1833, the castle and the estate passed to the Czernin von Chudenitz family. In the 1870s, Diepold ( Děpold ) von Czernin had the castle chapel rebuilt in the neo-Gothic style and the castle park expanded. In 1945, the Czernins were expropriated. The castle became state property and was used for a time by the Ministry of the Interior. After the Velvet Revolution, it was returned to the Czernin family. FURTHER RESEARCH REQUIRED AS TO THE CASTLES USAGE DURING THE GERMAN OCCUPATION Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

25th December 1944 V-1 P.O.W. Post 25th December 1944 V-1 P.O.W. Post The Aero Field cover 1947.jpeg The Aero Field cover 1947.jpeg 1/1 Article on 'V1 P.O.W. Post' by David W. H. Pickard, as featured in the specialist philatelic magazine 'The Aero Field' (all thing air mail), pp.40-41, Vol.11, No.2, March-April 1947. Shown on the 25.12.1944 due to the articles date of reference. Ref: 15/68 Further reading https://www.psywarrior.com/V1RocketLeaf.html Contact Brief History to inform us of additonal information regarding this page

16th September 1944 Karel Pilny 16th September 1944 Karel Pilny 16.09.1944 Karel Pilny reverse.jpeg 16.09.1944 Karel Pilny reverse.jpeg 1/1 Commercial envelope sent from Karel Pilny, 'the oldest professional company for postage stamps in Pilsen.' Complete with a letter of philatelic interest, sent from Eduard Vítek to Karel Pilny (Pilny possibly returning the original letter with a reply that isnt present?). Ref: 16.09.1944 - 4/124 The letter from Vítek to Pilney referencing Czech philatelic material Requires translation Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page

15th November 1944 Cartolina Postale 15th November 1944 Cartolina Postale 1/1 CARTOLINA POSTALE PER LE FORZE ARMATE. Italian postcard sent via 'POSTA MILITARE' to an address in Rome. Featuring a 'careless talk' propaganda message and the hand-stamp 'A.C.S.' Ref: 15.11.1944 The 'A.C.S.' hand-stamp The Allied Censorship Service hand-stamp (A.C.S.) was placed on a piece of mail to denote that it has passed through a Civil Censorship Group provincial censorship station but had not been opened or examined. Propaganda Slogan 'Non riferite mai, a voce o per iscritto, notizie che riguardano il vostro servicio. Tacete con tutti; anche con i vostri cari!' (Never report, either verbally or in writing, news concerning your service. Keep silent with everyone; even with your loved ones!) 205th Devisione From Wikipedia: The 205th Coastal Division was an infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. Royal Italian Army coastal divisions were second line divisions formed with reservists and equipped with second rate materiel. Recruited locally, they were often commanded by officers called out of retirement. The division was activated on 15th January 1942 in Iglesias by reorganizing the V Coastal Sector Command. The division was assigned to XIII Army Corps, which was responsible for the defense of the southern half of the island of Sardinia. The division was based in Carbonia and responsible for the coastal defense from Torre Foghe down the western coast of Sardinia to, but excluding Capo Pula. The division's area of responsibility included the Gulf of Oristano and the south-western coast of Sardinia with the islands of Sant'Antioco and San Pietro. The 205th Coastal Division, together with the 203rd Coastal Division, 204th Coastal Division, IV Coastal Brigade, and XXXIII Coastal Brigade formed a first static defense line against allied landings on the island. After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8th September 1943 the division, together with all other divisions on Sardinia, refused German demands to surrender. Realizing the futility of attempting to gain control of Sardinia the German forces on the island retreated to Corsica. The division joined the Italian Co-belligerent Army and was renamed 205th Division. In November 1944 the division was shipped to Naples and in December 1944 it was assigned to the US Army Air Force's American Air Forces in the Mediterranean to provide auxiliary services at American airfields in mainland Italy. The division consisted of about 5,000 men and fielded 48 aviation services companies and six transport companies. In August 1945 the division was reduced in size and in 1946 it was disbanded. Contact Brief History to inform us of additional information regarding this page