Apparently they are WWII POW stamps, but I don't see them listed in Germany or Poland in Scott. I assume that would require a specialized catalog. Does anyone know where I can find some history on these items. I've seen some on cover as well.
Lars
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"Expanding your knowledge faster than your collection can save you a few bucks."
I lent my P volume out, so I can't confirm, but I think that most Polish stamps during second war were issued under General Gouvernment, not under Polish authority. I have no idea of Soviet-occupied areas.
However, it's the colors that make me think this a commemoration of Polish POWs, not POW stamps.
Furthermore, POWs were allowed to post letters free-franked. Don't know the limit, but rules were similar to what Allied service members "enjoyed."
Finally, Poland was an occupied country from the beginning of the war until..... well kinda forever. I doubt they had any other nations' POWs to whom to offer stamps.
David
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"Save the USPS, buy stamps; save the hobby, use commemoratives"
This stamp is listed in the Stamp Encyclopaedia Poland under the heading:
Camp post - Inter-camp post in Germany - Lubeck. Fischer 1 Year of issue 1945 (Syrena/Mermaid)
You are correct! I can't help but wonder how many of these are contrived. I really don't know anything about them, but if they are legit I'd like to consider getting one for my topical on Mermaids. I'm concerned about fakes, though.
Lars
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"Expanding your knowledge faster than your collection can save you a few bucks."
This describes the Inter-Camp Post system and its purpose.
It described the situation of refugees in camps after the end of the war.
People started to write one another, however the postal system was non existent. Polish committees were formed in Bremen, Hamburg, Bergedorf, Lubeck, Cologne, Hannover, Munich and other locations.
It was these committees who organised the movement of mail between the camps and decided to organise an Inter Camp Post for the Polish refugees within the British, US and French sectors of Germany.
I copied the image and showed this to an friend of mine (who also used to be my high school history teacher). He was a resident of one of the displaced persons camps as a young boy before he came to Canada. His parents were forced labourers from Poland and he remembered mail using similar stamps, although he couldn't remember (quite understandably) whether they were Polish or something else entirely.
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