I am fairly new to stamp collecting, but I am really intrigued by the Germany inflation of 1920s. So I figured I should do more research on it. For example, the exact times of postage increases and the impact on the population (first hand accounts). Has anyone read any books they can suggest to me?
If there are any, please let me know the title and author so I can look them up.
They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin 25 Sep 2013 08:51:16pm
re: Germany inflation
Mike
You will find more information than you can absorb in a decade simply by Googling "Germany inflation 1920s." I got over 30,000,000 hits!
Ain't the internet wonderful!
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"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. -Edmund Burke"
i have not read about the period specifically, but hyperflation that Germans, Hungarians, and others sufferd after the first world war brutalized the population. It helped the little chancellor to power and served as the impetus for vengeful policies that would be enacted beginning a mere decade later.
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"Save the USPS, buy stamps; save the hobby, use commemoratives"
I might add the hyperinflation was a response to the enormous burden of war reparations put on Germany mainly by France and England after WWI. It was a burden that was impossible to meet, but the allies were unwilling to budge. Hence the different tack taken after WWII and a totally different outcome.
The numbering always uses as a reference the Michel Deutschland Spez. katalog Band 1
There are many areas of specialization.
I, I follow a few, you can see it in my site.
For example, I follow a few specialized areas, especially cancellations.
Despite the limited period (1916-1923 and 1922-1923), the sector is very broad.
You can complete a collection of new stamps from 1916 to 1923 with little expense, not including variety of watermark and color.
For those interested in this fascinating period, I will be showing my one-frame (16 page) exhibit "From Stability to Chaos", at Philatelic Show (May 2-4, 2014) and ROPEX (May 16-18, 2014). The exhibit shows one example of the devastating effects of the German Inflation, through the cost of mailing a post(al) card to foreign destinations.
I read Italian much easier than German. Nice website Federico. I am just starting to get into this stuff myself. In fact the German inflation stamps are what first got me into stamp collecting as my grandmother had some letters from that time from family in Germany.
I still have more questions than answers 20 Apr 2014 08:55:09pm
re: Germany inflation
While this is not my field of expertise it is one that is fascinating to study. If you search stamporama exhibits you will find a really nice article that a member, (Roy Lingen) posted. It lists all the dates of the 22 major rate changes from April 1, 1921 up through December 1, 1923 when they changed their currency. I have examples from all but seven rates on cover in my collection.
I still have more questions than answers 20 Apr 2014 09:52:07pm
re: Germany inflation
I see Roy already beat me to his exhibit. Well, it is great information. I decided to post my favorite German Hyperinflation cover. It is bank cover from November 13th, 1923, which was the second day of the 10 billion mark rate. November had a bunch of rate changes. This was close to the end of the Hyperinflation period as the mark was revalued December 1, 1923.
It looks like postmark's cover is one of the "waxed window" envelopes. I've seen several over the years, and considered collecting them, but didn't. Their windows, unlike those of modern envelopes, were not die-cut into the paper and covered with cellophane or transparent plastic. Instead, the "window" is continuous with the "un-windowed" paper of the envelope, and apparently was rendered translucent by impressing hot wax of some sort into the paper. That's the extent of my knowledge/supposition. Does anyone have more substantive information?
I still have more questions than answers 21 Apr 2014 03:31:25pm
re: Germany inflation
Bob,
I never gave the window of the envelope much thought, but I have a lot of German covers with that type of window. They must be fairly common. I would like to learn more about them.
Pat