German post offices in China
Encyclopedia
The German post offices abroad were a network of post offices in foreign countries established by Germany to provide mail service where the local services were deemed unsafe or unreliable. They were generally set up in cities with some sort of German commercial interest. In early use only the cancellation mark can identify their postal use aboad; such stamps are known as "Vorläufer" (forerunner) stamps. Later stamps are identified by overprints even when not postally used. German abroad stamps started appearing in the late 19th century and reached their heyday at the beginning of the 20th century; they closed down during or shortly after World War I.
It was not unusual for countries to maintain such offices and Austria-Hungary, China, France, Greece, Italy, Romania, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States all did so. In the latter part of 19th century and into the 20th century, having extraterritorial post offices was one indication of a nation's international power.
Stamps from German post offices abroad are popular with collectors and some are quite valuable. In a 2006 auction, a 40 Pfennig Germania hand-stamped "China" (Tientsin issue) stamp from 1900 realized 100,152 Euros.
German post offices in China
(German: Deutsche Post in China) started to operate in 1886. Initially definitive stamp
s were used without overprint
; their use in China is only recognizable by the cancellation stamp. In 1898 "China"-overprinted stamps were issued. From 1900 onwards, the Germania stamps were used with "China" overprints. In addition, after 1905, instead of (Reichs)Mark and Pfennig, the valuta was changed to dollars and cents. German post offices closed after China declared war on Germany on March 3, 1917.
Post offices existed in these towns (name per cancellation stamps):
In addition, during the Boxer rebellion
(1900-01) ten military mail
offices were maintained.
Stamps cancelled with "Tsingtau" came from the German colony
Kiautchou.
It was not unusual for countries to maintain such offices and Austria-Hungary, China, France, Greece, Italy, Romania, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States all did so. In the latter part of 19th century and into the 20th century, having extraterritorial post offices was one indication of a nation's international power.
Stamps from German post offices abroad are popular with collectors and some are quite valuable. In a 2006 auction, a 40 Pfennig Germania hand-stamped "China" (Tientsin issue) stamp from 1900 realized 100,152 Euros.
German post offices in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
(German: Deutsche Post in China) started to operate in 1886. Initially definitive stamp
Definitive stamp
A definitive stamp is a postage stamp, that is part of a regular issue of a country's stamps available for sale by the postal service for an extended period of time...
s were used without overprint
Overprint
An overprint is an additional layer of text or graphics added to the face of a postage stamp or banknote after it has been printed. Post offices most often use overprints for internal administrative purposes such as accounting but they are also employed in public mail...
; their use in China is only recognizable by the cancellation stamp. In 1898 "China"-overprinted stamps were issued. From 1900 onwards, the Germania stamps were used with "China" overprints. In addition, after 1905, instead of (Reichs)Mark and Pfennig, the valuta was changed to dollars and cents. German post offices closed after China declared war on Germany on March 3, 1917.
Post offices existed in these towns (name per cancellation stamps):
- ShanghaiShanghaiShanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
and Schanghai - Tientsin
- Tschifu
- AmoyAmoyXiamen, or Amoy, is a city on the southeast coast of China.Amoy may also refer to:*Amoy dialect, a dialect of the Hokkien lects, which are part of the Southern Min group of Chinese languages...
- KantonGuangzhouGuangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
- FutschauFuzhouFuzhou is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute the Mindong linguistic and cultural area....
- Nanking
- Peking
- Swatau
- Tsinanfu
- Tschinkiang
- Tongku
- Weihsien
- Itschang
- Tschingtschoufu
- Tschonsun
In addition, during the Boxer rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
(1900-01) ten military mail
Military mail
A primary feature of military mail systems is that normally they are subsidized to ensure that military mail posted between duty stations abroad and the home country does not cost the sender any more than normal domestic mail traffic...
offices were maintained.
Stamps cancelled with "Tsingtau" came from the German colony
German Colony
The term German Colony can refer to:* German colonial empire, the former colonies of Germany* German Colony, Jerusalem a Templer settlement* German Colony, Haifa a Templer settlement...
Kiautchou.
See also
- German post offices abroadGerman post offices abroadThe German post offices abroad were a network of post offices in foreign countries established by Germany to provide mail service where the local services were deemed unsafe or unreliable. They were generally set up in cities with some sort of German commercial interest...
- German post offices in MoroccoGerman post offices in MoroccoThe German post offices abroad were a network of post offices in foreign countries established by Germany to provide mail service where the local services were deemed unsafe or unreliable. They were generally set up in cities with some sort of German commercial interest...
- German post offices in the Ottoman EmpireGerman post offices in the Ottoman EmpireThe German post offices abroad were a network of post offices in foreign countries established by Germany to provide mail service where the local services were deemed unsafe or unreliable. They were generally set up in cities with some sort of German commercial interest...
- German post offices in ZanzibarGerman post offices in ZanzibarThe German post offices abroad were a network of post offices in foreign countries established by Germany to provide mail service where the local services were deemed unsafe or unreliable. They were generally set up in cities with some sort of German commercial interest...
- List of postal services abroad