Construction and maintenance of the national memorials and memorials

Special stamp for the inauguration of the Sachsenhausen National Memorial

The GDR's Deutsche Post supported the establishment and maintenance of the national memorials and memorials of the German Democratic Republic by issuing postage stamps with a special surcharge . The motifs on the stamps were mostly kept simple. Dominating black and white - portraits with a solid background in simple offset printing method. Twenty issues were produced using the much more complex intaglio printing . The last edition of this series appeared on March 24, 1964, honoring Mildred and Arvid Harnack . Afterwards there was a special stamp from the series “ International Memorials and Memorials ” on the anniversary of the respective inauguration.

The first two cut memorial blocks from 1955 and 1956 honored another event as individual stamps, but the block editions had a surcharge and the note

FOR THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL MEMORIALS
IN
BUCHENWALD
RAVENSBRÜCK
SACHSENHAUSEN

Surcharge stamps were relatively rare in the GDR compared with West German issues (285 surcharge stamps out of a total of 879 postage stamps in Berlin ). Out of a total of 3123 issues, there were only 222 motifs with a surcharge. This series alone accounted for 70 stamps.

Inauguration of the memorials and memorials

• Buchenwald: September 14, 1958 (The corresponding stamp was issued as Michel number 538 as early as 1956 and provided with an additional imprint )
• Ravensbrück: September 12, 1959 (There was also an unprinted predecessor here: Michel number 567 appeared in 1957 )
• Sachsenhausen: April 22, 1961 (The original stamp with Michel number 783 A from 1960 was supplemented by an ornamental field on the right)

List of issues and motives

Legend

• Image: An edited image of the brand mentioned. The ratio of the size of the stamps to each other is shown approximately to scale in this article.
• Description: A brief description of the motif and / or the reason for the issue. In the case of issued series or blocks , the descriptions that belong together are indented with a marker.
• Value: The face value of the individual stamp in pfennigs . A "+" means that it is an additional stamp (= postage value + donation).
• Issue Date: The date this stamp was first sold.
• Edition: As far as known, the number of this edition offered for sale is given here.
• Design: As far as is known, it is stated here who designed this brand.
• Mi.-No .: This stamp is listed in the Michel catalog under the corresponding number.

Surcharge marks
image	description	value	Issue date	Date of Expiry	Edition	draft	Mi. -No.
Selling price DM 0.50	International Day of Liberation from Fascism Cenotaph at the Brandenburg (Havel) cemetery	10	April 9, 1955	December 31, 1956	750,000	Kurt Eigler	459 B
	Cenotaph at the Brandenburg (Havel) cemetery	20th	April 9, 1955	December 31, 1956	750,000	Kurt Eigler	460 B
Selling price 0.40 DM	70th birthday of Ernst Thälmann Ernst Thälmann, politician , Rote Fahne	20th	May 25, 1956	March 31, 1958	750,000	Kurt Eigler	520 B
	Establishment of national memorials Bell tower of the Buchenwald Concentration Camp Memorial	20 + 80	September 8, 1956	March 31, 1959	1,200,000	Peterpaul White	538
	Establishment of national memorials Sculpture carrying woman by Will Lammert in the Ravensbrück memorial	5 + 5	April 25, 1957	March 31, 1959	1,500,000	Rudolf Skribelka	566
	View of the memorial of the Ravensbrück memorial from the air with a view of the Schwedtsee	20 + 10	April 25, 1957	March 31, 1959	1,500,000	Rudolf Skribelka	567
	Establishment of national memorials Ernst Thälmann (1886–1944)	20 + 10	3rd December 1957	March 31, 1959	2,000,000	Axel Bengs , Rudolf Skribelka	606 A
	Rudolf Breitscheid (1874–1944)	25 + 15	3rd December 1957	March 31, 1959	2,000,000	Axel Bengs, Rudolf Skribelka	607 A
	Paul Schneider (1897-1939)	40 + 20	3rd December 1957	3 March 1, 1959	2,000,000	Axel Bengs, Rudolf Skribelka	608 A
	Establishment of national memorials Albert Kuntz (1896–1945)	5 + 5	July 11, 1958	March 31, 1960	1,100,000	Rudolf Skribelka, Axel Bengs	635
	Rudi Arndt (1909–1940)	10 + 5	July 11, 1958	March 31, 1960	1,100,000	Axel Bengs, Rudolf Skribelka	636
	Kurt Adams (1889-1944)	15 + 5	July 11, 1958	March 31, 1960	1,100,000	Axel Bengs, Rudolf Skribelka	637
	Rudolf Renner (1894–1940)	20 + 10	July 11, 1958	March 31, 1960	1,100,000	Axel Bengs, Rudolf Skribelka	638
	Walter Stoecker (1891–1939)	25 + 15	July 11, 1958	March 31, 1960	1,100,000	Axel Bengs, Rudolf Skribelka	639
	Inauguration of the Buchenwald National Memorial Bell tower of the Buchenwald concentration camp memorial , Mi. 538 with imprint	20 + 20	September 15, 1958	March 31, 1961	2,000,000	Peterpaul White	651
Selling price 1.50 DM	Ernst Thälmann (1886–1944)	20 + 10	September 15, 1958	March 31, 1961	440,000	Axel Bengs, Rudolf Skribelka	606 B
	Rudolf Breitscheid (1874–1944)	25 + 15	September 15, 1958	March 31, 1961	440,000	Axel Bengs, Rudolf Skribelka	606 B
	Paul Schneider (1897-1939)	40 + 20	September 15, 1958	March 31, 1961	440,000	Axel Bengs, Rudolf Skribelka	606 B
	Establishment of the Ravensbrück National Memorial: Concentration camp victims of the SPD and KPD Tilde Klose (1892–1945)	5 + 5	3rd September 1959	March 31, 1961	2,500,000	Rudolf Skribelka	715
	Käthe Niederkirchner (1909–1944)	10 + 5	3rd September 1959	March 31, 1961	3,000,000	Rudolf Skribelka	716
	Charlotte Eisenblätter (1903–1944)	15 + 5	3rd September 1959	March 31, 1961	2,500,000	Rudolf Skribelka	717
	Olga Benario-Prestes (1908-1942)	20 + 10	3rd September 1959	March 31, 1961	3,000,000	Rudolf Skribelka	718
	Maria Grollmuß (1896–1944)	25 + 15	3rd September 1959	March 31, 1961	1,100,000	Rudolf Skribelka	719
	Inauguration of the Ravensbrück National Reminder and Memorial Site Memorial of the Ravensbrück Concentration Camp Memorial, Mi. 567 with imprint	20 + 10	September 11, 1959	March 31, 1961	3,000,000	Rudolf Skribelka	720
	Establishment of the Sachsenhausen National Memorial : Concentration Camp Victims Lothar Erdmann (1888–1939)	5 + 5	February 25, 1960	March 31, 1962	2,500,000	Rudolf Skribelka	752
	Ernst Schneller (1890–1944)	10 + 5	February 25, 1960	March 31, 1962	3,000,000	Rudolf Skribelka	753
	Lambert Horn (1899-1939)	20 + 10	February 25, 1960	March 31, 1962	3,000,000	Rudolf Skribelka	754
	Gustav Sandtner (1893–1944)	25 + 10	May 5th 1960	March 31, 1962	3,000,000	Rudolf Skribelka	755
	Hans Rothbarth (1904–1944)	40 + 20	May 5th 1960	March 31, 1962	1,100,000	Rudolf Skribelka	756
	Establishment of the Sachsenhausen National Memorial: Concentration Camp Victims Max Lademann (1896–1941)	10 + 5	June 8, 1960	March 31, 1962	4,000,000	Rudolf Skribelka	765
	Lorenz Breunig (1882–1945)	15 + 5	June 8, 1960	March 31, 1962	4,000,000	Rudolf Skribelka	766
	Mathias Theses (1891–1944)	20 + 10	June 8, 1960	March 31, 1962	1,100,000	Rudolf Skribelka	767
	Construction of the Sachsenhausen National Memorial: Memorial Memorial of the Sachsenhausen National Memorial:	20 + 10	September 8, 1960	March 31, 1963	3,000,000	Rudolf Skribelka	783 A
	Establishment and maintenance of the Buchenwald, Ravensbrück and Sachsenhausen National Memorials: Victims of Concentration Camps (I) Werner Kube (1923-1945)	5 + 5	February 6, 1961	December 31, 1962	2,500,000	VEB Deutsche Wertpapierdruckerei	808
	Hanno Günther (1921–1942)	10 + 5	February 6, 1961	December 31, 1962	3,000,000	VEB Deutsche Wertpapierdruckerei	809
	Elvira Eisenschneider (1924–1944)	15 + 5	February 6, 1961	December 31, 1962	1,100,000	VEB Deutsche Wertpapierdruckerei	810
	Herta Lindner (1920–1943)	20 + 10	February 6, 1961	December 31, 1962	3,000,000	VEB Deutsche Wertpapierdruckerei	811
	Herbert Tschäpe (1913–1944)	25 + 10	February 6, 1961	December 31, 1962	2,000,000	VEB Deutsche Wertpapierdruckerei	812
	Construction of the Sachsenhausen National Memorial: Memorial This stamp was issued as an overprint with a decorative field on the right: Memorial of the Sachsenhausen National Memorial	20 + 10	April 20, 1961	March 31, 1963	3,000,000	Rudolf Skribelka	783 B
	Establishment and maintenance of the Buchenwald, Ravensbrück and Sachsenhausen National Memorials: Victims of Concentration Camps (II) Carlo Fairhair (1924–1942)	5 + 5	September 7, 1961	December 31, 1962	2,000,000	VEB Deutsche Wertpapierdruckerei	849
	Herbert Baum (1912–1942)	10 + 5	September 7, 1961	December 31, 1962	2,000,000	VEB Deutsche Wertpapierdruckerei	850
	Liselotte Herrmann (1909–1938)	20 + 10	September 7, 1961	December 31, 1962	2,000,000	VEB Deutsche Wertpapierdruckerei	851
	Sophie Scholl (1921–1943) and Hans Scholl (1918–1943)	25 + 10	September 7, 1961	December 31, 1962	2,000,000	VEB Deutsche Wertpapierdruckerei	852
	Hilde (1909–1943) and Hans Coppi (1916–1942)	40 + 20	September 7, 1961	December 31, 1962	1,000,000	VEB Deutsche Wertpapierdruckerei	853
	Preservation of the national memorials and memorials: anti-fascists , concentration camp victims (I) Danielle Casanova (1909–1943), French youth functionary, partisan	5 + 5	March 22, 1962	March 31, 1964	2,000,000	VEB Deutsche Wertpapierdruckerei	881
	Julius Fučík (1903–1943), Czech writer and journalist , resistance fighter	10 + 5	March 22, 1962	March 31, 1964	2,500,000	VEB Deutsche Wertpapierdruckerei	882
	Johanna Schaft (1920–1945), Dutch student , resistance fighter	20 + 10	March 22, 1962	March 31, 1964	2,500,000	VEB Deutsche Wertpapierdruckerei	883
	Paweł Finder (1904–1944), Polish party official	25 + 10	March 22, 1962	March 31, 1964	2,000,000	VEB Deutsche Wertpapierdruckerei	884
	Soja Kosmodemjanskaja (1923–1941), Soviet Komsomolite , partisan	40 + 20	March 22, 1962	March 31, 1964	1,000,000	VEB Deutsche Wertpapierdruckerei	885
	Preservation of the national memorials and memorials: anti-fascists, concentration camp victims (II) René Blieck (1910–1945), Belgian writer, partisan	5 + 5	4th October 1962	March 31, 1964	2,500,000	VEB Deutsche Wertpapierdruckerei	918
	Alfred Klahr (1904–1944), Austrian economist , resistance fighter	10 + 5	4th October 1962	March 31, 1964	3,000,000	VEB Deutsche Wertpapierdruckerei	919
	José Diaz (1920–1945), Spanish trade union leader	15 + 5	4th October 1962	March 31, 1964	2,500,000	VEB Deutsche Wertpapierdruckerei	920
	Julius Alpari (1882–1944), Hungarian editor and party leader	20 + 10	4th October 1962	March 31, 1964	3,000,000	VEB Deutsche Wertpapierdruckerei	921
	Brothers Cervi († 1943), Italian brothers and partisans: Ovidio (* 1918), Agostino (* 1916), Antenore (* 1904), Aldo (* 1909), Gelindo (* 1901), Fernando (* 1911), Ettore ( * 1921)	70 + 30	4th October 1962	March 31, 1964	1,100,000	VEB Deutsche Wertpapierdruckerei	922
	Preservation of the national memorials and memorials: athletes , concentration camp victims (I) This and the following four stamps were each issued as a composite with a decorative field on the right: Walter Bohne (1903–1944), long-distance runner	5 + 5	May 27, 1963	March 31, 1965	2,500,000	Gerhard Stauf	958
	Werner Seelenbinder (1904–1944), wrestler	10 + 5	May 27, 1963	March 31, 1965	3,000,000	Gerhard Stauf	959
	Albert Richter (1912–1940), racing cyclist	15 + 5	May 27, 1963	March 31, 1965	2,500,000	Gerhard Stauf	960
	Heinz Steyer (1909–1944), football player	20 + 10	May 27, 1963	March 31, 1965	3,000,000	Gerhard Stauf	961
	Kurt Schlosser (1900–1944), mountaineer	25 + 10	May 27, 1963	March 31, 1965	1,100,000	Gerhard Stauf	962
	Preservation of the national memorials and memorials: athletes, concentration camp victims (II) This and the following four stamps were each issued as a composite with a decorative field on the right: Hermann Tops (1897–1944), Turner	5 + 5	September 24, 1963	March 31, 1965	2,500,000	Gerhard Stauf	983
	Käthe Tucholla (1910–1943), hockey player	10 + 5	September 24, 1963	March 31, 1965	3,000,000	Gerhard Stauf	984
	Rudolf Seiffert (1908–1945), swimmer	15 + 5	September 24, 1963	March 31, 1965	2,500,000	Gerhard Stauf	985
	Ernst Grube (1890–1945), Turner	25 + 10	September 24, 1963	March 31, 1965	3,000,000	Gerhard Stauf	986
	Kurt Biedermann (1903–1942), white water canoe	40 + 20	September 24, 1963	March 31, 1965	1,000,000	Gerhard Stauf	987
	Preservation of the national memorials and memorials: anti-fascists and concentration camp victims Anton Saefkow (1903-1944)	5 + 5	March 24, 1964	October 2, 1990	2,500,000	Karl Sauer	1014
	Franz Jacob (1906–1944)	10 + 5	March 24, 1964	October 2, 1990	3,000,000	Karl Sauer	1015
	Bernhard Bästlein (1894–1944)	15 + 5	March 24, 1964	October 2, 1990	3,000,000	Karl Sauer	1016
	Harro Schulze-Boysen (1909–1942)	20 + 5	March 24, 1964	October 2, 1990	3,000,000	Karl Sauer	1017
	Adam Kuckhoff (1887–1943)	25 + 10	March 24, 1964	October 2, 1990	2,500,000	Karl Sauer	1018
	Mildred (1902–1943) and Arvid Harnack (1901–1942)	40 + 10	March 24, 1964	October 2, 1990	1,200,000	Karl Sauer	1019
Special stamps (no surcharge, from the series: International Memorials and Memorials )
image	description	value	Issue date	Date of Expiry	Edition	draft	Mi. -No.
	International memorials and memorials: 25 years of Sachsenhausen memorial and memorial Group of figures by Waldemar Grzimek in front of a stele in the memorial in Sachsenhausen concentration camp	35	September 23, 1986	October 2, 1990	4,000,000	Hans Detlefsen	3051
	International memorials and memorials: 30 years of Buchenwald memorial Monument by Fritz Cremer on the Ettersberg near Weimar	10	September 13, 1988	October 2, 1990	8,000,000	Hans Detlefsen	3197
	International memorials and memorials: 30 years of Ravensbrück memorial Memorial by Fritz Cremer in the Ravensbrück memorial	35	5th September 1989	October 2, 1990	3,500,000	Joachim Riess	3274
Special stamps (related to the topic)
image	description	value	Issue date	Date of Expiry	Edition	draft	Mi. -No.
	Sachsenhausen National Memorial and Memorial : Stained glass window Stained glass window of the triptych of the Museum of the Anti-Fascist Resistance of the European Peoples ; by Walter Womacka Illegal fight	10	February 21, 1968	October 2, 1990	9,000,000	Axel Bengs	1346
	liberation	20th	February 21, 1968	October 2, 1990	8,000,000	Axel Bengs	1347
	Partisan fight	25th	February 21, 1968	October 2, 1990	1,500,000	Axel Bengs	1348

Remarks

1. ↑ In contrast to the original stained glass window, the word "peace" was misrepresented in Russian: МИR instead of МИР

literature

• Michel catalog Germany 1999/2000 , Schwaneberger Verlag, 1999, ISBN 3-87858-028-2
• LIPSIA color catalog GDR 1983, transpress VEB publishing house for traffic, VLN 162-925 / 197/83, SV 9197
• GDR universal catalog; Edited by Peter Fischer, Frithjof Skupin and Wolfgang Gudenschwager; Publisher: Transpress, Verlag für Verkehrwesen ISBN 3-344-00001-2

Web links

Commons : Postage stamps of the Deutsche Post of the GDR  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files