Postillon

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Postillons in uniforms of the Mecklenburg, Prussian, Saxon and Imperial German Reichspost at the 5th stagecoach meeting in 2008 in Grillenburg

The Postillon ( French , in German also Postillion ) was the team leader of a horse and cart that was used with a stagecoach in the postal service for the carriage of letters and people.

Surname

Up until the 17th century, the German expression “Postknecht” or “ Postreiter ” was used for people riding individually who only had the task of conveying letters . Already after the Thirty Years' War the designation postillon prevailed for them, as can be seen, for example, from the Trier city pensioner accounts.

The term brother-in-law , which is known for a postillon from the song “ High on the yellow carriage” from the phrase “… I sit with my brother- in -law in front”, comes from the Swiss city of Chur , which used to be a main junction on the Alpine road. The Italian postillon who rode the saddle horse was called chevalier ; it became Schewalger in Swiss German and later brother-in-law in German .

Clothing and equipment

The postilion wore uniformed clothing and carried a post horn or, for a time in the 19th century, a post trumpet. This made it clear and, if necessary, audible that he was authorized to accept mail and that he had priority when using the transport routes , ferries and bridges . The postillons were hired and paid for by the post office keepers ; however, the postal administrations had a right of veto , especially since they also provided the uniform.

Reception in literature and music

The term postillon d'amour ( messenger of love) is derived from the quality of the postilion as a messenger ; it describes a carrier of oral or written messages between lovers .

Literary and musical monuments are for example Lenau's poem Der Postillon ( May night was lovely ) or Adolphe Adam's opera Der Postillon by Lonjumeau . In particular, the folk song High on the yellow wagon represents a journey by stagecoach.

Historical uniforms on postage stamps

Web links

Commons : Postillions  - collection of images, videos and audio files
Wiktionary: Postillon  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations
Wiktionary: Postillion  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Concise dictionary of the postal system , 1st supplement to the 2nd edition; Bundesdruckerei 1956, p. 165