Postal history and postage stamps of Württemberg

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This article covers the postal history and stamps of Württemberg from the appointment of a first Württemberg messenger to the end of the independent Württemberg postal service in 1920.

Postal history of Württemberg

Historical development

The Württemberg postal history begins in Stuttgart in 1553 , when a messenger master was employed, whose activities were regulated in a chancellery. His task was to have the official correspondence delivered from office to office by the messengers arriving from the offices or by his own messengers. At the time of Frederick I (1557–1608), messengers and their own state posts went from Vienna to Prague to Stuttgart and all of Swabia and the messenger masters settled accounts among themselves. The postal order of 1603 explicitly mentions postal boys (state couriers like Wolf von Trotha or Georg Friedrich von Hutten, who also carried their postal horns), postal riders , postal stations and postal rates throughout the country.

The Dutch-Italian postal rate ran through Württemberg since it was established at the end of the 15th century. The family that runs the taxis tried not to get too close to the existing Württemberg transport facilities such as the sovereign and city messengers and the butcher's post . The taxi messenger posts via Knittlingen , Cannstatt and Ebersbach / Fils were set up on the basis of private contracts or with a sovereign ruling. It did not take long until the dukes of Württemberg also had their letters sent through them.

After Leonard I von Taxis was appointed General-Obrist-Postmaster of the Reich (1595) and the Reichspostgeneralate was transferred to the House of Taxis (1615), there were also fears in Württemberg that his rights would be restricted by the Taxis postal shelf. Especially since Taxis had started to expand its posts to the Swabian imperial cities (Rottweil 1615, Heilbronn 1650). The existing Wuerttemberg messenger posts also continued to develop. Taxis turned to the emperor without success. The Duke of Württemberg helped the Kaiser in the war against the Turks.

The establishment of a separate Württemberg regional post office (1709) by Duke Eberhard Ludwig (1676–1733) resulted in the abolition of country carriages and butchers' posts, and the country couriers continued to work to a limited extent. Due to inability, this post had to be posted in 1715. The old post was reactivated, Taxis expanded its services. This process was promoted by the marriage of Duke Alexander to a princess von Thurn und Taxis.

Since 1744, the Reichspost had the right to use "fast mail cars", which of course made the country carriages astray from customers. In a contract dated 12./18. November 1775 with Thurn und Taxis, the country carriages were leased to the Taxis company for 30 years.

The upheavals at the beginning of the 19th century in connection with the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss brought the Duke of Württemberg the electoral dignity and this led to a reorganization of the postal system.

Württemberg State Post from 1806 to 1819

On December 19, 1805, the higher offices were commissioned to take possession of the post office for the state and to confiscate the post office box, bills and other files. They had to remove the imperial imperial eagles from the post houses and replace them with electoral coats of arms, as well as to oblige the post office officials for the elector.

When the elector accepted his royal office on January 1, 1806 , there were 28 post offices. The post was administered by a postal commission, later a senior postal administration, under the Department of Foreign Affairs. By order of June 19, 1807, the four upper post offices of Stuttgart, Tübingen, Heilbronn and Biberach (Riß) acted as intermediate authorities between the upper post office and the post offices, which have now increased to 68. When Ulm came to Württemberg in 1810, the upper post office was relocated from Biberach to Ulm.

The management and the title changed from "Reichs-Ober-Post-Direktion" (1807) to "Reichs-General-Ober-Post-Direktion" (1808), subordinate to the Minister of the Interior, and on December 13, 1816 again to the "Ober- Postal Directorate ”. A collegial system for overall management was formed. In Stuttgart the general post office was renamed the main post office in 1816, to which the three other upper post offices were subordinated.

The postal rates were expanded to connect the old with the newly acquired areas, and new postal services were established. In 1807 a postal service instruction was issued and on July 1, 1814, fixed, generally applicable letter post and postal carriage tariffs were introduced. After January 21, 1807, the messenger system was largely restricted and only official messengers were allowed to supply the post without a post office under official supervision.

Taxis's fiefdom post from 1819 to 1851

During the time of the Württemberg State Post , Thurn und Taxis had left no stone unturned to regain its old rights.

On July 27, 1819 a "heir-man-throne contract" was concluded. Now Prince Karl Alexander von Thurn und Taxis was royal Württemberg hereditary land postmaster. For this he was allowed to pay 70,000 guilders annually to the Württemberg state treasury. After a transitional period, on October 1, 1819, a General Post Directorate Commission appointed by the Hereditary Land Postmaster took action, which took care of the day-to-day business until the central administration could be fully merged with the General Post Directorate in Frankfurt (Main) on November 15, 1819. There were now 4 upper post offices and 87 post offices in Württemberg. However, ownership of the post remained with the king; he approved the post offices and enacted the postal laws. The Taxis General Directorate in Frankfurt (Main) had to work together with the "General Directorate of the Württemberg Post". The service instructions from 1807 continued to apply, apart from minor changes.

The head post offices each had two departments, one each for driving and mail. Subordinate post offices were post offices (with post stables), postal expeditions (without post stalls) and relays, which only carried out the mail delivery. Mailboxes were added later, with limited service. From May 1, 1822, express coaches were introduced, connections, including those abroad, were improved and the number of post offices increased.

Soon after the opening of the railway on October 22nd, 1845, Taxis demanded compensation for the loss of profit because a large contingent of mail and people had meanwhile been transported on the state railway. The postal loan agreement was finally completely terminated by contract on July 1, 1851. The Prince of Thurn und Taxis received an assignment of 1,300,000 guilders for giving up his rights and equipping the post office.

Wuerttemberg Post Office Sign 1870, Deutsche Bundespost 1973

Württemberg State Post from 1851 to 1871

Württemberg joined the German-Austrian Postal Union on September 1, 1851 . The Ministry of Finance, which was also responsible for the railways and telegraphs, was in charge of the Württemberg State Post. A postal commission was set up which became the postal administration on November 8, 1858. The upper post offices were abolished with effect from June 1, 1852, the previously subordinate post offices were now directly subordinate to the post office, which had to administer 122 post offices. From July 1855 on, mailboxes were set up in smaller towns as branch post offices of neighboring independent post offices. Since 1856, “post office bureaus” have been established in larger cities. In 1864 overhead management was transferred to the Foreign Ministry.

Since April 1, 1852, there were moving posts on the railway, which since October 5, 1865 were called railway post offices . On March 15, 1869, driving mail expedition offices were added to rework the driving mail. The management was subordinate to an office of the Postal Commission, but was then subordinated to the newly established Railway Postal Inspection on October 5, 1865.

Württemberg in the German Empire 1871–1920

According to the constitution of the German Empire of April 16, 1871, the Kingdom of Württemberg was allowed to exercise the post and telegraph services independently in its territory. The Reich had the exclusive right to legislate on the privileges of post and telegraphy, on the legal relationships between the two institutions and the world of traffic, on the freedom of postage and the postage tax system - with the exception of the regulatory and tariff provisions for internal traffic within Württemberg - as well as the regulation of the Post and telegraph traffic with foreign countries, with the exception of Württemberg's own direct traffic with its neighboring states that do not belong to the Reich.

With an ordinance of June 28, 1875, a general directorate of the transport authorities was temporarily set up. On April 1, 1881, a new regulation was introduced that remained in force until April 1, 1920. The General Directorate of Posts and Telegraphs was under the Kingdom's Foreign Office. Until September 19, 1916, the management was assigned a council of the transport authorities.

If the post offices and postal expeditions continued to exist, the relays gradually fell away. On March 1, 1876, the term post office was also used for the postal expeditions . The mail trays (introduced in 1855) were given the name Post Agency on June 1, 1876 . On June 30, 1867, there were 367 post offices and 117 postal agencies; on March 31, 1891 there were 368 post offices, 219 postal agencies and 251 post offices . By order of June 28, 1893, the post offices were divided into three classes: Class I offices were filled with a senior postmaster, class II with a scheduled postmaster and class III with a post administrator or mail expedition. The mailing Bureau (1856 established) since 1894 were " branch post offices ," called their task was limited to the acceptance and handling services. From August 1, 1887, post offices were added in the rural areas.

The railway post offices (since 1865) were renamed to railway mail with the reorganization of the driving post system . On August 1, 1891, the railway post office was named Stuttgart Railway Post Office , at the same time a second railway post office was set up in Ulm, where a railway post office had been in existence since March 31, 1890.

Kraftpost bus of the Gaggenauer Benzwerke in Rosenfeld (1909)

The first motor vehicle line in Württemberg was set up in 1898 by private entrepreneurs and supported by the postal administration by transferring mail transport. On October 4, 1909, the first state power posts in Württemberg operated on a trial basis between Balingen, Rosenfeld, Oberndorf (Neckar) and Sulz (Neckar). By the outbreak of war in 1914 there were already 37 postal mail routes. On April 1, 1920, 35 lines were in operation.

On the basis of the State Treaty between the German Reich and the People's State of Württemberg on the transfer of the postal and telegraph administrations to the Reich of 29/31. On March 1st, 1920, the Reich took over the administration of the postal and telegraph systems including telephony in Württemberg with effect from April 1st, 1920.

  • City mailbox 1st size, Royal Württembergische Post 1877–1903

  • City mailbox 2nd size, Royal Württembergische Post 1891–1903

  • City mailbox 3rd size, Royal Württembergische Post 1873

Presidents of the Württemberg postal offices

The Oberpostdirektion in Württemberg, founded in 1806, was always in Stuttgart and was subordinate to the Department of Foreign Affairs. The upper post offices in Stuttgart, Biberach and from 1810 Ulm, Heilbronn and Tübingen were the intermediate points between the upper post office and the post offices. The Oberpostdirektion was headed by a president as the highest representative.

Tariff regulations for internal Wuerttemberg postal traffic

Comparison of the local fees

When the German Reichspost was unified on January 1, 1872, the people of Württemberg were granted a special right to establish the regulatory and tariff provisions for internal mail and telegraph traffic in Article 52 of the Reich Constitution .

Since July 1, 1875 (introduction of the mark currency ), reduced fees have been in effect in Württemberg according to the table below. All other postage rates corresponded to those of the Reichspostgebiet.

Württemberg local fees

If more than 50 identical printed matter were delivered at the same time, a discount of 25% was granted for the others.

For a long time, in addition to postal orders in the form of cards, there were also envelopes in Württemberg that could be used to receive letters.

There was another deviation in the postage exemptions . Here, not only the affairs of the state, but also those in matters of the churches, schools, public foundations and welfare institutions such as the charity associations, the state savings banks, Bible societies, etc., were free of postage.

The internal tariff for Württemberg was changed on April 1, 1881. An adjustment to the Reichsposttarif should be initiated. The distance on which the reduced tariffs in the neighborhood traffic were based was reduced from 15 km to 10 km. The postage reductions in the Oberamtsverkehr were not changed. The existing order fee exemption was also retained. Even parcels were delivered free of charge, if possible, others had to be picked up.

There were violent protests against efforts to completely abolish the postage exemption. The King of Württemberg could have eliminated them at any time by ordinance, he only restricted them.

The postal administration produced special postage stamps with the inscription "Official traffic" for the traffic of the state authorities . They were not sold at the counter, but had to be obtained in larger quantities from the post offices or from the post office managers of larger towns against receipts for the account of the ministerial cash desk. There was no evidence of the use of the stamps. The mailings required an official seal or stamp or the sender's signature with official title.

Since April 1, 1881, postage was still free for the royal family, the House of Thurn and Taxis , postage exemptions under imperial law, benefits for the military and the imperial navy and postage free in service matters of the post and telegraph administration.

Literature:

  • Postage tax in internal traffic. In: Concise dictionary of the postal system. Berlin 1927, p. 154 ff.
  • Changes to the tariff regulations for internal Württemberg postal traffic . In: Archives for Post and Telegraphy. Pp. 268-274

Postage stamps from Württemberg

Cross currency

First Württemberg stamp edition from 1851

The first stamps were issued in Württemberg on October 15, 1851. The postage stamps had a large number in the center, the word “WÜRTTEMBERG” on the upper side and “FREIMARKE” on the lower side, and “GERMAN-ÖSTERR” in very small letters on the left. POSTVEREIN "and on the right" CONTRACT v. APRIL 6, 1850 ".

Württemberg postage stamp in Kreuzer currency

A new series of postage stamps appeared in a different form in 1857. In the middle was now the coat of arms of the kingdom, above, in the frame “FREIMARKE”, right, left and below “1 KREUZER”, or 3, 6, 9 or 18 Kreuzer. There were these brands with and without silk thread. From 1862 the stamps appeared in different colors.

In 1869 a new series of postage stamps appeared. In a double oval there was "WÜRTTEMBERG" at the top and the value in letters and value level "EIN KREUZER" at the bottom. The postage stamps of the Württemberg State Post continued to be used in 1871; the last supplementary value appeared with the same image in 1874.

BE Crole also names a brand for letters whose recipient cannot be identified and which had to be returned to the sender. These stamps bore the Württemberg coat of arms with the crown and the inscription "COMMISSION FOR RETURN LETTERS" in a round shield. The color is black on white.

Württemberg did not introduce free envelopes until 1862. The value imprints were octagonal, contained the value in large numbers in the middle, the word "WÜRTTEMBERG" at the top and the value in letters in the value levels 3 Kreuzer, pink, 6 Kreuzer, blue, 9 Kreuzer, brown, in different colors at the bottom . In 1865 a 1 Kreuzer value in green was added. A distinction is made between the valve stamps . There were also postal order envelopes (1867) and postcards (1870).

In 1874 there was a package card with an octagonal value imprint. In the middle was the large Württemberg coat of arms with the crown, on top was "FREIMARKE", below and on the side "18 KREUZER".

On June 30, 1876, the 7- and 14-Kreuzer stamps lost their validity, and they had been used as 20- and 40-pfennig stamps for another year.

more Württemberg stamps

Penny currency

After the currency reform, the conversion to Deutsche Mark at 100 pfennigs, the post office also initially allowed mixed postage with stamps in both currencies. On April 1, 1902, the Kgl. Württemberg government on the issue of its own postage stamps and used those of the German Empire. The Württemberg postage stamps became invalid on January 1, 1903.

There were official stamps in Württemberg from 1875. Initially, official stamps were only issued for the municipal authorities, which were also only valid within the respective upper office district. Normal postage stamps had to be used for outside business mail. This restriction was not lifted until 1891, and the brands were then valid everywhere within Württemberg.

The official stamps for state authorities with the inscription "Official traffic" or "State brand" were only introduced on April 1, 1881. The extensive postage exemptions that existed until then were almost completely abolished. Only the royal family and the military still benefited from postage exemption for mail.

See also

literature

  • Handheld dictionary of postal services .
    • 1st edition; Pp. 704-708; Berlin 1927
    • 2nd Edition; Pp. 806-809
  • BE Crole: History of the German Post . Publishing house W. Malende, Leipzig 1889
  • Karl Köhler: The stamps of Württemberg 1851–1881 . Sieger Verlag, Lorch, Württemberg 1940
  • Michel stamp catalog Germany (special) . Schwaneberger Verlag GmbH, Munich

Web links

Commons : Stamps of Württemberg  - Collection of images, videos and audio files