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Joachim Strahlendorff & Peter Mette give details of all private postal stationery of Germany to 1945 in their ‘Katalog der Privatganzsachen Deutschland bis 1945’ published in 2005 by the Berlier Ganzsachen-Sammler-Verein von 1901 e.v. Also, Borek in his ‘Ganzsachen Spezial Katalog Deutschland 1850 - 1932’ gives more information on these particular letter cards. They can be divided into two classes:
1) Post Office issued lettercards which had additional stamp impressions added in response to private order. These were made between 1917 and 1920 to make up frankings to 15 pf., 20pf. and 40 pf. (being the distant letter rates for the periods up to 31st March 1921.
2) The second group consist of customers own material which could be sent to the Reichdruckerei to have stamp impressions printed upon them to the customers own ‘requirements’ (‘Stamped to Order’ or ‘STO’ as it is known in the UK). Some firms, such as Nestle’s had their own letter cards imprinted (in 1902) with a 5pf. ‘Deutsches Reich’ Germania impression. However, stamp dealers and philatelist took the opportunity to use up the large quantity of unused ‘Feldpost’ letter cards from WW 1. ‘Feldpost’ is obliterated with a coloured bar and stamp impressions made in the top right. The backs of these cards still carry the printed instructions for use to or from soldiers or sailors. At this time there was no requirement for any particular postage rate to be applied, hence Michel PK 16, 17, and 40.
Regulations for STO changed from the end of October 1920 which limited the conditions for adding stamp impressions.
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