Annexation overprints of Sudetenland and Ostrava

Vratislavice
nad Nisou /
Maffersdorf

Vratislavice
nad Nisou /
Maffersdorf

Between Liberec and Jablonec lies the small town of Vratislavice nad Nisou. The small industrial town was famous for the production of textiles, carpets and ceramics, and for being the birthplace of Konrad Heinlein, the leader of the SdP. Today Vratislavice is a municipal district of Liberec. 

Birthplace of Konrad Heinlein in Vratislavice
Birthplace of Konrad Heinlein in Vratislavice

The Czech authorities left Vratislavice for good only on 7 October 1938 around 4:00 and took most of the postal valuables with them. The SdP took over the operation of all offices, including the post office, and became the legislative body in the area. The SdP immediately appointed as its formal representative Consul Dr. Lierau from Liberec, the highest Reich official in the area. A detailed protocol for the overprinting of the Czech stamps was drawn up at the German consulate and stamped with the official seal, and a contract for the production of an overprint stamp was awarded to the firm of Alfred Elstner, Rosenthall. Due to the Czechs taking most of the postage stamps with them, the stamps for overprinting were collected from newsagents and shops in the area. Some no longer had postal validity. 

The overprint stamp was delivered in the evening of 8 October 1938 and the overprinting started immediately. The overprints were made until 14 October 1938. Between 8 and 9 October 1938, the commemorative postmark was also valid. When buying an overprinted stamp there was a surcharge of 5 CZK. This surcharge was used to finance the SdP, to run the post office, to produce flags, and to help returning Sudeten and German refugees from the surrounding forests. 

The SdP commissioned several officials to check the number of stamps sold and overprinted and to make a list of them. Thanks to these measures, the exact number of stamps sold and overprinted is known. The Vratislavice overprint was thus recognized by the Reich as official. 

As Dr. Horr describes in his book “Die Postwerzeichnen des Sudetenlandes”, about 90% of all stamps were immediately stamped or marked with a celebratory postmark. Individual unstamped stamps are hard to find. 

Vratislavice nad Nisou provisional issue

The postal validity of the overprints from Vratislavice is from 8 16 October 1938. Up to 138 types of Czech stamps were overprinted. There are a small number of rotated or shifted overprints and double overprints and therefore they are very rare. Stamp coupons were not always overprinted and only one rubber stamp was used for overprinting. There is only one type of overprint. 

Pretisk Vratislavice nad Nisou - Maffersdorf

The exclamation mark after the word “frei” is under the word “sind” exactly between the letters “i” and “n”. The overprint is black-brown to black and the shape of the exclamation mark is thin and rounded at the top. The swastika is tilted slightly to the left, so when we draw a straight line that runs along the upper right side of the swastika it bisects the letter “W” in half. With the frequent use of the stamp, the overprint became less and less clear, so when authenticating we draw a straight line that should be adjacent to the original upper edge of the swastika. 

After the arrival of German troops, the Reich stamps began to be used freely at the same time. Postal tariffs were converted at the rate of 1 CZK => 10 Pf. The mixed franking appeared most often in combination with the Hitler and Hindenburg stamps. These stamps were brought by German troops and people combined them with overprints to show that they were part of the Reich. 

Vratislavice stamp overprint | Sudetenland | german occupation of Czechoslovakia 1938 | Maffersdorf | Michel 22
Mi. 22 and german stamp with Hindenburg
Vratislavice stamp overprint | Sudetenland | german occupation of Czechoslovakia 1938 | Maffersdorf | Michel 132
Mi. 132 and german stamp with Hitler

National emblem

Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 12
Mi. 12 (1000 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 13A
Mi. 13A (1500 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 15
Mi. 15 (1000 pcs)
Vratislavice přetisk známky - sudety - sudetenland - Maffersdorf - Michel 15K
Mi. 15K
Vratislavice přetisk známky - sudety - sudetenland - Maffersdorf - Michel 16
Mi. 16

Portraits

Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 21
Mi. 21 (600 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 22
Mi. 22 (500 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 23
Mi. 23 (1000 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 23
Mi. 23
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 24
Mi. 24 (2100 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 34
Mi. 34 (900 pcs)

Landscape, castles, cities

Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 25
Mi. 25 (500 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 26
Mi. 26 (500 pcs)
Vratislavice přetisk známky - sudety - sudetenland - Maffersdorf - Michel 26 DD
Mi. 26 DD
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 27a
Mi 27a (600 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 28
Mi. 28 (400 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 29
Mi. 29 (600 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 30
Mi. 30 (350 pcs)
Vratislavice přetisk známky - sudety - sudetenland - Maffersdorf - Michel 30
Mi. 30
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 31
Mi. 31 (350 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 33
Mi. 33 (350 pcs)
Vratislavice přetisk známky - sudety - sudetenland - Maffersdorf - Michel 31 LS
Mi. 31 Ls
Vratislavice přetisk známky - sudety - sudetenland - Maffersdorf - Michel 33 LS
Mi. 33 LS

Aviation stamps

Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 36
Mi. 36 (350 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 37
Mi. 37 (350 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 38
Mi. 38 (350 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 39
Mi. 39 (350 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 40b
Mi. 40b (350 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 41
Mi. 41 (350 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 42
Mi. 42 (350 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 43b
Mi. 43b (350 pcs)

Delivery stamps

Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 44A
Mi. 44A (50 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 45A
Mi. 45A (50 pcs)

20th Anniversary Battle of Arras

Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 102
Mi. 102 (50 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 103
Mi. 103 (50 pcs)

Newspaper stamps - falcon in flight

Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 48
Mi. 48 (100 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 50
Mi. 50 (100 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel A45
Mi. A45 (3 pcs)

Newspaper stamps - dove

Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 56
Mi. 56 (1000 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 59
Mi. 59 (600 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 62
Mi. 60 (200 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 61
Mi. 61 (200 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 62
Mi. 62 (200 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 63
Mi. 63 (200 pcs)

Karel Hynek Mácha, 100th Death Anniversary

Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 111
Mi. 111 (200 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 111 LW
Mi. 111 LW
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 112
Mi. 112 (200 pcs)

20th anniversary of the Battle of Zborov

Vratislavice přetisk známky - sudety - sudetenland - Maffersdorf - 20. výročí bitvy u Zborova - Michel 116
Mi. 116 (80 ks)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 117
Mi. 117 (80 pcs)

Small agreement

Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 118
Mi. 118 (50 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 119
Mi. 119 (50 pcs)

150th anniversary of J.E.Purkyně

Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 120
Mi. 120 (200 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 121
Mi. 121 (200 pcs)

BIT 1937

Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 124 BIT
Mi. 124 (200 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 126 BIT
Mi. 126 (200 pcs)

Sokol Winter Games

Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 127
Mi. 127 (500 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 128
Mi. 128 (500 pcs)

For Children

Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 129
Mi. 129 (100 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 130
Mi. 130 (100 pcs)

Legion stamps

Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 131
Mi. 131 (600 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 132
Mi. 132 (700 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 133
Mi. 133 (1000 pcs)

X. All-Sokol Gathering in Prague (Fügner)

Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 134
Mi. 134 (700 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 135
Mi. 135 (700 pcs)
Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 136
Mi. 136 (700 pcs)

Exhibitions in Pilsen and Košice

Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel 137WZ
Mi. 137 WZ (200 pcs)

Blocks

Vratislavice | Maffersdorf | german occupation 1938 | Czechoslovakia - sudety - sudetenland - Michel Block 3
Mi. Block 3 (20 pcs)

Postal integral issues

Letter with 35 SZ II (commemorative stamp used for posting) | Sudetenland | Maffersdorf
Letter with 35 SZ II (commemorative stamp used for posting)
Letter 1938 Sudety | Sudetenland | Maffersdorf | Macha | Letter with 111 a 112 (commemorative stamp used for posting
Letter with 111 a 112 (commemorative stamp used for posting)
Letter 1938 Sudety | Sudetenland | Maffersdorf | Letter with 119 x 2 to Jablonec and with mixed franking | Czechoslovakia | german occupation
Letter with 119 x 2 to Jablonec and with mixed franking

Zdroje: 

  1. Handbuch der Sudetenphilatelie, Gerhard A. Späth (2021)
  2. Die Postwerzeichnen des Sudetenlandes, J. Hugo Hörr (1941/1963)
  3. Michel – Deutschland-Spezial (2021)
  4. Sudeten-Deutsche Befreiungs-Stempel, Julius Bochmann (1939)