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This blog shares my stamp collections and highlights individual items which I feel might be of interest to others.

While my focus is on the stamps of the Philippines, you will find classic stamps, aviation covers, postal history, and many others included.

I hope you enjoy my blog, and please visit often!

Dedicated to Almira and our children, Jimmy, Ana, Lance, and Isabella.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

GERMANY - THE LAST STAMPS ISSUED BY THE THIRD REICH, 20 APRIL 1945


GERMANY, THIRD REICH
SCOTT B292-B293
ISSUED 20 APRIL 1945
IN BERLIN, GERMANY

It has been 65 years since Hitler's Third Reich issued its last postage stamps, before it was finally crushed under the overwhelming weight of Soviet and Allied forces.  These stamps were issued on April 20, 1945; the Soviets launched their final thrust into Berlin the following day.  Germany would finally surrender unconditionally on May 7, 1945.

In "Philately of the Third Reich", author Alf Harper wrote that these two stamps were actually issued as part of a never to be completed set of five stamps honoring various Nazi party formations.  These stamps honored the SA and SS (an earlier released stamp honored the Volksturm, or People's Army; the last two unissued stamps were for the NSKK and NSFK).