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>> THE POLISH POST IN THE FREE CITY OF GDAŃSK 1920 - 1939
>> POCZTA POLSKA W WOLNYM MIEŚCIE GDAŃSKU 1920 - 1939

5 THE RAILWAY STATION POST OFFICE
5.1 THE TRANSPORT OF MAILBAGS FROM, TO AND VIA, GDAŃSK

On 17 April 1923, the Polish Post in Gdańsk opened POLSKI URZĄD POCZTOWY GDAŃSK No 2 (Polish Post Office Gdańsk No 2) at the main railway station in Gdańsk. Post Office Gdańsk No 2 became responsible (i) for unloading mailbags from Poland in transit for the Harbour and Main Post Offices and (ii) for forwarding mailbags received from the Main and Harbour Post Offices by rail to Poland. Due to political differences, however, between Poland and the Free City authorities about the operation of Polish mail services in Gdańsk, the Polish Post Office at the railway station was only permitted to handle sealed mailbags and was not open to the public.
The main railway station in the Free City of Danzig was a stop for several trains connecting Gdynia with other Polish towns and cities. Travelling Post Offices (TPOs) were joined to designated trains on these routes. The TPOs carried mail from Poland for Gdańsk, which were unloaded at the Railway Station Post Office Gdańsk 2. Mail from Gdańsk for Poland was loaded there in turn. Mail was sorted in the TPOs and special letter-boxes were provided for people to post letters directly onto the train when stopped at a station. Due again to political difficulties, however, the letter-boxes had to be sealed whilst the train was travelling through the Free City's territory. As a result, datestamps of these TPOs cannot be found on Port Gdańsk stamps, unless these stamps were used in Poland.

 

Above: Picture postcard sent from Gdynia to Brno with a very late use of the GDAŃSK — WARSZAWA No 5 cds 15.9.29.
Below: Picture postcard sent to Kraków with a HEL — TCZEW No 5 cds 5.8.27.

The Polish Post in the Free City of Gdańsk 1920 - 1939, Page 23.