Gallery

 

The airmail gummed labels
The first airmail gummed labels appeared in Danzig early in 1921. That isi to say labels inscribed with the words “Mit Luftpost”. These labels were found in three different sizes of script, although always in “Gothic” type. The paper is coarse, of grey colour with a faint greenish tinge. The paper seems to have been utilised previously for some other purpose because one can find on the back traces of another printing. The labels were disproportionately large, so that they are rarely found on sendings in their original size.

The second airmail gummed label issue is somewhat smaller and now with the legend “Mit Luftpost” in a frame measuring 15.3 x 10mm. The paper is of the same sort and colour as before.

There follows now a bigger rectangle measuring 37 x 14mm, the colour of which can only be described as a very delicate light green. This label has very peculiarly been recorded on some sendings with inverted printing

The next label is light orange in colour. As before it has the legend “Mit Luftpost”. This is now enclosed in a thick frame which measures 37 x 14mm. This was nearly completely replaced afterwards by the next label in yellow measuring 42 x 17mm. All the above measurements are according to the outer dimensions of the frame. Both these labels are the first to be perforated and the first to have as well as the words •‘Mit Luftpost” the international addition “PAR AVION”.

Henceforth were used the usual German Reichspost gummed labels with “negative” frame and the legend “Mit Luftpost/PAR AVION” in blue. This blue varied in shade from light blue to dark and violet blue. Also these labels are perforated and vary in their overall size.

First flights to and from Danzig
The Danzig postal administration produced no official specially designed first—day covers during the whole time they were concerned with first flights, neither indeed were there any special handstamps nor special, philatelic covers of any sort.

Nevertheless there was a first flight cover specially distinguished by means of the Danzig 1 Luftpost arrival handstamp of 31.3.1925 on the occasion of the first landing and arrival of post in Marienburg (Wpr.). Sendings bear as a forwarding endorsement the normal Murieriburg (Westpr.) I e handstamp in black ink. This special forwarding endorsement handstnmp was not promptly taken out of use and this led to an official decree ordering that the normal handstamp should be used on its own.

Because of the lack of official specially designed first-day covers, in 1926 a private firm produced in 1926 on the occasion of the resumption of air commerce, a special gummed label for first—day sendirigs which bore details of the route and flight date. This label perhaps had the following text :

“ l.Flug (Eroffnungsflug)                     (First flight (inaugural flight)
der neuen Linie                                         of the new route
Danzig - Elbing                                          Danzig - Elbing
am 6.7.1926\"                                              on6.7.1926)


 

Danzig Report Vol. 1 - Nr. 63 - April - May - June - 1989, Page 18.