Suspension of Dr. Munk’s Great Work

There has been a deal of unusual activity in German stamp circles lately, and many reports and rumors have been current about some of the well-known dealers.

Some months ago it was stated in the newspapers that “Collectors of all kinds are to be organised into a body in Germany.”

Arrest of Dealers
Soon afterwards came news of troubles among the dealers, and a number of traders have been arrested for alleged offences in the nature of sending valuable philatelic properties out of the country.

Trade Reorganisation
There has been some reorganisation in the Internationale Postwertzeichen-Handler-Verband (I.P.H.V.) which, at its meeting on March 20, elected the well-known Brunswick dealer Walter Behrents as its new President.

“Trouble Stamps”
Another German news report states that: German stamp dealers and collectors have been warned not to purchase the three Danish “welfare stamps” for five, ten and fifteen ore, as it is declared that the proceeds from these stamps are devoted to anti-German aims.

The Danish stamps in question were the three “Dybbol Molle” stamps issued for the H. P. Hansen Memorial Fund. The scene on the stamp is reminiscent of the Prussian invasion of Schleswig, in the Dano-Prussian war and of the return of this fertile country to Denmark in 1920. Hence the “anti-German” aims!

“Kultural Purposes”
The German Hitler stamps are for no such wicked objects, the proceeds being devoted to “cultural purposes.”

Exhibitions
Meanwhile Berlin has just held its National Philatelic Exhibition in the Zoological Gardens, from April 16 to 18, where among other things the Reichspostmuseum and the Reichsdruckerel exhibited some historic original designs, essays and proofs.

The German trade is also strongly backing the “Daposta,” the I. Danziger Landpostwertzeichen-Anstelling, to be held in Danzig from June 6 to 8. On the newest airmail stamps of Danzig will be found the Nazi swastika emblem, a tiny token of things impending.

Postal History
The current trend towards collecting on postal historical lines is given an impetus in the latest special exhibition at the Berlin Postal Museum, which deals with Prussian covers and postmarks from 1816 to 1867.

Dr. Herbert Munk
The most important news from Germany for British and American readers concerns the treatment meted out to Dr. Herbert Munk, the brilliant philatelist who has been editing the eleventh edition of the Kohl Briefmarken-Handbuch, since its commencement in 1922.

The Great Handbook
It was indicated by Dr. Munk in a note prefacing the fifth volume, completed with Part 40, that his health was such that a suspension of his labors on the Handbook was unavoidable. Later, it developed that German racial problems were at the base of the troubles, and in December last plans were being considered for winding up the Verein der Freunde des Kohl-Briefmarkenhandbuchs of Berlin (Union of Friends of the K.B.H.) whose President is Dr. Franz Kalckhoff. This Society has provided much of the funds necessary to maintain the work.

Dr. Munk in Exile
Dr. Munk has long since left his native country and is settled in Switzerland. In some quarters it is openly stated that he is an exile, banished because he is a non-Aryan. That such a “disability” should deprive Germany and the entire philatelic world of his eminent services, and of the completion of his magnificent work, is deplorable, and we trust some means will be found to bring Dr. Munk in health, heart and spirit to the continuance of the Handbuch, either from Switzerland, Britain or the United States. Dr Munk is but sixty-one years of age, and, we trust, has many years of useful service before him.

Dr. Munk received the Lindenberg Medal in 1924, the highest philatelic honor German philately could give him, and Britain followed in 1932 by adding his name to the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists at the Torquay Congress, although it was not until 1933 that he was able to attend the Brighton Congress and sign the Roll in person. – “The Stamp Collectors’ Fortnightly.”

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The message from Danzig on the back of this card is a simple enquiry: why has it been so long since we have heard any news from you? The writer’s anxiety may well have been heightened when the card came back over three months later as the addressee could not be traced.

Collection: G du B

The Fieldpost card was simply addressed to Feldwebel Wilhelm Marle, 1 See Bataillon (the “1 See” in front of the printed word ‘Bataillon’ having been subsequently obscured by the Feldpost arrival, and Danzig return postmarks). That short address was all that was necessary to direct the card to China.

In May 1900 as a result of the ‘Boxer rebellion’ erupting in the Chinese province of Pechili, the guards at the German embassy in Peking had been strengthened by a contingent of fifty German marines of the Third Naval battalion but on 20 June the German Ambassador was murdered. A large international force was despatched to China in June/July including two formations of troops from Germany: (i) the German ‘Marine Expeditionary Corps’ consisting of the First and Second Sea Battalions, totalling approximately 2,500 men, and (ii) the ‘East Asia Expeditionary Force’ comprising 577 army officers and 11,213 men, reinforced in August and September by a further 289 officers and 7,565 men. The ‘Boxer’ insurgents were gradually cleared and at the end of May 1901 peace terms were agreed leading to the gradual withdrawal of foreign troops between June and September 1901.

The card was posted in Danzig on 8 February 1901 and arrived in China on 13 April. The German ‘K.D. FELDPOSTSTATION No. 2’ postmark was used in Peking from 11 September 1900 to 31 August 1901. During the ‘Boxer rebellion’ mail to and from German troops was forwarded either through the civilian or the military mail. The sixty five days’ journey time and lack of civilian post arrival marks indicate that the card was sent by a slow naval transport from Germany via the Suez Canal.

The hunt through lists for sergeant Marle then began, as evidenced by the red and black ink disclaimers in different hands: Nicht II Seebataillon, Nicht 1. Seebataillon, Nicht Marine-Pionier-Komp., Nicht 4/I S.B. There is also a partial strike of a boxed handstamp (possibly three line Kaiserliche…See…B…) which may either be a naval post forwarding endorsement or a unit stamp. After a day’s search (long enough under wartime conditions to devote to the task) the card was marked in red, seemingly with an exasperated flourish, 14/4 Zurück. The journey home for the card was rather shorter, just forty seven days to Danzig where it arrived on 30 May.

Given the number of German troops deployed in support of the China Campaign, the complicated logistics involved in getting them to station and the urgent and sometimes heavy fighting involved, it is perhaps not surprising that the card did not reach its intended addressee.

Sources:
Albert Friedemann, The Stamps and Cancels of the German Colonies and the German Post Offices Abroad – German Post in China, various translators, published Germany & Colonies Philatelic Society, 1984
Korv. Kapt. A.D. Fr. Crüsemann, Deutsche Marine-Schiffspost, translated Walter Scheck, published Germany & Colonies Philatelic Society, 1980.

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The above article appeared in The Danzig Philatelist No. 4 Oct-Dec 2007 – the journal of the Danzig Study Group of the UK

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