Why do you get Mail: Chapter 6 AUSTRIA
Commemorative UPU 75th Anniversary Stamps
David Silverstein, MD
Retired Pulmonologist & Honorary Medical Staff
Following our alphabetical listing is Austria. This is a rather extensive and complex series mainly because the Austrian Government at this time allowed for “private” printings to be made at the request of a select group of “important” private people unrelated to the postal authorities… They eventually tried to control this shady behavior, but not before a significant amount of material was printed and used postally. All not very surprising coming from a post-World War 2 country allied in part with nazi Germany. Throughout WWII, many Austrians fought for and participated in the Nazi Administration, from Nazi death camps to senior Nazi leadership. The majority of the bureaucrats who implemented the “Final Solution” were Austrian.
AUSTRIA (Sc 565-7; SG 1175-7; Mi 943-5)
Date of Issue: Stamps: October 8, 1949. 1st Airmail Wrapper: August 30, 1950; 2nd Airmail Wrapper: December 29, 1950
Value(s): 40g and 60g (Groshen) and 1S (Schilling)
Perforation(s): 13½ x 14¼. Some listings note stamps with perforations 14½ x 14½. Imperforate stamps were cut from unofficial wrappers (see below).
Paper: Unwatermarked
Process: Engraved
Designer: Wilhelm Dachauer (born April 5, 1881 in Ried, Upper Austria; died February 26, 1951 in Vienna).
Engraver: Ferdinand Lorber (born November 16, 1883 in Vienna; died May 14, 1957 in Vienna).
Printer: Österreichische Staatsdruckerei (Austrian State Printing Works in Vienna).
Notes: Joined UPU July 1, 1875. A total of 600,000 sets of stamps were issued and printed in sheets of 50 (5x10). Each is inscribed on bottom margin with engravers name on the right “F Lorber” and designers name on the left “W Dachauer”. Stamps were on sale as of October 4, 1949, but not valid for use until October 8, 1949. At the time, postal administrative regulations in Austria allowed for the private printing of Air Printed Matter Wrappers and Air Letter Sheets with the impression of all or part of these stamps. A series of aerograms/air letter sheets (foldable letters measuring 145mm x 105mm) and wrappers or “Address Zettel” (address labels measuring 150mm x 75mm) were manufactured by the government postal authority with these designs, presumably by order of a private person(s). Because cut-outs, address labels and similar stationery had been supplied to the order of private person(s) that purchased these as imperforate stamps, or as special "grace and favor" blocks, the Austrian Postal Administration decided that in order to prevent fraudulent misuse of mail they would print on further official government issues an inscription immediately beneath the impression of the stamp(s) that reads: "Unmittelbarer Wertzeichenaufdruck gem. § 17" followed by a reference number and date, indicating it is a “direct impression of the stamp according to article 17 of postal regulations” (these are the only official Government issued wrappers and/or aerograms). Special thanks to Colin Tobitt, Chairman, Andy Taylor, Editor and Treasurer, Joyce Boyer, Librarian (Austrian Philatelic Society) and to Mag. Friedrich Windbichler, Verband Österreichischer Philatelistenvereine (Association of Austrian Philatelic Clubs) in Vienna for their invaluable assistance and knowledge.
3 different stationary formats for the “Address Zettel” (official and unofficial wrappers) exist in different paper varieties. These were produced by the Österreichische Staatsdruckerei, and are known in white paper, yellow paper & numbered grayish paper. Wrappers (official and unofficial) have the names of the designer & engraver below the stamps. Unofficial aerograms do not have the names of the designer or engraver below the stamps. Lastly; the Aerogram (air letter sheet) was made with the image of one, or of all stamps.
Below is an example of an unofficial aerogram (see further details under Cinderellas, Fantasies, Forgeries and Unusual Findings):
The above is also known with “AUSTRIA-PHILATELIST WIEN ‘71” below the rectangular box “MIT FLUGPOST PAR AVION”.
The 1st official airmail printed matter wrapper (“Address Zettel”) was issued on white paper with the “official wording” in a line beneath the stamps and was issued "30 Aug. 1950". It has a rectangular box with the words "MIT FLUGPOST PAR AVION":
A second air mail wrapper (“Addresszettel”) was issued on yellow paper and on numbered grayish paper. On yellow paper it is known without the “official wording” beneath the stamps, and also with the “official wording” (dated 29 December 1950). It presents with the wording “Flugpost Drucksache” on the left; “Airmail Printed Matter” on the right; and “Austria to the United States” on bottom center. On grayish paper it is known only with the “official wording” beneath the stamps, dated 29 December 1950 and reading “75th Anniversary of the Universal Postal Union” on top; "AIRMAIL" to the left; "LUFTPOST" to the right; and “75 Jahre Weltpostverein 1874-1949” and a number on bottom center. The following is an example of an unofficial wrapper on yellow paper:
The grayish paper variety is numbered, and a total 5,000 wrappers were issued. Below is an example of the numbered grayish paper wrapper:
Aerograms with the official "Unmittelbarer Wertzeichenaufdruck gem. § 17" followed by different reference numbers and dates are known with single franking, different numerical inscriptions and dates, and commemorating various other events (see Higgins & Gage and Kessler’s Catalog under references). The following images below are of two such aerograms commemorating different events.
Commemorating Osterr-Kinderdorf Vereinigung (Pro Juventute) with the 60g value plus a boxed entry reading “MIT BALLON POST” with the official “Unmittelbarer Wertzeichenaufdruck gem. § 17" in red below the image of the stamp and dated 3 August 1950.
Commemorating New York and Vienna landmarks with the 1s value plus a boxed entry reading “MIT FLUGPOST / PAR AVION” with the official “Unmittelbarer Wertzeichenaufdruck gem. § 17" in blue under the image of the stamp and dated 28 Juni 1950.
A total of 700 “black print series” were issued by the Österreichische Staatsdruckerei reading “Memorial Stamp Series commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the UPU”. These present as a set of 3 imperforated black stamps, ungummed, and attached to an informative 2-sided page:
As was noted earlier, to prevent fraudulent misuse of mail, the Austrian authorities printed on the official government issued an inscription beneath the impression of the stamps that reads: "Unmittelbarer Wertzeichenaufdruck gem. § 17" followed by a reference number and date. Complementing the earlier described wrappers and aerogrammes (air letters) the author has identified the following different stationery items, postcards, and air mail labels with & without the official government inscriptions:
The above aerogramme (also known canceled October 8, 1949) is known with the following varieties:
Without the inscriptions below the stamps and with added inscriptions above and next to the boxed entry MIT FLUGPOST PAR AVION reading “AEROGRAMME AUA BOEING 707 INTERCONTINENTAL WIEN-NEW YORK” and a special cancel with a plane reading: “1.4.1969 1150 Wien Erstflug 2 Wien-Brussel-New York mit Boeing Jet 707”
Without the inscriptions below the stamps and with added imprints above the MIT FLUGPOST PAR AVION boxed entry reading “VIA SALZBURG PAR HELICOPTERE BRUSSEL-________” with a typed entry following the word Brussel for the final destination of the flight from Salzburg (some noted destinations read: Antwerpen, Beringen, Liege and Turnhout). All present with a special cancel reading “Salzburg 2”, with a flight date, plus “Silvester-Sonder-Flugpost” and “Special Air Mail Voyage Arienne Salzburg-Brussel”. Each destination has a unique circular cancel with its name (i.e.: Antwerpen, Beringen, etc...) and the word HELIPOST plus the date of flight.
Without the inscriptions below the stamps and with fancy cancels for the Union-Bunderjugendspiele (National Youth Games) from June 28 thru July 1, 1951; as well as for the “Salzburger Festpiele” (Salzburg Festival) from July 27 thru August 31, 1950 (this latter cancel is also known on unofficial wrappers):
With the inscriptions below the stamps (likely official) with added inscriptions below the rectangular box “MIT FLUGPOST PAR AVION” reading “AUSTRIA – PHILATELIST WIEN 71”; and used in 1971
With the inscriptions below the stamps (likely official) with added inscriptions below the rectangular box “MIT FLUGPOST PAR AVION” reading “AUSTRIA – PHILATELIST WIEN 71” plus an added line above the stamp images reading
“LUFTHANSA EROFFNUNGSFLUG WIEN – DEUTSCHLAND, 28.IV.1957” and a special cancel; also used in 1971.
The “Dombauhutte” in Austria has been dedicated since the middle ages to the construction and preservation of St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna. Cancels dated December 17, 1949 are known honoring their work. Below example on a C.W. George cachet:
An unusual use of the aerogramme, without the inscriptions below the stamps, is as an FDC celebrating the 100th anniversary of the UPU. This presents with added inscriptions and design above and alongside the boxed entry MIT FLUGPOST PAR AVION reading above in red “1874 UPU 1974 100 JAHRE WELTPOSTVEREIN” and to the right “First Day of Issue/Ersttag”. The aerogramme has the special commemorative cancel, all appropriate stamps celebrating the 100th anniversary of the UPU; and is dated October 9, 1974:
The “unofficial” wrapper is known used prior to the June 29, 1950 deadline:
Some unofficial wrappers were imprinted on both sides “100 Jahre UPU 1874-1974”; and above and below the stamps had a decorative frame imprint obliterating the wording on the wrapper. Below example #1 is an FDC commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the UPU, and the Austrian Airlines Wien-Budapest flight dated October 22, 1974; with added wording: “AUA-Grussflugpost Zur Aerophila 74, Budapest”. Some official wrappers exist imprinted on both sides of the stamps ``1874 UPU 1954” and above the stamps “80 JAHRE WELTPOSTVEREIN”. Below example #2 with a fancy cancellation for the 80th anniversary of the UPU, dated 9 Oktober 1954; and also, recognizing the BOBV-IPD. This cover was flown from Wien; via KLM flight to Sydney, Australia via Amsterdam on 31 October, 1954.
The “unofficial” wrapper shown in the above left image (#1) is also known with inscription above the stamp images reading “LUPOSTA STERNFLUG WIEN – NEW YORK” instead of “AUSTRIAN AIRLINES...”
Other uses, as noted below, are known on single unofficial stamp air letters commemorating the centenary of Austrian postage stamps and the fifth birthday of philatelic journal in 1950 (example #1); as well as the cachet aerogram commemorating Osterr-Kinderdorf Vereinigung (Pro Juventute) with the 60g value, used via a balloon flight, dated 22.X.1950 from Salzburg (example #2). This aerogramme presents with a red boxed entry reading “MIT BALLONPOST” with the official “Unmittelbarer Wertzeichenaufdruck gem. § 17" below the image of the stamp:
Postcard jointly commemorating Dr. Emanuel Herrmann (1869-1949) and the 75th Anniversary of UPU with the 60g value without the official “Unmittelbarer Wertzeichenaufdruck gem. § 17". First day of issue was December 3, 1949.
Postcard commemorating Friedens Kongress (Peace Congress) June 10-11, 1950. It is presented with the image of a dove and the 1s value without the official “Unmittelbarer Wertzeichenaufdruck gem. § 17" below the image of the stamp.
Another post card as above commemorating Friedens Kongress June 10-11, 1950 with the 1s value plus a boxed entry reading “MIT FLUGPOST / PAR AVION” also without the official “Unmittelbarer Wertzeichenaufdruck gem. § 17" below the image of the stamp.
A postcard similar to the one commemorating Friedens Kongress (Peace Congress) June 10-11, 1950 appears with a design superimposed over the design of the dove now reading “SAS / NORDPOLROUTE / EUROPA / LOS ANGELES” and a special cancel from SAS airlines dated November 13, 1954; also, without the official “Unmittelbarer Wertzeichenaufdruck gem. § 17" below the image of the stamp (see image below).
Author has not seen postcards with the official “Unmittelbarer Wertzeichenaufdruck gem. § 17" below the image of the stamp.
It is probable based on the above information, that other letters, aerogrammes, as well as official and unofficial wrappers, have been mailed or inscribed with different slogans, types of flights and airline destinations. As another example below, an official wrapper to the USA commemorating the Ravag Studio-Vienna Ice Skating Club Final of the competition for wind orchestra dated 1.10.50:
