Pow Capture Card From My Grandfather In Italy

I was lucky enough to have this saved in the family archives. My Grandfather was a clerk in the German Third Reich and was captured when the allies liberated Italy. This is the card he sent to my Grandmother indicating his survival and general condition with the hopes of finding them (Grandmother, Dad and Uncle) in good health and seeing them soon. Evidently the location of my Grandmother was in question and the card ostensibly went to several locations before finding Lisbeth. It never ceases to amaze me how well the infrastructure (post office) among other things, still functioned even as Hitler was falling. Check the sent date of July, 11 1945 from Modena. I'd like to see examples of others

wolf, the card is interesting.

As an aside, it was sent after the war in Europe had ended, right? Your comment about infrastructure has thrown me off.

Yes KGB, you are correct. Hitler had already fallen but the systems previously in place were still functioning. Unless of course the Allies took it all over. I guess I don't know the actual chain of events. Wolf-==-

For those of us that did pretty bad in history ( which includes me ) the second world war ended September 2, 1945.

Peter

Hitler died April, 30 1945. So I am both right and wrong, The card was sent July 11, 1945, or so it seems. The infrastructure for services was still in place then as I see it. The Allies had not liberated Germany proper by this time. Of course the Russians were there by this time, by the time of Hitlers death. I'm not a historical scholar but this card was sent after Hitler died and before the end of the war. Cheers! Wolf-==-

I agree fully with what you are saying, stampwolf, but Hitler's death got little to do with when the war was actually over. The concentration camps did not close when Hitler killed himself - that did not occur until the camps were freed by the Allies.
All I am saying here is that the card is very much legitimate, and the statement that KGB made is not historically correct.

Peter

Wolf,
You might find this interesting, there are a few of these cards listed in the Civil Censorship Study Group Bulletin, April 2014, Volume 41, No. 2. You can download the bulletin and see them in this PDF http://www.lazyeagleresort.com/Bull.182.pdf
Don

No, you're just plain right, at least as far as your grandfather is concerned. The war in Europe was over by May 8, which was when Germany formally surrendered. There was still some shuffling around after that time as to who was going to occupy what area, but the fighting was essentially over by May 8 in Europe. The Pacific Theater continued a few more months, however. By July 11, Europe had been at peace for a couple months. I'm not sure who was running the mails then and there, but it would have been a very chaotic time, with the Allied military being the only true governing power. I would imagine it took quite a bit of time to figure out who was still alive and where everyone was, both civilian and military, with untold numbers of people whose ultimate fate remains unknown or at least unconfirmed, particularly on the eastern/Soviet side. It's an interesting period to read about, but one I'm glad I never had to live through.

Thanks Studman!For the link. Evidently my card is fairly rare. Not that I'd consider it of significant value because of the family history but because of the historic value. I do treasure it's interesting presentation and philatelic interest. I'd sure like to see more of the same. Thanks! Wolf-==-

I can only imagine the joy that receiving such a postcard must have brought to their recipients. The last months of the war and first months of peace were very chaotic; I would guess that most German families had loved ones that they didn't know if they were still alive or not. If this was the first news of your grandfather in some time, the joy must have been overwhelming.

My favorite anecdote on this subject is that, towards the end of WW2, when there was no motor transport & no fuel, German postal workers were backpacking the mail across the Alps in/out of Austria.

War is war, but mail is mail.

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

I wonder which made it 'home' first? The postcard or the writer?

Peter, the war in Europe ended on September 2, 1945?

I made a statement?

Very interesting and pertinent reading: http://www.germanyphilatelicsociety.../history.pdf

Wolf, this will be of special interest to you, I think: http://www.geocities.ws/gspagno/web...edi-pow.html

VE day May 2,1945
Official German surrender May 7, 1945

Japan surrenders August 14, 1945-VJ day unofficial
Japan's surrender announced to world August 15,1945-VJ day unofficial
Formal surrender of Japan and end of WWII September 2, 1945 official VJ day-Harry S. Truman