A Question About 2 German Zone 1946 Covers

I have never seen before this kind of postmark (or just a cancels) like the Gotha on the first cover. Any idea why it was made so simple?? Looks like early 19-th century cancellations...

Also, I have never seen before the machine (?) cancel like the one on the 2nd cover. Any info about it?

Many thanks.

The stamps look like AB occupation stamps. In 1946, it's surprising that the Germans had anything that worked. I'd expect hand cancel. The stamp on the second says it was paid in Munich. Maybe out of stamps.

Don

Very nice Gotha cover. The Gotha handstamp is a canceling device used for packet cards, going back to the 19th century. This kind of device was also used on sheets of stamps from the Soviet zone of occupation when currency reform was "forced" on eastern Germany in June of 1948. Provisional devices were required in postwar Germany, because so many of the old canclling devices had symbols or wording tied to the nazi regime. You can find cancels, Munich for example, where words and symbols have been cut of the device.

Postage paid (Gebuhr Bezahlt, or Bezahlt) handstamps were used when stamps were not on hand. In the case of this cover, however, it appears that the business mailer took a stack of these to the post office, paid for them, and the clerk applied the postage paid marking. Haven't seen this one before.

The post-world war II era is very popular with Germany postal history collectors, probably second only to the inflation era of the early 1920's.

Thank you, bookbndrbob. I am familiar at some point with German post-world war era, and I must say that it is much more interesting than Infla period to me.

Of course, I am familiar with the "numeral" issue from the Gotha cover, but never seen handstamps used in this way... especially interesting is that the same handstamp is used on the Registered mail label, too. One-more-time.

I also didn't seen that "Bezahlt" stamp before, and that is the reason why I have posted it here.... + because the person on whom it has been addressed was a notable philatelist of that time, I suppose that he asked on purpose that this cover should be sent to him.

You are very welcome, filipo.

For some years, I traded stamps and covers with a man from Gotha. My earliest Gotha cover is from 1823. Here are a few some Gotha cancels.