German Occupation of Slovenia – The Ljubljana Province

5 January 1944. Italian definitive and airmail stamps of the Imperiale issue, overprinted LJUBLJANSKA POKRAJINA / PROVINZ LAIBACH, and coat of arms. Overprint in letterpress by Ljudska tiskarna in Ljubljana.

CONSTANT VARIETIES OF OVERPRINTS
5 c.
I		A dot in the “K” in “POKRAJINA.”
		Field №: 68
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
II		A dot behind “A” in “LJUBLJANSKA.”
		Field №: 69
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
III		The sixth and seventh feathers are fused.
		Field №: 78
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
IV		A dot between the second and third feather.
		Field №: 79
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
V		An eagle without a tongue.
		Field №: 89
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
VI		A dot behind “PROVINZ.”
		Field №: 99
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
VII		The letter “P” is shortened below (DOKRAJINA).
		Field №: 100
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
10 c., 20 c., 30 c., 50 c., 1 L., 1.75 L., 10 L. (Inscription in Slovenian vertically and in German horizontally)
I		A dot below the second talon of the left leg.
		Field №: 1
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
II		A dot between “P” and “O” (P.OKRAJINA).
		Field №: 5
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
III		Two dots between “LJUBLJANSKA” and “PROVINZ.”
		Field №: 11
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
IV		The letter “O” in “PROVINZ” is broken below.
		Field №: 17
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
V		A small hole in the body.
		Field №: 19
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
VI		The third talon on the left leg is shorter.
		Field №: 40
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
VII		The letter “P” in “POKRAJINA” is bolded above.
		Field №: 50
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
VIII		Thick beak.
		Field №: 51
		Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi. I
		Notes: more examples: 10 centesimi, 30 centesimi, 50 centesimi.
		Value €: –
IX		The horizontal stroke of the letter “L” in “LAIBACH” is bolded.
		Field №: 63
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
X		A dot before “PROVINZ.”
		Field №: 73
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
XI		Dot under the letter “C” in “LAIBACH”.
		Field №: 81
		Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi. V
		Notes: 10 centesimi, 30 centesimi, 50 centesimi.
		Value €: –
XII		Additional feather on the right wing.
		Field №: 85
		Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi.II
		Notes: 10 centesimi, 30 centesimi, 50 centesimi.
		Value €: –
XII		Dot under the left leg.
		Field №: 86
		Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi.III
		Notes: 10 centesimi, 30 centesimi, 50 centesimi.
		Value €: –
XIV		The dash between the second “A” in “LAIBACH” and the right ornament.
		Field №: 94
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
XV		Dot under the right leg.
		Field №: 95
		Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi. IV
		Notes: 10 centesimi, 30 centesimi, 50 centesimi.
		Value €: –
15 c., 25 c., 35 c., 75 c., 1.25 L., 2 L. (Inscription in German vertically and in Slovenian horizontally)
I		A blotch on the “P” in “POKRAJINA.”
		Field №: 5
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
II		An eye is missing and the tongue is bolded.
		Field №: 11
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
III		A dot near the neck on the left.
		Field №: 12
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
IV		The dash above the “N” in “LJUBLJANSKA.”
		Field №: 16
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
V		Prolonged letter “N” in “LJUBLJANSKA”.
		Field №: 25
		Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi.II
		Notes: 35 centesimi, 1.25 lire.
		Value €: –
VI		A dot above the first “A” in “LJUBLJANSKA.”
		Field №: 42
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
VII		Notch in the right collarbone.
		Field №: 60
		Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi. V
		Notes: 35 centesimi, 1.25 lire.
		Value €: –
VIII		Notch in the left wing between the 4th and 5th feathers.
		Field №: 62
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
IX		Hole in the eagle’s belly.
		Field №: 66
		Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi. IV
		Notes: 35 centesimi, 1.25 lire.
		Value €: –
X		Both eyes and the tongue are missing.
		Field №: 70
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
XI		Damaged letters “SK” in “LJUBLJANSKA.”
		Field №: 76
		Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi. I
		Notes: 35 centesimi, 1.25 lire
		Value €: –
XII		Squeezed letter “B” in “LJUBLJANSKA.”
		Field №: 77
		Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi.III
		Notes: 35 centesimi, 1.25 lire.
		Value €: –
XIII		A dot behind “LJUBLJANSKA.”
		Field №: 93
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
2.55 L.
I		Closed beak.
		Field №: 17
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
II		The fourth talon on the left leg is missing.
		Field №: 25
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
III		The right leg is broken.
		Field №: 52
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
IV		A dot above 2.
		Field №: 53
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
V		A dot near “N” in “PROVINZ.”
		Field №: 74
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
VI		A dot above the third feather.
		Field №: 77
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
VII		A dot to the right of “N” in “LJUBLJANSKA.”
		Field №: 81
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
5 L.
I		A thin line above the second “A” in “LJUBLJANSKA.”
		Field №: 65
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
20 L.
I		The second “J” in “LJUBLJANSKA” is short at the bottom.
		Field №: –
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
II		The first talon of the left leg is shot.
		Field №: 54
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
III		The letters “V” and “I” in “PROVINZ” are fused at the top.
		Field №: 55
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
V		A large dot on the bottom right ornament.
		Field №: 92
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
35 L.
I		The letter “H” in “LAIBACH” is damaged (LAIBACЧ).
		Field №: 59
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –

UNLISTED VARIETIES
1	Dot on letter “N” in “PROVINZ”
2	Dot below Eagle’s right claw on field 56.
3	Dot below letter “U” in “LJUBLJANSKA.”

COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
1	Double overprint.
2	Double overprint, one of them is inverted.
3	Shifted overprint.
4	Offset.
5	Smeared overprint.

OTHER SPECIALITIES
Wrong overprint type.

Overprint on damaged stamps.

TRIAL PRINTS
Overprint in the center (special delivery airmail stamp)

“PARTIZANKE” (The Partisans)
After the capitulation of Italy, the Ljubljana province was occupied by German troops. At the time of their arrival, part of the Dolenjska region with Novo Mesto was already under partisan administration. After prolonged fighting, the German troops managed to reoccupy Novo Mesto, and the seized Italian stamps were sent to Ljubljana for overprinting. By the time they arrived, definitive and airmail stamps had already been overprinted, and the printing plates for overprinting had been dismantled. Only the even columns remained in the printing plates, so the stamps had to be fed into the machine twice to overprint both even and odd columns. This resulted in misalignments, causing the stamps in odd columns to have slightly shifted overprints compared to those in even columns. Constant varieties of overprints of the even columns are thus doubled and positioned together, side by side. There are no varieties from the odd columns present in the sheets of the so-called partisans.
Definitive stamps


Airmail stamps

18 March 1944. For Winter Relief Fund. Italian airmail stamps overprinted ZIMSKA POMOČ LJUBLJANSKA POKRAJINA / WINTERHILFE PROVINZ LAIBACH and coat of arms. Overprint in letterpress by Ljudska tiskarna in Ljubljana.

COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
75 cent. + 20 L.
1	Shifted overprint

March 1945. Slovenian scenery. Printed in photogravure in sheets of 100 by Ljudska tiskarna in Ljubljana. Perforations 11½ : 10½ and 10½ : 11½.

CONSTANT VARIETIES
50 cent., violet
I		The “Telegraph lines” flaw. See also overprinted stamp in 1945 provisional issue for Ljubljana: example 1 example 2
		Field №: 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, and 59
		Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi. 49I
		Notes: different on every field.
		Value €: 30 (MNH); 38 (used)
II		Hole in the wall.
		Field №: 86
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
III		Dot near the church tower on the right and a dotted line next to the right frame.
		Field №: 22
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
IV		There is a big dot next to the right frame and a vertical line in the sky.
		Field №: 23
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
V		A dot next to the left frame.
		Field №: 31
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
VI		A dot inside zero in the denomination.
		Field №: 45
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
VII		Dot next to the church tower on the left.
		Field №: 66
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
VIII		A thin horizontal line in the sky.
		Field №: 69
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
IX		Black dot after CENT.
		Field №: 61, 70
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
X		A short dotted line next to the church tower
		Field №: 84
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
XI		A dot and thin horizontal line next to the church tower on the right
		Field №: 85
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
XII		Stars in the sky
		Field №: 88
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
XIII		Ghostly church tower on the right side
		Field №: 4
		Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi. 49II
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
5 L, red brown
I		“Telegraph lines”.
		Field №: ?
		Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi. 57I
		Notes: present on multiple fields: example 2, example 3. Also on the overprinted stamp of the 1945 provisional issue for Ljubljana.
		Value €: –
30 L, carmine
I		A bird right from the church tower.
		Field №: ?
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
II		A white line on the right frame, next to the letter L.
		Field №: ?
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –

COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
1	Partially imperforate.

26 February 1944. Postage dues. Italian postage dues, overprinted LJUBLJANSKA POKRAJINA / PROVINZ LAIBACH and coat of arms. Overprint in letterpress by Ljudska tiskarna in Ljubljana. Perforation 14.

CONSTANT VARIETIES OF OVERPRINTS
10 c., 25 c., 1 L., (Inscription in Slovenian on top and in German on the bottom)
I		Letters “C” and “H” in “LAIBACH” are connected.
		Field №: 18
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
II		A dot above the letters “J” and “A” in “LJUBLJANSKA.”
		Field №: 52
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
5 c., 20 c., 50 c., 2 L. (Inscription in German on top and in Slovenian on the bottom)
I		The bottom right ornament is damaged.
		Field №: 73
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
II		A straight line on the bottom of the right ornament.
		Field №: 78
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
40 c.
I		A dot on the second “A” in “LJUBLJANSKA.”
		Field №: 1
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
II		A horizontal line after “LJUBLJANSKA.”
		Field №: 28
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –
III		A dot in front of the eagle’s beak.
		Field №: 63
		Other nomenclatures: –
		Notes: –
		Value €: –

COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
1	Shifted overprint.

OTHER SPECIALITIES
Overprint on damaged stamps.

TRIAL PRINTS
Overprint in red color.

Complete sheets of stamps

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Provisional issue, January 5th, 1944
Denomination	Resolution	File size	File type	Link
10 c., dark brown brown	600 dpi	5 MB	JPG	Complete sheet
20 c., rose	600 dpi	5 MB	JPG	Complete sheet
25 c., deep green	600 dpi	5 MB	JPG	Complete sheet
30 c., dark brown brown	600 dpi	5 MB	JPG	Complete sheet
35 c., deep blue	600 dpi	5 MB	JPG	Complete sheet
50 c., purple	600 dpi	5 MB	JPG	Complete sheet
1.25 L., dark blue	600 dpi	5 MB	JPG	Complete sheet
2.55 L. on 5 c., olive brown	600 dpi	5 MB	JPG	Complete sheet
Provisional issue, special delivery stamp, February 11th, 1944
Denomination	Resolution	File size	File type	Link
1.25 L., green	600 dpi	5 MB	JPG	Complete sheet
The first definitive set, 1945
Denomination	Resolution	File size	File type	Link
10 c., red orange	600 dpi	7 MB	JPG	Complete sheet
25 c., dark green	600 dpi	7 MB	JPG	Complete sheet
50 c., violet	600 dpi	7 MB	JPG	Complete sheet Fragment
1 L., dark olive green	600 dpi	7 MB	JPG	Complete sheet
2,50 L., brown	600 dpi	7 MB	JPG	Complete sheet
Provisional issue, postage dues, February 26th, 1944
Denomination	Resolution	File size	File type	Link
20 c., rose red	600 dpi	5 MB	JPG	Complete sheet
25 c, green	600 dpi	5 MB	JPG	Complete sheet
30 c. on 50 c., violet	600 dpi	5 MB	JPG	Complete sheet
40 c. on 5 c., brown	600 dpi	5 MB	JPG	Complete sheet
50 c., violet	600 dpi	5 MB	JPG	Complete sheet

References

Bibliography

Michel Deutschland-Spezial 2005, Band 1: 1849 bis April 1945. Schwaneberger Verlag GmbH, ISBN 3-87858-144-0
Katalog poštanskih maraka jugoslovenskih zemalja (1991), Jugomarka (Belgrade). YU ISSN 0351-4447

Contributors
Images on this page were contributed by:

mag. Boštjan Petauer FRPSL
mag. Vid Žiberna