Soviet Occupation of Germany: West Saxony

Germany Soviet occupation stamp watermark ascending stairs Germany Soviet occupation stamp watermark descending stairs
Ascending and descending stairs watermarks.

28 September 1945. Definitive issue Numbers. Printed in letterpress in panes of 100 (10 x 10) on watermarked paper. The watermark ascending and descending stairs is typical for all West Saxony issues. Stamps were issued imperforate but in some postal areas they were later perforated in various perforation types.

PERFORATIONS BY POSTAL AREAS
Area Mügeln Roßwein Gaschwitz Holzhausen Kriebitzsch
Perforation line 11½ line 11¼-11½ rouletting, lignes 10 rouletting lignes 16 line 11½ and rouletting lignes 16 rouletting lignes 10 and 16 rouletting lignes 10¼ rouletting lignes 9½ irregular “sewing machine”
Value Watermark Germany West Saxony Roßwein perforation B Germany West Saxony Roßwein perforation C
5 pf. asc.  x  x  x  x
desc.  x  x  x  x  x  x x x
6 pf. asc. x  x x
desc.  x  x  x  x  x x x
8 pf. asc.  x  x  x  x x x
desc.  x  x  x  x x  x x x
12 pf. asc.  x  x  x
desc.  x  x  x  x x  x  x x
CONSTANT VARIETIES
8 pf., orange Field number
I

118I

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw White spot below the second letter N in PFENNIG and a scratch on the second letter E in DEUTSCHE. White spot below the second letter N in PFENNIG and a scratch on the second letter E in DEUTSCHE. 100

18 October 1945. Specimen exhibition. Printed in letterpress in panes of 100 (10 x 10) on watermarked paper.

CONSTANT VARIETIES
6 pf., green Field number
I

124IV

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Lower stroke of letter S in DEUTSCHE prolonged. Lower stroke of letter S in DEUTSCHE prolonged. 2, 7, 55
II

124I

 Letter A instead of H in DEUTSCHE. 57

9 November 1945 – February 1946. Second definitive issue Numbers. Printed in letterpress in panes of 100 (10 x 10) on watermarked paper. In general, stamps were printed on thin grayish paper, but in February 1946 values of 4, 20, 30 and 40 pfennig (all having watermark descending stairs) were printed on white chalk coated paper.

CONSTANT VARIETIES
10 pf., gray Field number
I Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw White spot connecting letters H and E in DEUTSCHE. White spot connecting letters H and E in DEUTSCHE. 95 or 48
12 pf., red Field number
I

132I

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Indentation on top of letter T in DEUTSCHE. Indentation on top of letter T in DEUTSCHE. 14, 64, 69
II

132II

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw White spot in letter C in DEUTSCHE. White spot in letter C in DEUTSCHE. 2, 10 or 55
40 pf., red lilac Field number
I Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Shade of numeral 4 prolonged at the bottom right side. Shade of numeral 4 prolonged at the bottom right side. ?
60 pf., maroon Field number
I Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Colored spots on the left border of zero. Colored spots on the left border of zero. ?
UNLISTED VARIETIES
3 pf., brown
1 Top inscription DEUTSCHE POST vertically misaligned, closer to top frame. Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Top inscription DEUTSCHE POST vertically misaligned, closer to top frame.
15 pf., red brown
1 White dots in numeral 5 missing. Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw White dots in numeral 5 missing.

7 – 28 January 1946. Solidarity. Printed in letterpress in panes of 100 (10 x 10) on watermarked paper.

TYPES
4 + 3 pf., slate Field number
I

139II

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Letter P in POST short at the bottom. Letter P in POST short at the bottom. 34, 39, 84, 89
5 + 3 pf., green Field number
I

140III

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Letter E in DEUTSCHE deformed, letter U broken at the bottom. Letter E in DEUTSCHE deformed, letter U broken at the bottom. 31, 36, 81, 86
8 + 4 pf., orange Field number
I

142I

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Volksnor instead of Volksnot. Volksnor instead of Volksnot. 34, 39, 84, 89
30 + 20 pf., olive green Field number
I Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Letters t and ä in Volkssolidarität connected by a dot. Letters t and ä in Volkssolidarität connected by a dot. 45, 50, 95, 100
40 + 30 pf., red lilac Field number
I

148I

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Loop of letter P in POST open on the left side. Loop of letter P in POST open on the left side. 1, 6, 51, 56
II

148IV

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Dot below horizontal line of numeral 4, letter t in Volksnot bent downwards. Dot below horizontal line of numeral 4, letter t in Volksnot bent downwards. 34, 39, 84, 89
III

148VI

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Inner white frame of zero broken at bottom right side. Inner white frame of zero broken at bottom right side. 1, 6, 31, 36, 51, 56, 81, 86
CONSTANT VARIETIES
5 + 3 pf., green Field number
I

140I

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Loop of letter P in POST open at the bottom. Loop of letter P in POST open at the bottom. 4
15 + 10 pf., red brown Field number
I

145I

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Letter H in DEUTSCHE damaged to the left. Letter H in DEUTSCHE damaged to the left. 17

12 February 1946. Definitive issue Coat of Arms and sights of Leipzig. Printed in letterpress in panes of 100 (10 x 10) on watermarked paper.

TYPES
3 pf., brown Field number
I

150I

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw D in DEUTSCHE indented at the bottom. D in DEUTSCHE indented at the bottom. 12, 17, 62, 67
4 pf., slate Field number
I

151I

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Letter S in POST indented at the bottom, white line below broken. Letter S in POST indented at the bottom, white line below broken. 45, 50, 95, 100
5 pf., green Field number
I

152I

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Vertical stroke of numeral 5 thicker. Vertical stroke of numeral 5 thicker. 21, 26, 71, 76
II

152II

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Part of the wall of the building on the right missing. Part of the wall of the building on the right missing. 24, 29, 74, 79
6 pf., violet Field number
I

153I

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Top of the roof left from the tower sloping. Top of the roof left from the tower sloping. 5, 10, 55, 60
II

153II

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Two white spots above letters C and H in DEUTSCHE. Two white spots above letters C and H in DEUTSCHE. 12, 17, 62, 67
8 pf., orange Field number
I

154II

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw A flag on the first tower from the left. A flag on the first tower from the left. 45, 50, 95, 100
UNLISTED VARIETIES
8 pf., orange
1 Colored spots on the clouds right from the tower. Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Colored spots on the clouds right from the tower.

8 – 20 May 1946. Leipzig fair. Printed letterpress in panes of 50 (10 x 5). All four values were printed on white watermarked paper (descending and ascending stairs) with regular gum. These stamps are either perforated comb 13¼ : 13 (8 May) or imperforate (20 May). Three values, 6 + 14, 12 + 18 and 24 + 26 pf. were also printed on grayish paper with economy gum.

TYPES
6 + 14 pf., violet Field number
I

162VII

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw The fifth cloud line below the second S in MESSE broken. The fifth cloud line below the second S in MESSE broken. 1, 6
12 – 18 pf., blue gray Field number
I

163I

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Wide white scratch on the first market umbrella from the right. Wide white scratch on the first market umbrella from the right. 12, 17, 22, 27, 32, 37, 42, 47
24 + 26 pf., orange brown Field number
I Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw The fifth cloud line below 9 in 1946 broken. The fifth cloud line below 9 in 1946 broken. 2, 7 or 4, 7 (B)
II Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Small dot above the 6th cloud line below the second E in MESSE, colored spot on the right fold of the second umbrella from the right. Small dot above the 6th cloud line below the second E in MESSE, colored spot on the right fold of the second umbrella from the right. 5, 10
III Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Colored spot on the left side of the tower, left from the second window. Colored spot on the left side of the tower, left from the second window. 23, 28 or 25, 28 (B)
IV Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw The second cloud line below year mark broken, colored spot on the right fold of the second umbrella from the right. The second cloud line below year mark broken, colored spot on the right fold of the second umbrella from the right. 15, 20 or 12, 20 (B)
V

164I

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Colored spot on the facade above the first umbrella from the right. Colored spot on the facade above the first umbrella from the right. 24, 29 or 21, 29
VI Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Colored spot on the right fold of the second umbrella from the right. Colored spot on the right fold of the second umbrella from the right. 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50
VII Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Line below the 3rd and the 4th window to the right from the tower broken. Line below the 3rd and the 4th window to the right from the tower broken. 41, 46 or 43, 46 (B)
84 + 66 pf., green Field number
I

165IV

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Right fold of the first umbrella from the left broken twice. Right fold of the first umbrella from the left broken twice. 22, 27 (A, B)
SOUVENIR SHEET
Note: on souvenir sheets are to be found the same plate flaws as on regular stamps.
I Germany 1946 Leipzig fair souvenir sheet
  • 6 + 14 pf.: The fifth cloud line below the second S in MESSE broken (I),
  • 12 + 18 pf.: Wide white scratch on the first market umbrella from the right (I),
  • 84 + 66 pf.: Right fold of the first umbrella from the left broken twice (I).
CONSTANT VARIETIES
12 + 18 pf., blue gray Field number
I

163VII

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw White spot on numeral 8 in 18 (white 8). White spot on numeral 8 in 18 (white 8). 41
24 + 26 pf., orange brown Field number
I Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Vertical line outside left frame in height of roof windows. Vertical line outside left frame in height of roof windows. 8
II Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Vertical thin line outside the right frame. Vertical thin line outside the right frame. 47
84 + 66 pf., green Field number
I

165II

 Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw White spot on the first roof gable from the right. White spot on the first roof gable from the right. 17 (A, B)
UNLISTED VARIETIES
84 + 66 pf., green
1 Indentation on top frame above the second letter E in MESSE. Germany Soviet occupation zone West Saxony stamp plate flaw Indentation on top frame above the second letter E in MESSE.

 

Bibliography

  1. Michel Deutschland-Spezial 2005, Band 2: Ab Mai 1945 (Alliierte Besetzung bis BRD), Schwaneberger Verlag GmbH, ISBN 3-87858-145-9