Philately of Germany, West Berlin: Buildings of Berlin (1949)

Stamps of the definitive issue Buildings of Berlin (Berliner Bauten) were issued between the 21st of March and 25th of October 1949. Stamps denominated in pfennings (PF) were printed in letterpress and released in panes of 100 stamps (in 10×10 layout), booklets and rolls. Stamps with Deutsche Mark (DM) denominations were printed in line engraving and released in panes of 50 stamps (5 x 10 layout). Perforation comb 14.

A. TYPES

TYPES
10 pf., Colonnades, Kleist Park
West Berlin 1949 10 pfennig Kleist Park postage stamp Type I
Type I		 West Berlin 1949 10 pfennig Kleist Park postage stamp Type 2
Type II
Type I:

  • letter S in KLEISTPARK aslant,
  • the right side of the tree top further away from the building,
  • shading lines on the street end before letter P in POST,
  • the bottom shading line in the sky below numeral 10 in a form of three groups of two dots (.. .. ..),
  • shading lines left of P in PF almost touching the letter P.
 Type II:

  • letter S in KLEISTPARK even,
  • the right side of the tree top closer to the building,
  • shading lines on the street longer, present above the letter P in POST,
  • the bottom shading line in the sky below numeral 10 consists of 6 dots in even spacing (……),
  • shading lines left of P in PF further away from the letter P.

 

B. Constant varieties

CONSTANT VARIETIES
1 pf., Brandenburg Gate
I
42II		 West Berlin 1949 postage stamp plate flaw Brandenburg Gate A black triangle at the top of the shading between the middle pillars.
II
42IV		 Neck of the second horse from the right missing (quadriga at the top of the Brandenburg Gate).
5 pf., Tegel Castle
I
44II		 Berlin postage stamp error Tegeler Schloss Top line on the right side of the building, between the ground floor window and the first floor window broken.
II
44I		 West Berlin 1949 5 pf Tegel Castle postage stamp plate flaw White dot on the bottom left sculpture (the sculpture is connected to the right frame).
6 pf., Reichstag Building
I
45II		 West Berlin 1949 6 pf Reichstag postage stamp plate flaw Line, representing the last window of the right tower is broken.
8 pf., Schöneberg: Town Hall
I
46I		 Berlin postage stamp error Schöneberger Rathaus Window above the first tree from the right connected to the horizontal line below.
II
46II		 West Berlin 1949 8 pf Schoneberg Town Hall postage stamp plate flaw The middle left window connected to the lamp post.
10 pf., Colonnades, Kleist Park
I
47I-I		 West Berlin 1949 10 pf Kleist Park postage stamp plate flaw Thin line in the tree top above letters UT in DEUTSCHE.
II
47I-II		 Middle horizontal line of the monument at the top of the colonnades shorter on the left, the monument base is similar to the letter E.
III
47I-III		 A tiny indentation in the thick line representing a lawn border above letters UT in DEUTSCHE.
IV
47I-V		 Horizontal shading line between the tree top and the monument broken.
V
47I-X		 A huge crack in the base of the monument at the top of the building.
20 pf., Polytechnic College
I
49I		 West Berlin 1949 20 pf Polytechnic College postage stamp plate flaw White spot in the center of the line of top windows.
II
49II		 The 5th window in the middle line of windows connected to the apron.
III
49III		 A chimney on the left side of the building.
IV
49X		 White spot at the bottom of the letter S in POST.
25 pf., Tegel Castle
I
50I		 A statue on the second floor (Pallas Athena) connected to the right frame.
II
50II		 West Berlin 1949 25 pf Tegel Castle postage stamp plate flaw The middle horizontal line above the bottom right frame broken.
III
50IV		 Vertical line in the bottom right window short, roof cracked at top.
IV
50V		 Colored spot at the end of the left roof.
V
50VII		 Outline of the leaf above the letter E in DEUTSCHE missing.
30 pf., Colonnades, Kleist Park
I
51I		 West Berlin 1949 30 pf Kleist Park postage stamp plate flaw Horizontal line on top of the statue broken.
II
51II		 The 3rd shading line from the top broken (left from the statue).
40 pf., Schöneberger: Town Hall
I
52I		 Line on the top of the building on the right short.
II
52II		 West Berlin 1949 40 pf Schoneberg Town Hall postage stamp plate flaw Tree trunk above letter U in DEUTSCHE broken in the middle.
50 pf., Reichstag Building
I
53I		 West Berlin 1949 50 pf Reichstag Building postage stamp plate flaw Dome roof open at top, dot right from the statue left from the dome missing.
II
53II		 Bottom line of the second niche partially missing.
I
53IV		 Shading line on the right short.
80 pf., Polytechnic College
I
55I		 West Berlin 1949 80 pf Polytechnic College postage stamp constant flaw Railing on the roof, below letter L in CHARLOTTENBURG broken.
II
55II		 White triangle between 8 and 0.
90 pf., Polytechnic College
I
56I		 Oval outline of the last window of the ground floor partially missing.
II
56II		 West Berlin 1949 90 pf Polytechnic College postage stamp constant flaw Cross line between the 4th and the 5th top window (below the first letter H in HOCHSCHULE) missing.
I
56IV		 Thick colored line connecting letters S and C in DEUTSCHE.
3 DM, Brandenburg Gate
I
59I		 West Berlin 1949 3 DM Brandenburg Gate postage stamp plate flaw Colored rectangle above top frame, above letters R and A in BRANDENBURGER.

 

References

Bibliography

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