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 tiny dot above the letter “P” in “PROVINZ.”
Field №: 11
Other nomenclatures:
Notes:
Value €:
II A tiny dot between the letters “I” and “N” in “POKRAJINA.”
Field №: 31
Other nomenclatures:
Notes:
Value €:
III A tiny dot below the third talon of the right leg.
Field №: 34
Other nomenclatures:
Notes:
Value €:
IV A dot in the “K” in “POKRAJINA.”
Field №: 41
Other nomenclatures:
Notes:
Value €:
V A dot in the “K” in “POKRAJINA.”
Field №: 68
Other nomenclatures:
Notes:
Value €:
VI A dot behind “A” in “LJUBLJANSKA.”
Field №: 69
Other nomenclatures:
Notes:
Value €:
VII The sixth and seventh feathers are fused.
Field №: 78
Other nomenclatures:
Notes:
Value €:
VIII A dot between the second and third feather.
Field №: 79
Other nomenclatures:
Notes:
Value €:
IX An eagle without a tongue.
Field №: 89
Other nomenclatures:
Notes:
Value €:
X A tiny dot between the second and the third talon.
Field №: 91
Other nomenclatures:
Notes:
Value €:
XI The letter “P” in “POKRAJINA” is slaint.
Field №: 92
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 €:
Inscription in Slovenian vertically and in German horizontally
Definitive issues: 10 c., 20 c., 30 c., 50 c., 1 L., 1.75 L., 10 L.
Airmail issues: 50 c., 1 L., 2 L., 5 L.
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 Provinz Laibach Plattenfehler Briefmarke 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, 20 centesimi, 30 centesimi, 50 centesimi.
Value €:
XII A dot under the left leg.
Field №: 86
Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi.III
Notes: 10 centesimi, 20 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 A dot under the right leg.
Field №: 95
Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi. IV
Notes: 10 centesimi, 20 centesimi, 30 centesimi, 50 centesimi.
Value €:
Inscription in German vertically and in Slovenian horizontally
Definitive issues: 15 c., 25 c., 35 c., 75 c., 1.25 L., 2 L.
Airmail issues: 25 c., 75 c., 2 L., 10 L.
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 Ljubljanska pokrajina filatelija napaka pretiska 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 Province of Ljubljana Laibach stamp overprint flaw 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.” Provinz Laibach: Dot below letter U in LJUBLJANSKA
COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
Overprints
1 Double overprint.
2 Double overprint, one of them is inverted.
3 Shifted overprint.
4 Offset.
5 Smeared overprint.
Basic stamps
1 Major printing error.
2 Inverted watermark.
  • 35 centesimi,
  • 20 lira.
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 Provinz Laibach: Plate error on 50c stamp - telegraph lines 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 Provinz Laibach, plate error: Ghostly church tower on the right side 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, example 4. 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
5 c., brown 600 dpi 5 MB JPG Complete sheet
10 c., dark brown 600 dpi 5 MB JPG Complete sheet
“The Partisans” 1-50
“The Partisans” 51-100
15 c., dark green 600 dpi 5 MB JPG “The Partisans” 1-50
“The Partisans” 51-100
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 600 dpi 5 MB JPG Complete sheet
“The Partisans” 1-50
“The Partisans” 51-100
35 c., deep blue 600 dpi 5 MB JPG Complete sheet
50 c., purple 600 dpi 5 MB JPG Complete sheet
“The Partisans” 1-50
“The Partisans” 51-100
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

  1. Michel Deutschland-Spezial 2005, Band 1: 1849 bis April 1945. Schwaneberger Verlag GmbH, ISBN 3-87858-144-0
  2. 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