Soviet Occupation of Germany: East Saxony

The definitive issues, numeral in circle, were printed in in sheets of 100 (10X10) in various printing techniques between June 1945 and February 1946. Different paper and gum types were used in production and various perforations types were applied.

The first definitive issue: Photogravure by Welzel

PERFORATIONS ADMINISTERED BY POSTAL ADMINISTRATIONS
Stamps printed by Welzel were issued imperforate. In areas of some postal administrations they were later perforated in various perforation styles.
Area Coswig Großröhrsdorf Klotzsche Loschwitz Pirna* Seiffen* Sohland*
Perforation line 10 line 11 line 11½ line 10½ line 10¾-11 rouletting 9½-11 rouletting 9¾-10 rouletting 9¾ irregular “sewing machine” 9¾-10
East Saxony Germany Coswig perforation Germany East Saxony Loschwitz perforation
5 pf. x x x x x x x x x
6 pf. x x x x x x x
8 pf. x x x x x x x x
10 pf. x x x x x x x x x
12 pf. x x x x x x x x x
15 pf. x x x x x x x x
20 pf. x x x x x x x x x
25 pf. x x x x x x x
40 pf. x x x x x x x x x
* Not recognized by Regional Post Office Administration Dresden
TYPES
5 pf., brown. Date of issue: 6 July 1945.
I White spot under “P” of  “POST”.
Field №: 16, 66 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi.42 II
Notes: –
6 pf., blue green. Dates of issue: 30 June and 26 July 1945.
I Dot on top right of “T” in “POST”.
Field №: 17, 30, 47, 60, 77, 90 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi.43 VIII
Notes: –
10 pf., dark brown. Date of issue: 3 July 1945.
I Doubled dots below “ST” of “POST”.
Field №: 30, 80 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi.45III
Notes: –
12 pf., red. Date of issue: 28 June 1945.
I Lower left post horn connected to inner frame.
Field №: 6, 30, 36, 66, 90, 100 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi.46II
Notes: –
II Small colored dot at the top of the left ornament.
Field №: 5, 35, 65 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: –
Notes: –
III Colored dot above the bottom ornament.
Field №: 20, 50, 80 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: –
Notes: –
20 pf., blue. Date of issue: 26 July 1945.
I Colored dot at the top of the inner circle, above numeral 2.
Field №: 17, 67 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: –
Notes: –
40 pf., lilac. Date of issue: 7 July 1945.
I Rounded corner to back of “4”.
Field №: 13, 33, 38, 46, 50, 63, 83, 88, 95, 96, 100 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi.50 III
Notes: –
CONSTANT VARIETIES
5 pf., brown. Date of issue: 6 July 1945. Michel № Field №
I White spot on the left side of the inner circle. ?
6 pf., blue green. Dates of issue: 30 June and 26 July 1945. Michel № Field №
I Big white spot above letters P and O in POST. 43 V 61
II Colored spot left from the lower left post horn. 85, 95
III Colored dot right from the top value summation.
(Center crop mark, probably)		 5
8 pf., dark violet. Date of issue: 3 July 1945. Michel № Field №
I Whitening below top left post horn. 2
II White spot on the top frame, right from the top left post horn. 41
III Dot between “S” and “T” of “POST”. 44 V 90
10 pf., dark brown. Date of issue: 3 July 1945. Michel № Field №
I White dot in the grid in the lower left area. 87
12 pf., red. Date of issue: 3 July 1945. Michel № Field №
I Small colored dot in the bottom right corner, left from the bottom right post horn. 15
II Colored dot right from the top left post horn. 21
15 pf., lemon. Date of issue: 10 July 1945. Michel № Field №
I Short vertical line in the bottom right corner. ?
20 pf., blue. Date of issue: 26 July 1945. Michel № Field №
I Colored dot right from the top value summation.
(Center crop mark, probably)		 5
25 pf., light blue. Date of issue: 5 July 1945. Michel № Field №
I Loop of the numeral 5 damaged. 49 IV 54
II The “P” of “POST” with faded bottom half to vertical line. 49 III 34
III Bulge on right of “5” in “25”. 49 II 73
IV Mark top and left of “P” in “POST” looking like a water droplet stain. 49 VII 35
V Merged dots under “PO” of “POST”. 49 VI 70
40 pf., lilac. Date of issue: 7 July 1945. Michel № Field №
I Colored dot right from the bottom value summation.
(Center crop mark, probably)		 95
II Dot to left pf “P” in “POST”. 50 II 6

The second printing: Lithography by Ulbrich

PAPER AND GUM
Paper types:

  • a. grayish thin paper with fine network structure
  • b. grayish thin paper with steep rising striation
  • c. grayish thin paper with steep falling striation
  • d. bluish smooth paper with steep rising striation
  • e. bluish smooth paper with steep falling striation
 Gum types:

  • A. yellowish or brownish (smooth or horizontally applied)
  • B. economy gum
  • C. white, smooth and shiny
Economy gum
Paper a b c d e
Gum A B C A B C A B C A B C A B C
3 pf., sepia x x x
10 pf., gray x x x x x x x
TYPES
3 pf., sepia. Lithography by Ulbrich. Date of issue: 5 December 1945.
I, II Type I: horizontal stroke of numeral 3 pointed at the back.
Type II: the horizontal stroke rectangular.
Field №: 11, 31, 51, 71, 91 (Type II) Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Michel I and II
Notes: –
III Spike of the frame above letter P in POST wider.
Field №: 6, 26, 46, 66, 86 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: –
Notes: –
IV Small projection at back of “3”.
Field №: 5, 25, 45, 65, 85 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: Michel Mi.51 XIV
Notes: –
CONSTANT VARIETIES
3 pf., brown. Date of issue: 5 December 1945. Michel № Field №
I Colored spot on the top leaf on the right ornament. 14
II Incision to the right side of numeral 3. 5
III Colored spot above letter O in POST. 8
IV Colored dot to the right from the top right post horn. 12
V Incision to the bottom frame (left). 18
VI Incision to the bottom frame (right). 20
VII Incision to the bottom frame, below the left post horn. 39
VIII Colored circle over left rosette. 59
IX Smudge over the top leaf of the left-sided ornament. 60
X Scratch on the mouthpiece of the bottom left post horn. 81
XI Big colored spot above the top left frame. 51 VIII 25
XII Bottom right hand corner with jagged piece missing. 51 XII 71
10 pf., gray. Date of issue: 3 November 1945. Michel № Field №
I White spot right from the lower left post horn.
Another example		 ?
II Letter P in POST broken (the FOST flaw) 52 III 35
III Zero indented on the right. 42
IV Horizontal line of letter T in POST broken. 42
V Circle and a dot on the left frame. 33
VI Dot and a circle on vertical stroke of numeral 1. 48
VII White spot on numeral 1. 44
VIII Indentation to bottom frame below bottom right post horn. 97
IX White dot above top left post horn, white horzontal line at the bottom connected to outer frame. 42
X White scratch on the right frame. 13
XI Incision to the bottom frame. 7 D
XII White spot above top right post horn. 100
XIII Merged dots with distinct pattern diagonally lower left of numeral circle. 52 VII 72
UNLISTED VARIETIES
3 pf., sepia. Date of issue: 5 December 1945.
2 Big spot on inner frame below letter P in POST.
10 pf., gray. Date of issue: 3 November 1945.
1 White spot left from the lower left post horn (field 91).

The fourth printing: Letterpress by Giesecke & Devrient

TYPES
6 pf., violet. Date of issue: 3 November 1945.
I Inner frame, below gridded area, broken.
Field №: 1, 6, 51, 56 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: –
Notes: –
8 pf., orange. Date of issue: 3 November 1945.
I Right-sided ornament broken.
Field №: 24, 29, 74, 79 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: –
Notes: –
CONSTANT VARIETIES
3 pf., brown. Date of issue: 21 December 1945. Michel № Field №
I White spot on the lower left frame. 35
II White spot on the grid, below letter P in POST. 46
III Letter S in POST thicker at top. 79
IV Two whitenings at the bottom of the gridded area. 92
V Grid substantially damaged in the lower part. 56 VI 17
5 pf., green. Date of issue: 3 November 1945. Michel № Field №
I Colored smudge right from the bottom left post horn. 4, 9
II Huge colored spot on the grid and left ornament (below letter P in POST). 57 I 34
III Whitening at the top of the right frame. 44
6 pf., violet. Date of issue: 3 November 1945. Michel № Field №
I Small white spot on the bottom frame, left from the bottom right post horn. ?
12 pf., vermilion. Date of issue: 3 November 1945. Michel № Field №
I Right-sided ornament and gridded area deformed. 49
II Diagonal slash across lower left hand frame and leaves. 60 I 79
COINCIDENTAL VARIETIES
3 pf., brown. Date of issue: 21 December 1945.
1 Vertical perforation misaligned.

The fifth printing: Photogravure by Sächsische Volkszeitung

TYPES
6 pf., violet. Date of issue: 22 January 1946.
I Type I: regular stamp.
Type II: Indentation in the left side of the top left post horn.
Field №: 58, 88, 98 Pane: N/A
Other nomenclatures: –
Notes: –
CONSTANT VARIETIES
4 pf., gray. Date of issue: 15 January 1946. Michel № Field №
I Mark below “T” of “POST”. 61 III 56
II Break in right border around right side leaves and extending across stem beneath top leaf. 61 IV 13
6 pf., violet. Date of issue: 22 January 1946. Michel № Field №
I Colored dot at top left side of letter T in POST. ?
II White dot on circle. 53
III White hook below mouthpiece of the bottom left post horn. ?
UNLISTED VARIETIES
4 pf., blue gray. Photogravure by Sächsische Volkszeitung. Date of issue: 15 January 1946.
1 Upper left post horn connected to inner frame.

Semi-postal issue: Reconstruction of Dresden

Stamps were issued on the 5 February 1946. They were printed in photogravure in sheets of 50 (10×5), perforation line, ranging between 11 and 11½ on all four sides.

CONSTANT VARIETIES
6 + 44 pf., green Michel № Field №
I Green area next to the left frame deformed. 16
II A hole in the second top window from the left. 40
III Letters D in Deutsche and u in Bundesland connected by a small dots. 8
V White area on the left side of the second portal. 64 II 24
IV White dot in the first letter D in BUNDESLAND. 33
12 + 88 pf., orange red Michel № Field №
I Germany Soviet occupation zone East Saxony stamp plate flaw White spot in letter H in DEUTSCHE. White spot in letter H in DEUTSCHE. 65 I 43
II White dot on letter W in Wir. 18

 

References

Bibliography

    1. Michel Deutschland-Spezial 2005, Band 2: Ab Mai 1945 (Alliierte Besetzung bis BRD), Schwaneberger Verlag GmbH, ISBN: 3-87858-145-9
    2. PHILOTAX SBZ Plattenfehler Katalog. 1. Auflage 2014/2015. ISBN-10: 3937247319