Poland - Murnau WWII POW Camp
Oflag VII A Murnau was designated by the Germans as a master camp ( Musterlager )
By most accounts life seemed much more bearable than most POW camps. This may have been due in part by the fact that it housed about 3 dozen generals and many high ranking Polish officers.
The camp had a theatre, orchestra, a library with apparently 25,000 books, a lake to swim in, a sports field, various fund raising groups, political parties, its own currency system, a cooperative with the Red Cross and communications with outside family members.
 |
| A Gala Event enjoyed by the Germans |
As part of this communication, a post office system was set up in November
of 1942.
The stamps were apparently designed by T. Kluzniak and “engraved” on hard wood tablets.
They were printed by hand in a crude fashion using whatever paper was available.
The ink, a base of linseed or sunflower oil resulted in many colour varieties.
Initially the stamps were issued imperforate but later were perforated by a wheel device.
Income from the post office was apparently directed to the Widows and Orphans Fund.
Proofs, color trials, unissued stamps and special souvenir sheets exist.
A date of March 31, 1945 is given as the last day of stamp sales.
Most collectors will never have seen these stamps, they are uncommon, fairly expensive and ALL were forged in great quantities.
The stamps of Murnau have a strong political, historical background and religious overtone which may have escaped the notice of the Germans.
These stamps come in a multitude of colors and varieties. I will only show the stamps based on the Fischer catalog number.
These stamps come in a multitude of colors and varieties. I will only show the stamps based on the Fischer catalog number.
1942, 6 November - Camp building - Fischer #1
Papers:
white smooth medium
white smooth thick
gray smooth medium
gray-brown rough medium
yellow-brown smooth thin
It is found serrated and imperforated.
The catalog distinguishes between the two colors gray and black, which is related to the amount of linseed oil added to the printing ink.
Reprints were made from the original matrix.
They are also printed on various types of paper, often similar to the original ones.
NOTE - the forger is unknown, The Type 3 forgeries appeared later in the 1980's and the forger was captured by the Słupsk police in January 1988 but there is no identification that I could find.
1942, 12-17 November - Wires - Fischer #2 - 3
Paper:
white smooth medium
white smooth thick
white smooth stiff
gray smooth medium
gray smooth thick
The stamp was issued in two editions. The first mintage was blue (2,210). The second one was green and had a much smaller circulation (890 copies).
Both of them have many shades of color.
These stamps are also found in blocks of four.
Each sheet includes two blue stamps and two green stamps.
Top Left Genuine, right forgery Type 2, bottom Forgery Type 3
NOTE - the forgeries are easily spotted by the spike which is higher up on the wire
Forgery pair
November 19, 1942 - Mail Trumpet - Fischer #4 - 5
It was published in two editions. The first was brown in the amount of 1562 stamps, the second in green, in the amount of 998 stamps.
These postage stamps were printed on various types of paper and many varieties of colors.
There is a printing defect in the form of more spilled ink, the so-called "Spotted Mountains"
The type 3 is much larger than the others.
Bottom left, 1959 Type 2 forgery, bottom right 1988 Type 3 forgery
1942, 14 December - Fisherman's Exhibition - Fischer #6
Papers:
smooth medium gummed
smooth gray thick 234567890-\
gray spongy medium white
white smooth thick
To commemorate the Fisheries Exhibition organized by camp ichthyologists.
The stamp was printed with paints of quite different shades of brown and red, on several types of paper. -
The total circulation is 1250 pcs, 570 basic stamps, 680 new prints, including 80 blocks.
1942, 16 December - Triptych from the chapel - Fischer #7
Paper:
white smooth medium
white smooth thick
white smooth stiff
gray smooth medium gummed
gray smooth thick
yellowish smooth
1943, 15 April - Mountains - Fischer #8
Paper:
smooth gray medium
white smooth and medium or thick
Printing
Type I - dark sky - records indicated only 98 were produced before the die was improved.
Type II - clear sky
Bottom letters do not match original
1943, 3 November - The Widow - Fischer #9
Paper:
white smooth tissue paper
white smooth medium
white smooth thick
white rough stiff
gray smooth medium gummed
It comes imperf, serrated and partially serrated.
The total circulation of the item is 1600 items, 1050 items of basic stamps, 550 items of new prints, including 50 items of block.
The counterfeit comes in shades of colors that are similar to the original colors and on various types of papers.
For some of the following I have not found any forgeries to date
An imperf block
A genuine perfed block possibly from a souvenir sheet
Genuine stamp
1943, 29 Nov. - Canteen - - Fischer #10
Paper
smooth white thick
gray smooth medium gummed
gray medium soft
1943, 10 December - 50th race of the Society Horse Racing - Fischer #11
Paper:
Smooth white thick
gray smooth medium gummed
1944, 12 March - Grating - Fischer #12
Paper
white smooth thick
gray smooth medium gummed
1944, 12 August Church in Miechow - Fischer #13
Paper:
white smooth medium
white smooth thick
gray smooth medium gummed
1944, 20 November - Anniversary of the November Uprising - Fischer #14
Paper:
white smooth medium
white smooth thick
1944,G 22 November - Music Festival - Fischer #15
Paper:
white smooth medium
white smooth thick
Genuine stamp
Forgery Type 3
1945, 31 March - White Eagle - Fischer #16
Paper:
white smooth thick
gray smooth medium gummed
Genuine stamp
Genuine block or souvenir sheet cutout
1944, 30 November - Chickens - Fischer D1
Paper:
white smooth.
Printed in sheets 10X10
Postage Due in 2 colors, Blue & Gray
