German Democratic Republic (DDR)
(East Germany)
Stamps of 1950
East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (Deutsche Demokratische, DDR), was a country that existed from October 1949 until 1990, when the eastern portion of Germany was part of the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War. It described itself as a socialist "workers' and peasants' state" and the territory was administered and occupied by Soviet forces at the end of World War II — the Soviet Occupation Zone of the Potsdam Agreement, bounded on the east by the Oder–Neisse line. The Soviet zone surrounded West Berlin but did not include it; as a result, West Berlin remained outside the jurisdiction of the DDR.
Michel 246 and 247
"First winter sports championships of the GDR"
Issued: 2nd Mar 1950, Perf: 13x13½, Watermark Wz 1 and available on sheets (5x10). Designed by Gravenhorst and issued to comemmorate the First winter sports championships of the DDR held in Schierke. The 12Pf stamp features a downhill skier and the 24Pf features an ice skater. The stamps are inscribed "1. DEUTSCHE WINTERSPORTMEISTERSCHAFTEN SCHIERKE 1950. DEUTSCHE DEMOKRATISCHE REPUBLIK"
Michel 248 and 249
"Leipzig Spring Fair"
Issued: 5th Mar 1950. Perf: 13½. Watermark Wz 1 and available on sheets (5x5). Designed by Gruner and issued to commemorate the Leipzig Spring Fair of 1950. The 24Pf stamp has a 12Pf donation and the 30Pf has a 14Pf donation to charity. The 12Pf features August der Starke presenting the first so-called "Böttger stoneware" at the Leipzig Easter Fair 1710. The 30Pf stamp features the first model fair in the city robe house in 1894.
Michel 250
"60th Labor Day"
Issued: 1st May 1950. Perf: 13x13½. Watermark Wz 1 and available on sheets (5x10). Designed by Nix and issued to commemorate the 60th Labor Day. The stamp is inscribed '60 JAHRE 1. MAI. DEUTSCHE DEMOKRATISCHE REPUBLIK' and features the sun rising over the earth.
Michel 251 to 255
"President Wilhelm Pieck (I)"
Issued: 27th May 1950/1952. Perf: 13x12½ (Mi 251 and 252) and 13x13½ (Mi 253 to 255). Watermark Wz 1 and available on sheets (10x10) for Michel 251 and 252, Sheets (5x10) for Mi 253 to 255. Designed by Gravenhorst and featuring East Germany's first President - Wilhelm Pieck.
Michel 256 to 259
"200th Anniversary of Johann Sebastian Bach's Death"
Issued: 14th Jun 1950. Perf: 13x13½. Watermark Wz 1 and available on sheets (5x10). Designed by Jacob and Weise to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of Johann Sebastian Bach's Death.
The 12Pf stamp has a 4Pf surcharge and features a shepherd boy playing a double flute. The 24Pf stamp has a 6Pf surcharge and features a middle-aged girl playing a hand organ. The 30Pf stamp has an 8Pf surcharge and depicts a Baroque portrait after a painting by an unknown painter (it is disputed by experts that the painting, as originally assumed, represents Bach). Finally the 50Pf stamp has a 16Pf surcharge and features a sequence of notes by Bach sung by three singing masks.
Michel 260
"German stamp exhibition DEBRIA, Leipzig"
Issued: 1st Jul 1950. Perf: 13x13½. Watermark Wz 1 and available on sheets (5x10). Designed by Gravenhorst and issued to commemorate the German stamp exhibition, Leipzig. The image depicts a globe, a dove carrying a twig in its beak and an old Saxony 3Pf stamp. The stamp has a 41Pf surcharge and is inscribed "DEBRIA LEIPZIG 1950. DEUTSCHE DEMOKRATISCHE REPUBLIK"
Michel 261 to 270
"250 years German Academy of Sciences, Berlin"
Issued: 10th Jul 1950. Perf: 13x12½. Watermark Wz 1 and available on sheets (10x10). Designed by Kreische and issued to commemorate 250 years of the German Academy of Sciences, Berlin. The stamps feature famous scientists.
Michel Block 7
"German stamp exhibition DEBRIA, Leipzig"
Issued: 26th Aug 1950. Watermark Wz 1 and issued as a minisheet measuring 92x52mm. Designed by Gravenhorst and Issued to commemorate the German stamp exhibition, Leipzig. The individual stamps are imperforate versions of the 1949 issue Michel 245 and the 1950 issue Michel 260 (above).
Mi Block 7
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Michel 271 and 272
"German stamp exhibition DEBRIA, Leipzig"
Issued: 26th Aug 1950. Watermark Wz 1 and issued as part of minisheet Michel Block 7 (above). Designed by Gravenhorst and Issued to commemorate the German stamp exhibition, Leipzig. The individual stamps are imperforate versions of the 1949 issue Michel 245 and the 1950 issue Michel 260 (above).
Michel 273 and 274
"750 Years of Mansfeld copper shale mining"
Issued: 1st Sep 1950. Perf: 13x13½. Watermark Wz 1 and available on sheets (5x10). Designed by Gravenhorst and issued to commemorate 750 Years of Mansfeld copper shale mining. The 12Pf stamp has a number of colour variations and features a Miner with headlamp and jackhammer at the coal face. The 24Pf stamp features a steel worker working at a blast furnace.
Michel 275
"Popular elections on 15.10.1950"
Issued: 28th Sep 1950. Perf: 13x13½. Watermark Wz 1 and available on sheets (5x10). Designed by Gravenhorst and issued to commemorate Popular elections on 15.10.1950. The image features a dove carrying a twig beneath an arc made up of a trowel, hammer, file, book and whistle along with a hand deposting a voting slip into a ballot box. The inscription reads "VOLKS WAHLEN (People's election) 15.10.1950. DEUTSCHE DEMOKRATISCHE REPUBLIK"
Michel 276 to 279
"Freedom"
Issued: 15th Dec 1950. Perf: 13½x13. Watermark Wz 1 and available on sheets (10x5). Designed by Martens and issued to celebrate 'Freedom'. All four stamps in this series feature similar freedom designs incorporating a dove and a hand held up indicating resistance or rejection.
The 6Pf shows the hand resisting an on-rushing tank. The 8Pf shows the hand rejecting aerial bombing. The image on the 12Pf has the same hand rejecting a nuclear explosion and finally the 24Pf shows the hand rejecting rows and rows of war dead in a cemetary. All 4 stamps have the same inscription "ERKÄMPFT DEN FRIEDEN (Fight for Peace). DEUTSCHE DEMOKRATISCHE REPUBLIK"
