The German Group consists of countries or territories existing at present or
no longer existing as separate stamp issuing entities. All the listed headings
were at one time under German influence historywise and/or politicalwise. Most
of them were part of the German Empire as federate states, overseas colonies,
protectorates, occupied territories, post offices abroad, etc. Prior to its
unification in 1867 as the North German Confederation, Germany consisted of
separate independent kingdoms, duchies, principalities and free cities, the
strongest and largest of them being Prussia. Otto von Bismark, the Prussian
foreign minister was the main factor in this unification. The German Empire was
established in 1871 at Versailles after the defeat of France in the
Franco-Prussian War. William I, the Prussian King, became Emperor of the new
Empire. At its peak the Empire comprised of approximately 540,000 sq.km -
homeland, and had large overseas territories - mainly colonies in Africa and in
the Pacific Ocean. As a result of World War I all the overseas colonies and
territories were lost, as well as territories in Europe, and the Empire ceased
to exist. In 1918 a Republic was proclaimed. After the German defeat at the end
of World War II in 1945, the four leading powers - American, British, French and
Russian - established four zones in Germany out of which West and East Germany
were created. These were reunited in 1990 following the collapse of the
Communist regime of East Germany. Dissimilar to British and French colonialism,
the German colonialism did not leave its influence or marks in the long term,
on its overseas colonies, not languagewise and not monetarywise.
Facts unique to the German Group:
- Large number of cities functioning also as stamps issuing states.
- While under German occupation, a number of European nations had their name on
stamps for the first time as separate entities.
- During colonialism period, uniform stamps were issued for the overseas
colonies, the German Yacht type being the most well known.
- Large use of Gothic script.
Countries or territories in which the German influence was only for a short
period of time or limited, appear under following headings:
German Post Offices in...
CHINA, German P.O.
MOROCCO, German P.O.
LEVANT, German P.O.
German Occupation of...
ALSACE AND LORRAINE
Russia - PSKOV (PLESKAU)
Ionian Islands - ZANTE (ZAKINTHOS)
Channel Islands - GUERNSEY, JERSEY
German Protectorate of...
BOHEMIA AND MORAVIA
SAMOA (WESTERN SAMOA)
SOUTH WEST AFRICA
German Legion in...
India - INDIAN FORCES
German Austria - AUSTRIA
Common types of inscriptions or overprints in the German Group: