Postage stamps and postal history of Mecklenburg
By the Hamburg Agreement on 8 March 1701, Mecklenburg was separated into two duchies with limited autonomy, which formed a collective state–as of 1815, the Grand Duchies of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Since 1755, they had the same constitution and were under the control of the same parliament. In 1815, both parts became Grand Duchies by the Congress of Vienna.
Post
It was reported in 1644 that there was a first regular post between
When the foreign troops had left the country, Prussia established a post via Grabow to Parchim, with a connection to Mecklenburg's post in Plau. There was a connection to the line Berlin-Güstrow there, which had been established in 1713 via Ferbellin, Ruppin, and Wittstock.
In 1755, the
On 1 July 1850 both duchies joined the
Mecklenburg-Schwerin
On 1 July 1855 stamps were introduced by Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Despite the different sizes of the stamps, they all had the same picture. Only the value of ¼ Schilling depicts the crowned head of a bull. All of the other stamps depict the country's great coat of arms with a crown, the inscription "FREIMARKE" (definitive stamp) above and "SCHILLINGE" below. On the vertical edges of the stamp, "MECKLENB" is inscribed on the left side and "SCHWERIN" on the right. The value of the stamps is indicated in the corners of the stamp. The postal stationery is provided with nearly round imprints of the values.
Mecklenburg-Strelitz
In Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the postal system was still under the control of the chamber and forest council until the changeover to the administration of the North German Confederation.
Mecklenburg-Strelitz did not introduce stamps until 1864. The rectangular stamps were only intended for correspondence within the state. The value is inscribed above, the indication of the currency (Silbergroschen or Schilling) is at the bottom. On the vertical edges, "MECKLENB" is inscribed on the left side and "STRELITZ" on the right. For correspondence with other countries, the stamps were octagonal and in the colours of the postal union. Within the octagon, the inscription "MECKLENB.STRELITZ" is at the top, the value in numerals is in the centre, and the value in words, with the currency indication "SILB.GR.", is below. The value imprints of the postal stationeries corresponded to those of the stamps.
Further reading
- Adams, Clifford H. A Study of the World's First Divisible Postage Stamp, The Number One of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 1856. Quito: Editorial Barra, 1958 15p.
- Albert, Georg. Die Postbriefstempel von Mecklenburg-Schwerin seit ihrer Einfuhrung im Jahre 1810. Frankfurt am Main: Arbeitsgemeinschaft Neues Handbuch der Briefmarkenkunde e.V., 1966 68p.
- Albert, Georg, Hans v. Rudolphi and Oscar Schulz. Die Briefmarken von Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Frankfurt am Main: Arbeitsgemeinschaft Neues Handbuch der Briefmarkenkunde e.V. im Bund Deutscher Philatelisten e.V., 1964 19p.
- B. E. Crole: Geschichte der Deutschen Post. 2nd edition. Verlag W. Malende in Leipzig, Leipzig 1889. The author is Bruno Emil König from Berlin.
- Ehmke, Heinz. Postgeschichte Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Neustrelitz: H. Ehmke, 1964 54p.
- Fritz Billig's grosses Handbuch der Fälschungen: Vol. 12: Mecklenburg-Schwerin und Strelitz. Wien: Billig, 1935 20p.
- Krüger, Karl. Die Plattenfehler der Freimarken von Mecklenburg-Schwerin 1856-1867. Second Edition. Lubeck: s.n., 1995 44p.
- K. Schwarz (Postrat): Zeittafel zur deutschen Postgeschichte. R.V.Deckers Verlag, Berlin 1935, Vol. 22 Post- und Telegraphie in Wissenschaft und Praxis.
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