Recent Acquisitions

Russ (now Rusnė, Lithuania), Ostpreussen (East Prussia) 1887

Серее / Seree (now Seirijai, Lithuania),
Сув/Suv (Suvalki Gubernia) 1910 

Rossienie (now Raseiniai, Lithuania) 1918,
during WWI German occupation

Rucken (now Rukai, Lithuania) 1920

Rusnė 1921

This is a registered cover sent in 1921 from Ruß/Russ (now Rusnė, Lithuania) to Gelsenkirchen, Germany. It is interesting that there is a German military censorship even  after the war, we see the hand stamped violet inscription "M.P.k." (Militärische Postkontrolle in Königsberg / Military post control).
As usual, I have looked the destination address: Oststr. 40, Gelsenkirchen and had no problem pin-pointing it on Google map in 5 seconds. But the fact that it was even too easy to find out, made me suspicious... What if the present Oststraße in Gelsenkirchen wasn't Oststraße back in 1921? And I was right this time. According the map of Gelsenkirchen made in 1928, Oststraße runs through the present Magdeburger straße! Germany, like Japan, went through a massive place name changes after WW2, anything relating to a ruler that contributed to a territorial gain or a military victory in the past was heavily omitted depending on the places. You can see on the 1928 map of Gelsenkirchen bellow the changes that has been made, for example Königgrätzer straße is gone, probably due to the battle of Königgrätz (now Hradec Králové, Czech Republic, decisive battle of the Austro-Prussian War in 1866 which ended with a overwhelming Prussian victory).

2013 Gelsenkirchen Google map and 1928 Gelsenkirchen map

Rusnė 1942

This is a card sent in 1942 from Ruß/Russ (now Rusnė, Lithuania) to Recklinghausen in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Rusnė/Ruß is an old picturesque small town with a population of 2000 located on an island called Rusnė Island/Rusnės Sala in the delta formed by the Nemunas/Memel river. The postmark states "Ostpr." (Ostpreußen) to differentiate from another town also called Russ/Ruß in Alsace, France which was at that time, part of Germany.

Cancellations of the First Republic - 01

Looking at this blog, it is true that it looks like I only do collect covers and postcards but stamps have always been the core of my collection. Today, I'm posting my latest stamp acquisitions.

 Michel 287 issued in 1928 for the commemoration of the 10th anniversary of independence.  Canceled in Rusnė in 1928, a small town formerly part of Memelgebiet.

Michel 285 which is from the same series as the previous stamp. Canceled in Krakės in 1928, a small town in Kėdainiai district.

Cancellations of Memelgebiet/Memel district - 04 (on Deutsches Reich stamps)

Jugnaten (now Juknaičiai) 1900

Szameitkehmen (now Žemaitkiemis) 1872

Coadjuthen (now Katyčiai) 1920

Russ/Ruß (now Rusnė) 1920

Stonischken (now Stoniškiai) 1920