It's a shame that someone removed the stamp. It wasn't likely worth much anyway, and the postcard loses something important in the process, not just the stamp, but the cancellation date. We can make a pretty accurate guess though based on the cancellation message, which urges people to join the Reichluftschutzbund, the State Air Protection Corps., which was formed in 1933.
The Berlin tram system was (and is) extensive. It was one of the earliest tram systems, with the first public line opening in 1847. Most of the lines that ended up on the western side of the city after World War II were replaced with bus routes, but the East Berlin system remained largely intact.
The message on the back of the card reads:
I'm having a very nice time in Berlin and wish it could last forever. With best regards Edith Flemming
Edith could not have foreseen the horrors of World War II, just around the corner. She could not have known that this part of Berlin would become East Berlin and that the remains of the palace would be demolished in 1951. She would not have wanted to stay forever though, that is certain.
Lovely card and in hindsight such a poignant message, yes a shame the stamp was removed.
ReplyDeleteIn East Berlin was this Palace at the end of the Unter den Linden? Is it where the building with all the glass is (or was, I saw it in the 1980s, so I don't know what is there now)?
Yes, interesting and sad -- she wouldn't have wanted to stay. And i wish people would not remove the stamps.....love those old buildings on the card.
ReplyDeleteLisa,
ReplyDeleteThe Palast der Republik took the place of the demolished building. It was sort of glassy. It has since been demolished and will be replaced by a building that resembles the original palace, at least on the exterior.
Ick liebe Berlin und ick würd mir wünschen, det es immer noch die Tram jeben würde.
ReplyDeleteLiebe Grüße
Janine
that tram looks positively ghostly...
ReplyDeleteThanks Christine, that sounds like it. I was looking through my Berlin trip photos and thinking I should get round to scanning them as so much has changed.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, I do do hate it when people have removed the stamps from postcards I acquire. But, with your example, you still have a wonderful card - and so nice to find one from that particular decade, when card sending seemed to become so rare.
ReplyDeleteI really like your blog. I'm a long time postcard collector and have been recently been posting some of my collection on my [visual journal] blog.
ReplyDeleteWould you mind if I put a link to your blog from my 'blog-roll' list?
Removed stamps: My father-in-law used to collect stamps. He'd buy old postcards, remove the stamps and set the postcards aside for me. I didn't fully appreciate the practice but did not complain about the free cards. I did however tell him that my posted cards were off limits as that the postings were part of the appeal of the collection.I tried to encourage him to just keep the stamps where they were and keep that as part of his collection. He did not see the full value of this advice.
Very, very different from Berlin of 12 years later...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pillandia.blogspot.com/2012/01/de-de-1945.html