Non-Tax Stamps from Germany

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Non-Tax Stamps from Germany

When the stamping of cards for tax purposes was discarded in Germany in 1939, sometimes a non-tax stamp was applied to the cards. The examples I know are all on the Ace of Hearts.

I do not know why these stamps were used. One idea I have is that people were used to the stamp on the Ace of Hearts, and so they thought it might be nice to have one, e.g. to name the seller or owner. This would explain some of the examples below.

Other examples may have to do with the fact that there still existed a tax on playing-cards in Germany after 1939. When cards were imported, some people from customs might think it appropriate to apply a stamp to the cards, although that was not necessary.

This stamp is on a Belgian pack for Germany (made by Biermans), most probably from c. 1940.
The text is 'Rheinische Kaufhalle A.-G.', and 'KÖLN'. This is the name of a department store in Cologne.

This stamp is on a pack from Belgium or the Netherlands, probably also from c. 1940.
The text is '3. A. Bhf. Köln-Gereon', and 'Nr. 1'. Here 'Bhf.' stands for 'Bahnhof' (railway station), and this is a station in Cologne. The stamp is also on the box.
(scanned by André Müller)

This stamp is on another pack, probably also from c. 1940.
The text is 'Deutsches Rotes Kreuz' ('German Red Cross'), and 'Kreisstelle Lissa'.
(scanned by André Müller)

This stamp is on a pack from the Netherlands, from c. 1940.
The text is not very clear, but I think it is 'Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven', 'Gefolgschaftsamt', and 'Kanzlei'. This would be the stamp of a social institution for workers at the navy shipyards in Wilhelmshaven.

This stamp is also on a pack from the Netherlands, again from c. 1940.
The text is most probably 'W. Krugler Leipzig', possibly 'W. Krügler Leipzig'. Note that the stamp is smaller than the previous ones, only 11 mm in diameter.

This stamp is on a German pack, again from c. 1940.
The text in the centre is 'Spessartbund E V', that is an organization caring for wanderers in the Spessart mountains. The text on the outer border is not very clear; what I can read at the bottom is 'Aschaffenburg Damm', that is where the organisation has a wanderers and youth hostel. You can visit the present website of the Spessartbund.

This stamp is on a German pack, presumably again from c. 1940.
I assume that it shows an abbreviation in Fraktur letters, but I cannot explain it.
(from a scan by Walter Haas)

This stamp is on a pack imported from Belgium after WWII, possibly around 1950.
The text is 'Zollamt Offenbach/M. Güterbhf.', and '1'. This is from the customs office at the goods railway station in Offenbach on Main. The eagle in the stamp is the federal German eagle.

This stamp is on a pack imported from Japan, and the pack is supposed to be from around 1970.
The text is 'Zollamt Post Düsseldorf'. It is from the customs administration at the post office in Düsseldorf.

	This stamp is on a Belgian pack for Germany (made by Biermans), most probably from c. 1940. The text is 'Rheinische Kaufhalle A.-G.', and 'KÖLN'. This is the name of a department store in Cologne.

	This stamp is on a pack from Belgium or the Netherlands, probably also from c. 1940. The text is '3. A. Bhf. Köln-Gereon', and 'Nr. 1'. Here 'Bhf.' stands for 'Bahnhof' (railway station), and this is a station in Cologne. The stamp is also on the box. (scanned by André Müller)

	This stamp is on another pack, probably also from c. 1940. The text is 'Deutsches Rotes Kreuz' ('German Red Cross'), and 'Kreisstelle Lissa'. (scanned by André Müller)

	This stamp is on a pack from the Netherlands, from c. 1940. The text is not very clear, but I think it is 'Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven', 'Gefolgschaftsamt', and 'Kanzlei'. This would be the stamp of a social institution for workers at the navy shipyards in Wilhelmshaven.

	This stamp is also on a pack from the Netherlands, again from c. 1940. The text is most probably 'W. Krugler Leipzig', possibly 'W. Krügler Leipzig'. Note that the stamp is smaller than the previous ones, only 11 mm in diameter.

	This stamp is on a German pack, again from c. 1940. The text in the centre is 'Spessartbund E V', that is an organization caring for wanderers in the Spessart mountains. The text on the outer border is not very clear; what I can read at the bottom is 'Aschaffenburg Damm', that is where the organisation has a wanderers and youth hostel. You can visit the present website of the Spessartbund.

	This stamp is on a German pack, presumably again from c. 1940. I assume that it shows an abbreviation in Fraktur letters, but I cannot explain it. (from a scan by Walter Haas)

	This stamp is on a pack imported from Belgium after WWII, possibly around 1950. The text is 'Zollamt Offenbach/M. Güterbhf.', and '1'. This is from the customs office at the goods railway station in Offenbach on Main. The eagle in the stamp is the federal German eagle.

	This stamp is on a pack imported from Japan, and the pack is supposed to be from around 1970. The text is 'Zollamt Post Düsseldorf'. It is from the customs administration at the post office in Düsseldorf.