Deutsche Bundespost Berlin - Historical Background

Historical Background

With the end of World War II in 1945 the Allied Control Commission replaced the German government. Germany was divided into four occupation zones, and Berlin into four sectors; the territories east of the Oder-Neisse were placed under Polish authority. Initially Berlin and the provinces in the Soviet zone issued their own stamps (see Scott # 11N2), but by 1946 "Deutsche Post" stamps were authorized that were valid in the American, British, and Soviet zones.

When the negotiations about a general German currency reform broke down, the western zones proceeded with the currency reform, and on June 21, 1948 the Deutsche Mark was introduced. In response, the east German currency reform was set for June 24, 1948, the East German Mark became the currency for the Soviet occupation zone and East Berlin, and its stamps were marked with overprints. This established the economic separation of the two German states. In July 1948, the stamps of the previously common issue were overprinted with "Soviet Occupation Zone" and subsequently the Soviet zone issued different stamps than the western zone, all, however, under the "Deutsche Post" label. West Berlin now started to issue its own stamps on September 3, 1948, initially "Berlin" overprinted common stamps of the "Deutsche Post". The Deutsche Mark (West) became the sole currency for West Berlin on March 21, 1949 and seven month later the stamps of the western bizone as well as the French oocupation zone became valid as well.

The Federal Republic of Germany was founded on May 23, 1949, and shortly thereafter, the formation of the German Democratic Republic took place on October 7, 1949. In each republic the "Deutsche Post" now became the government agency to maintain mail and telecommunication services, in West Germany the "Deutsche Post" was renamed "Deutsche Bundespost" in 1950, and in the East Germany the term DP (of the GDR) was kept.

West Berlin retained its special status as it remained under the authority of the American, British, and French occupation forces. Thus it continued to issue its own stamps, these stamps became also valid in West Germany on January 1, 1950.