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Overland Mail Baghdad-Haifa Pages
 

Postal Rates and Overland Mail Surcharges

  

Eastwards bounded rates from German Reich after "Anschluss" of Austria

The annexation of Austria to the German Reich took place on 13.3.1938 and as of 1.4.1938, postal accounting in Reichsmark was mandatory. The conversion was made at the rate of 1.5 Schilling = 1 Reichsmark and commercial rounding was required.

As of 4 April 1938, the use of stamps of the German Reich was permitted in Ostmark, as the former Austria was now called. As a transitional measure, the postal rates of the former Austria and the German Reich were combined from 4 April 1938 to 31 July 1938. This led in part to politically intended lower postage rates. For example, the price of a simple long-distance letter was reduced from 24 Groschen (=16 Rpf.) to 12 Rpf.

 

As of 1 August 1938, the postal rates of the German Reich applied and the Austrian Groschen stamps were valid for postage until 31 October 1938.

 Postage Rate German Reich / Austria - Iraq (surface mail):

Date Format dd.mm.yyyy

From

Till

Cover up to 20 grams

Each additional 20 grams

4.4.1938

31.7.1938

25 Rpf (38 Groschen)

15 Rpf (10 Groschen)

 


The only recorded cover from Austria after the "Anschluss" to the German Reich to Iraq, carried by the Overland Mail:

Cover from Radenthein (24 May 1938) to Baghdad. Franking 38 Groschen which corresponded to 25 RPf. After the annexation of Austria to the German Reich, Austrian postage stamps could be used up until 31 October 1938. Also cachet of the Devisenkontrolle Villach 2 (Currency Control Villach). The only known use in the "Ostmark