Evening star., 1935-07-14
PY JAMES WALDO FAWCETT.

center of the Continent, 1t Is
natural crossroads for the universal
postal service of the Eastern Hemi-
sphere. To and from the ports OF the
North and Baltic Seas move great
streams of shipping, with the result
that cities like Bremen, Hamburg and
Dantzig are notably stamp conscious.
Again, the north route of railroad
traffic from Amsterdam, Brussels
and Paris runs through the Reich to
Moscow, Warsaw, Bucharest and
1stanbul and stamps are password
all along the line. Contact with
Switzerland. Austria. Hungary, Czech
oslovakia, Yugoslavia and Italy like
wise is constantly maintained through
the normal channels of industry and
trade. And, finally, it should be men
toned, not even the Great War and
all the troubles Of the SAD years since
the armiStice of 1918 have been
sufficient to break the ties which Ger
man business houses, banks and cul-
tural institutions enjoy with the Far
East, Africa, South America and the
scattered islands of the South Pacific
-philatelic sources of supply still
exist in those distant portions of the
globe and the stamp shops of Berlin,
Leipzig, Munich and Stuttgart furnish
proof of the fact.
But it is not for new issues par
ticularly that Germany is justly
famous as philatelic market. Rather,
1t is for less common stamps of the
nineteenth century that the American
collector ought to visit Europa
Nowhere else are such quantities of
the classics to be found-at one
establishment, for example, the pill
grim will be shown no less than "a
huge vaults filled with treasures of
the rich period between 1850 and
1900. The German people became
enthusiastic about stamps in the very
dawn of philately and, characteristic
cally, they were mindful of quality
as well as quantity. Specimens offered
for sale customarily are superior
exampleS-clean, well centered, well
preserved.
The stamp trade is nationally
organized and carefully regulated and
ethical standards are high Damaged
specimens are plainly labeled as
defective and reprints are frankly
called by that name. Practically all
dealers speak English-at least
enough to make the customer COM
Portable A visitor may inspect a
shop without incurring any obliga-
ton to buy. The atmosphere is
friendly and polite.
Price standards are gagged by the
Michel Briefmarken-Kata The
book is a monumental encyclopedia of
philatelic information.
The philateic press is a vigorous
force in maintaining collectors
interest. There are more than 80
different periodicals dealing with
philately in general or with different
phases of the subject especially.
Economic and political conditions in
Germany naturally have had effect
upon the current trend of philatelio
enterprise throughout the country
The experience of the war and subse-
quent changes in government has pro-
NOTED an active patriotism in the
Reich which is reflected in the prefer
ence of collectors for stamps of the
homeland, its lost colonies and erst-
while allies. To Americans, most
German issues are apt to seem
commonplace, but to the Germans
themselves they are replete with vari-
ations worthy of notice. The stamps
OF the imitation era, for example, all
look alike" to American eyes, but not
so in Germany. Instead, they are con-
sidered worthy of special examination
and are the subject of considerable
attention in specialized German cata-
logues like that of Robert Wrona, re-
Gently published at Hamburg.
The average German collector also
observes distinctions of use. He de-
slres complete showing of each type
OF pecimen-unused (ungebraucht).
used (gebraucht), on cover, blocks of
Tour and strips of various numbers.
plate number blocks or strips, ETC. He
also may collect postmarkS and have
IN his albums the cancellations of a
great many different cities, towns or
dates. OF single common stamp he
may choose to make thorough study
and in the end have an entire volume
devoted exclusively to that type.
Furthermore, he will be apt to be
interested in stamped envelopes, post
cards, parcel post and airmail labels,
poster labels and all other related ma
terial available He regards each
scrap of paper" as a fragment of
history deserving of preservation, and
his phllatelic library invariably mani
tests the enthusiasm, patience and de-
Votlon OF an authentic connoisseur.
ihe sales value of his collection per-
maps is inconsequential, but that does
not trouble him-he collects for recre-
at1onal and cultural reasons; not for
speculation.
"Old-time' philatelists in Germany
are not large company, but they are
very loyal to their hobby. There are
many clubs in practically every COM
munlty. The "old fellows" however.
often meet quite informally at ia
vorite cafes or restaurants or even in
the public parks to talk of stamps, to
show and to exchange selected copies.
The second class of philatelists are
the ardent young collectors-boys and
girls with a certain passionate inten-
sity of attitude remarkable to witness.
They are the youth to which the Ma
tlonal Socialist Germany of today is
so particularly dedicated. Class-con-
sclous, keen and alert, they have re-
placed the "lost generation''-the men
and women who now would be from
40 to SO years of age had they not
died in or because of the war.
Many of these youngsters have ex-
tensive collections inherited from older
brothers or other relatives and de-
veloped by the present owners as a
kind of memorial to their original
sponsors.
But money is a commodity hard to
acquire in Germany and most Junior
collectors have to rely on a policy of
exchange and not on straight-out
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