German postage stamps post abroad Turkey year 1900 – 1 piaster MH stamp
Germany established post offices in the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) as part of its international postal services during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Here are the key details about German post offices in Turkey: Establishment and History
The first German post office in Turkey opened on March 1, 1870, in Constantinople (Istanbul), initially operated by the Norddeutscher Postbezirk (North German Confederation). By January 1872, the Reichspost took over management and expanded the service as “Deutsche Post in der Türkei”.Stamp Characteristics
- Prior to 1884, the office used standard German stamps without overprints
- Starting in 1884, stamps were issued with overprints in Turkish denominations (piasters and paras)
- Stamp overprints used “Latin” font before 1905, then switched to “Gothic” font until World War I
- In 1908, a special series was issued with diagonal overprints in French centimes to make parcel post rates more competitive
Operational Locations
German post offices were established in several Turkish cities:
- Constantinople (three offices in Galata, Pera, and Stamboul districts)
- Beirut
- Jaffa
- Jerusalem
- Smyrna
Historical Context
These extraterritorial post offices were common among powerful nations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with countries like Austria-Hungary, France, and the United Kingdom also maintaining similar services.
Closure
The German post offices in Turkey were closed on September 30, 1914, with the entry of Turkey into World War I
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