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**SiPo** · 05-17-2006, 10:06 AM

Originally posted by merdock

Hi,
The one at the museum is the same type of manufacture.
Whats the difference between briefstempel and dienstsempel. Are these stamps to KZ unusual.
Thanks Merdock

Hi,

I very much doubt that this stamp is for the KZ at Theresienstadt as most stamps seen for the KZ organisation are clearly marked as such. At the very least I would expect to see a KZ stamp contain 'Waffen SS' or 'SS' somewhere in its title.

Although the stamp does show the correct traits of an original with regards to it's construction and markings, it does contain one obvious mistake. The word 'briefstempel' should not appear on the stamp itself, but rather on the paper that is to be stamped. Basically it tranlslates as 'letter stamp' and indicates where the stamp should be placed. However, again there are known originals that have this 'mistake' on them.

G

**merdock** · 05-17-2006, 12:25 PM

Hi G,
There is no doubt of it's originallity as i know were it came from.also the one in the German museaum has Dienstempel on it in the same postion which is approximatly the same thing and i'm sure iv'e seen this style stamped on paper work with briefstempel [ but not with theristadt]
As to be conected with the camp i do not know ,in the begining i did not know what it said? pherhaps it was connected with the post office on the camp for the red cross as don't forget it was a wool over the eye's camp.
Was the camp always run by the SS or did another organization run it as a ''model camp''
Hope someone can help Merdock

**racheleh** · 05-17-2006, 04:48 PM

In 1938 already a lot of jewish refugees came to Terezin (Theresienstadt)
24-11-41 the city of Theresienstadt was made into a ghetto by the Germans.
The small fortress next to the city was made into a prison run by the Gestapo, where political prisoners and people from the ghetto who had broken the ghetto rules were kept and punished. (This was chosen because it was an easy to defend place and close to Prague, Commandant of the SD Dr. Stahlecker made a request to Heydrich in March 1940 for permission to start a new prison there).

First it was only for men but in 1942 there was also a womens department.
From March 1944 it was not only used by the Prague Gestapo but also by concentrationcamp Flossenburg who would send prisoners to Theresienstad.
SS-Hauptsturmf******252;hrer Heinrich J******246;ckel was the head commander at the prison and also was the leading figure in the inhumane treatment of the prisoners which he practised himself and also encouraged the guards to do so.
The guards were members of the Gestapo and of the Schupo untill the end of 1941, after that it was taken over by SS men.(a.o. Rojko, Malloth, Burian, Neubauer, Mende, some of their wives became the guards of the women department) (first by SS-B******246;hmen und M******228;hren, then by SS-Prag)
J******246;ckel was replaced by Schmidt.

There was a postoffice in the city (ghetto) and one in the prisonpart of Theresienstadt (which a censorship-office attached to it).
And railway transport offices (from Theresienstadt there were deportations to concentrationcamps Buchenwald, Mauthausen, Auschwitz, Flossenburg and Ravensbr******252;ck and also transports of other prisoners to prisons in Dresden, Zwickau, Bayreuth etc and transports of goods from the stoneovens and chalkmines (I dont know if it is a good english word for it) ).
Also a "Kommando Reichsbahn" office where 300 prisoners worked on the railwaymaintenance and emptying goodstrains.

The city (ghetto) of Theresienstadt was used as propaganda for a model-camp, there is a film made about it "Der F******252;rhrer schenkt den Juden eine Stadt" (made in 1944).

My grandpa was in Theresienstadt, first in the ghetto then in the prisonpart.

**SiPo** · 05-17-2006, 05:38 PM

Originally posted by merdock

Hi G,
There is no doubt of it's originallity as i know were it came from.also the one in the German museaum has Dienstempel on it in the same postion which is approximatly the same thing and i'm sure iv'e seen this style stamped on paper work with briefstempel [ but not with theristadt]
As to be conected with the camp i do not know ,in the begining i did not know what it said? pherhaps it was connected with the post office on the camp for the red cross as don't forget it was a wool over the eye's camp.
Was the camp always run by the SS or did another organization run it as a ''model camp''
Hope someone can help Merdock

Hi Merdock,

I have no doubts about it's originality either. Like I said it shows all the correct traits. When you compare these stamps to the Polish fakes they really are quite evident. Also, it's not the first time I have seen 'Briefstempel' as part of the wording on the actual stamp itself. A mistake yes, indicative of a fake, no. Today these stamps would be much more expensive to manufacture than rubber ones, and I dare say it was the same then. A silly mistake to make, but more than likely too expensive to change.

With regard to the stamp pictured in the link to the museum, I cannot see the wording of 'Dienststempel' on the stamp itself, only in it's description. I personally believe this stamp, and yours, are more likely to be associated with the military railways as opposed to the KZ camp. Whether there was some overlap between troop movement and prisoner movement, I dont know however, just because an item makes reference to an area that contains a camp, does not mean that item is from a camp.

By the way, it is a great looking stamp and if I were you, I would not clean it.

G

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