Prewar u.s. Envelope - nazi censors

[inimicus]

here's an interesting juxtaposition: german 'we've opened it' censors' stamps on an envelope sent from the u.s. in the 1930s. sadly, no letter...

the stamp is for 'oberkommando der wehrmacht.' was censoring foreign mail one of their duties??

thanks.

[Gerdan]

4 Feb 1938 the "Oberkommando der Wehrmacht" (OKW) was formed and I think censoring with the stamp to be seen on this letter letters should have started in the beginning of WW2 -in September 1939 - not earlier.

Gerdan

[Simon O.]

I think i see a 1940 on one of the stamps, so from an american's perspective that would be pre-war.

[inimicus]

RIGHT SIMON - JUNE 24, 1940.

I'd have thought on that the OKW would have more pressing business than reading ami civilians' mail but then what do I know....

[Mil-Archive]

RIGHT SIMON - JUNE 24, 1940.

I'd have thought on that the OKW would have more pressing business than reading ami civilians' mail but then what do I know....

I think special attention was always paid to foreign mail rather than domestic.

[John Pen.]

Yah, I think that is a commonly seen type envelope.
Censors(employers of) always want to know what's being said during politically charged times, not only wartime.