Postage stamps and postal history of the North German Confederation
The North German Confederation was set up in Article 48 of the Constitution of the North German Confederation as a unitary State Transport Institute for Posts and Telegraphs. The Constitution, the Postal Act, the Posttaxgesetz, the regulations for Taxgesetz and other administrative laws of the North German Confederation occurred on 1 January 1868 in force. The North German Confederation was before 1871 and was the forerunner of the imperial post.
Scope
The scope of the North German Postal District was described as follows: " The Federal territory consists of the states of Prussia with Lauenburg, Saxony, Mecklenburg -Schwerin, Saxe-Weimar, Mecklenburg -Strelitz, Oldenburg, Brunswick, Saxe-Meiningen, Saxe-Coburg -Gotha, Anhalt, Schwarzburg- Rudolstadt, Schwarzburg- Sondershausen, Waldeck, Reuss elder line, Reuss younger Line, Schaumburg -Lippe, Lippe, Lübeck, Bremen, Hamburg, and from the north of the Main immovable parts of the Grand Duchy of Hesse. " Those parts of the Grand Duchy of Hesse, which the North German Confederation were not members, were also managed by post.
Organization
The organizational form of the post in Prussia was transferred to all states. Under the leadership of Chancellor Bismarck postal and telegraph system was managed by the General Post Office and the General Directorate of the telegraph. The General Post Office were subordinate to their subordinate post offices, the regional post directorates, the top post offices in Lübeck, Bremen and Hamburg. All postal and telegraph services received the status of a federal agency. The revenue flowed into the federal treasury. Head of the postal system was Heinrich von Stephan.
New Oberpostdirektion directorates created on January 1, 1868 in Braunschweig, Leipzig, Oldenburg and Schwerin. On 10 June, the Oberpostdirektion Stralsund was closed. Next year, the top post directorates Minden fell away (Westphalia ) April 24 and Bromberg 22 September. In Strasbourg (Alsace, October 1st 1870) and Nancy ( di Nancy) (6 October 1870) preliminary Oberpostdirektion directorates were established. Both were transferred to Metz on 13 October 1870. Shortly before the end of the North German Postal District the Oberpostdirektion Aachen received the cancellation order by 28 December 1870.
For letters, there were two weight classes until 1 Zolllot to 1 denarius ( Sgr. ) and above, up to 250 g to 2 Sgr. For unstamped letters a surcharge of 1 Sgr was. collected, unless it was official letters. This service matters had to be " made visible by a festzustellendes of the Reich postal administration mark on the envelope before posting ."
The introduction of the Correspondence ( postcard) on July 1, 1870., You had 1 Sgr. or 3 cruisers be franked. Forms could be obtained from the post office, they were not (yet) covered with postage stamps, cost = value of the postage stamp. As a by registered mail and express delivery fees were approved.
Printed materials had to open, to be admitted under cross-band or folded and cost ⅓ Sgr. or Kr 1 each 2 ½ Lot. Besides the address could not be added from 1869 small additional corrections were permitted. The maximum weight was 250 g printed materials had to be franked. The postage for cards printed matter was ⅓ Sgr. or 1 Kr
As samples only real samples were admitted. They had to bear the endorsement "sample". The maximum weight was 250 g samples had to be franked. Fee as printed matter.
Fahrpost
The postage for driving post was collected after removal and after the weight of the shipment. Distances were determined by geographical miles. For this, the postal territory was divided into square Taxfelder not exceeding two miles on a side. A map showing the Taxquadraten replaced the many individually calculated distance tables. The distance between the diagonal points of intersection of these fields was to the mutual distance, the locations were considered within a Taxquadrats than the same distance. The free cover letter should not weigh more than 1 lot. For one, due to the fault of the post office, lost more than 1 package or 1 Taler Gulden 500 g each were replaced. In addition to the calculated postage there was a minimum charge to be observed.
1874 the tariff was redesigned. Now distinguished between packages up to 5 kg, and heavier packages. For this was a surcharge for each kilogram staggered by 6 Distance stages collected. In an accompanying letter were several packages of the same type, so only ordinary or insured parcels include. For insured items, the value of each packet was indicated. Since February 13, 1870 " Correspondenzkarten " could be used as a cover letter. On November 16, 1873 " Parcel Addresses" ( pack of cards ) were introduced.
For letters with a specified value the postage for letters but was raised without distinction of weight after five range levels. For packages the usual package postage came to credit it came up the insurance fee. For sums over 1,000 Taler (1750 florins ) half of the insurance fee was charged for the excess amount.
In addition to fees
The newspaper fee was 25 percent of the purchase price, regardless of the page number. A reduction to 12.5 percent, was for newspapers that appeared less frequently than four times a month.
Under Recommandation ( registered ) letters, printed matter, samples and postcards were sent. For registered mail additional 2 Sgr were. or 7 Kr required. It has been granted a certificate of posting. For the return to be issued by the recipient of a receipt was a return - recepisse ( return receipt requested ), for an additional 2 Sgr. or 7 Kr be requested. For lost registered mail 14 Taler were replaced.
" The postal administration took it upon himself to cause the sending of funds up to the amount of fifty thalers or eighty-seven and a half guilders including, by way of postal order ". The forms had to be franked. The amount was paid upon admission and paid to the beneficiary again. For 25 dollars (43 ¾ Gulden ) were 2 Sgr. or about 7 Kr to 50 Taler 4 Sgr. or 14 Kr to pay. In local postal traffic, the set of 2 Sgr was. or 7 Kr to 50 dollars raised. At the request of postal orders could also be conveyed by telegraph. In the telegram send a message to the recipient was approved.
" The Post Office accepts it, recover amounts up to the amount of fifty thalers or eighty-seven and a half guilders including, by the addressee and to pay to the sender. " For transport costs, the amounts could be exceeded. This surname were allowed for letters, printed matter and samples; they were not allowed to be Registered. For printed matter and product samples this was the letter rate. This provision was omitted by 13 February, 1871.
For express delivery in the local ordering district were 2 ½ Sgr per consignment. or 9 crosses raised. In the country the Post Office Delivery Area per consignment and mile 6 Sgr. / 21 cruisers, each ½ or ¼ mile correspondingly less.
Letters to soldiers until the sergeant were free of postage up to a weight of 4 Lot ( = 67 g ), unless they were marked " matter of the receiver ". = Peace settlement. For postal orders to 5 dollars or 8 3/ 4 Gulden the discount rate was of 1 penny / 3 cruisers. Packages to soldiers to 6 pounds cost 2 pence / 7 cruisers. All other shipments were subject to the normal postage accounting.
The General Post Office decreed on October 1, 1869 Additional fee for the "collection of programs on the checkout aisles of the rural postman " by ½ pence. This fee was charged at ordinary letters, printed matter and product samples as well as postage -free mail.
Pre-paid shipments had the Franchise Act contrary of 5 August 1869. This was urgently needed, because the year before by the postal 3.855 million dollars were lost after all. The Porto freedom was limited only to official letters of the post and on the non-payment of the additional fee for unstamped letters and authorities for soldiers letters.
This made it necessary to revise the fees for shipments Behändigungsschein ( Insinuationsdokumente ). For extra-judicial orders, or writing with delivery document ( Behändigungsschein, Zustellungsurkunde ) was per delivery, except for the money order, a charge of 3 Sgr. and 11 cruisers charged. Modified on January 1, 1870 in "writing with Behändigungsschein ". Well a) were the moderate rate postage for the send, b) a Insinuations fee of 1 Sgr. or 4 Kr and c) the rate even postage for returning the Behändigungsscheins, and, if necessary, d) a country postman 's charge of ½ Sgr. or 2 cruisers to pay. Remained the consignment at the place was the Insinuations fee 1 Sgr. or 4 cruisers, she went into the country ordering the district came to the rural postman 's charge of ½ Sgr. or 2 cruisers Insinuations fee of 1 Sgr. or 4 Kr
The time Norddeutsche post ended on December 31. On the same day the constitution of the German Confederation as of 1 January 1871, announced. The law relating to the Constitution of the German Reich was followed on April 16, 1871.
Fakes
In the 18 Cruiser brand of 1871 should make sure that it was not reperforated from a brand with pierced Perforation of 1868. This is true to a lesser extent also to the brand to 2 Cruisers, here are also serrated pieces made of pierced known brands. In such cases, the mark is smaller than the original. There is also a full- counterfeiting Serrated 18 Cruiser brand. It is marked with the word " FACSIMILE " on the front side.