Mysterious German Postcard from ``the trenches of Kigoma´´ / GEA

Discussions on all aspects of the German Colonies and Overseas Expeditions. Hosted by Chris Dale.
Post Reply
User avatar
Tanzania
Member
Posts: 928
Joined: 04 Jun 2009, 14:59
Location: Benghazi / Libya

Mysterious German Postcard from ``the trenches of Kigoma´´ / GEA

#1

Post by Tanzania » 15 Mar 2016, 18:08

.

MYSERIOUS GERMAN POSTCARD FROM ``TRENCHES OF KIGOMA´´ / GEA



“ . . . . . The cancel makes us say it was certainly a sailor from the II Seebataillon, stationed in
the trenches of Kigoma, headquarters of the German Imperial Navy on Lake Tanganyika. . . . .”


Image


Image


Image


Source: Les engagements avec l'Afrique Orientale Allemande à la frontière Est et sur le Lac Tanganyika.
frontière Est et sur le Lac Tanganyika.frontière Est et sur le Lac Tanganyika, pages 10, 11 & 15.

http://www.philafrica.be/CONGOLATRES/ar ... 0EAAOB.pdf



Any idea; Could it be? My French is limited and I am no real enthusiastic philatelist.

.
“Day by day and almost minute by minute the past was brought up to date. . . . All History was a
palimpsest, scraped clean and reinscribed exactly as often as was necessary” – G. ORWELL 1984

User avatar
Tanzania
Member
Posts: 928
Joined: 04 Jun 2009, 14:59
Location: Benghazi / Libya

Re: Mysterious German Postcard from ``the trenches of Kigoma´´ / GEA

#2

Post by Tanzania » 16 Mar 2016, 04:46

.

I found in another article about Belgian activities on Lake Tanganyika a scan from a postcard with the same layout and stamp.
Image


Source: Continuing the War in the Air in Africa: The Belgian Experience - Aimé Behaeghe, First Pilot in Central Africa, page 17:
http://www.tillo.be/Tanganyika_2013.pdf
.
“Day by day and almost minute by minute the past was brought up to date. . . . All History was a
palimpsest, scraped clean and reinscribed exactly as often as was necessary” – G. ORWELL 1984


User avatar
danebrog
Member
Posts: 397
Joined: 17 Nov 2008, 16:59

Re: Mysterious German Postcard from ``the trenches of Kigoma´´ / GEA

#3

Post by danebrog » 16 Mar 2016, 23:11

"Grüße aus dem Schützengraben" was for sure a common phrase at this era,
simply meaning the man was at war
The card also was most probably obtained before the war, as there was
a lot of transfers in persons and goods until the outbreak of hostilities...
It was also common to use any stamps available for postal service
Have a postal auction catalogue for GEA where this practice is described in detail...

BTW: Lettow-Vorbeck was Commander of the II. Seebatallion at Wilhelmshaven
Also a Seebatallion served in GEA during the Maji-Maji uprising

User avatar
Tanzania
Member
Posts: 928
Joined: 04 Jun 2009, 14:59
Location: Benghazi / Libya

Re: Mysterious German Postcard from ``the trenches of Kigoma´´ / GEA

#4

Post by Tanzania » 17 Mar 2016, 06:49

.

Understandable are the items:
Trenches (Schützengraben), II. Seebatallion and the pure Belgian Postcard.

Not understandable issues are:
The date of 5th December 1914, the Belgian stamp and postmark in Katanga.

.
“Day by day and almost minute by minute the past was brought up to date. . . . All History was a
palimpsest, scraped clean and reinscribed exactly as often as was necessary” – G. ORWELL 1984

User avatar
danebrog
Member
Posts: 397
Joined: 17 Nov 2008, 16:59

Re: Mysterious German Postcard from ``the trenches of Kigoma´´ / GEA

#5

Post by danebrog » 18 Mar 2016, 09:18

translation of the source text pg. 13
How this soldier he could get in possession of the postal stationary?
It has been recovered by the Tutsi in their raids and then handed over to
German soldiers or recovered on the whaling carrying mail and
captured Sept. 18 on Lake Kivu with its European two occupants.
It has also been made at the capture of at Garrison and his two Belgian officers of the island
Kwidjwi, September 25 or when away Flash M'Toa landing on October 8th.
But the postal étier has equally been bought peacefully in the previous month
of August 1914 in Albertville another side of the lake at a eventuel pass
.


This text:
Entier postal du Congo Belge (Stibbe / n°2 – Congo Belge – Belgisch Congo / Katanga
Elisabethville
/ La pose du rail – Het plaatsen des spoorstaven)
describes the motiv on tho opposite side of the card :
http://images.delcampe.com/img_large/au ... 04_001.jpg

Stibbe is: Stibbe, Dr. J., Les entiers postaux du Congo er du Ruanda-Urundi, edition 1986,
No 2 is postcard Number 2 in the catalogue

Problem solved 8-)

User avatar
Tanzania
Member
Posts: 928
Joined: 04 Jun 2009, 14:59
Location: Benghazi / Libya

Re: Mysterious German Postcard from ``the trenches of Kigoma´´ / GEA

#6

Post by Tanzania » 18 Mar 2016, 18:06

.

An interesting postcard with a really interesting detail history. Thanks for this.

It would be also interesting to identify this German: Otto . . . (?)

Currently without my hardcopy’s of the DKB 1914 -1918 I could try to search `on the rapid´ here:
List of causalities 1. World War (Verlustliste 1.WK): http://des.genealogy.net/search/show/3591933 But currently been stuck.

Problem solved
(Ich werde mich um einen nächsten und `würdevollen´ Aufgabenbereich bemühen.- :wink: -)

Cheers, Holger Kotthaus

.
“Day by day and almost minute by minute the past was brought up to date. . . . All History was a
palimpsest, scraped clean and reinscribed exactly as often as was necessary” – G. ORWELL 1984

Post Reply

Return to “German Colonies and Overseas Expeditions”