German East Africa

Return To Catalogue - Germany Overview - Tanganyika

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1888-1893 Forerunners (Vorläufer in German): stamps of Germany used in Lamu, Zanzibar, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanga etc.

Examples: 'Zanzibar Kaiserl. Deutsche Postagentur':

The first German post office was opened in November 1888 in Lamu. A second one was opened in August 1880 in Zanzibar. Other post offices exist in Bagamoyo, Dar-es-Salaam and Lindi.

The first cancel used in Dar-Es-Salaam; in use from 4th October 1890 to October 1892,
with inscription 'KAISERL. DEUTSCHE POSTAGENTUR'

Second cancel of Dar-Es-Salaam, used from December 1892 to 22 July 1902

A block of four 20 p stamps of Germany with cancel 'DEUTSCHE SEEPOST OST- AFRIKANISCHE HAUPTLINIE' used in 1898.

1893 Stamps of Germany surcharged in 'PESA'

On number issue of Germany:

  2 pesa on 3 pf brown
  3 pesa on 5 pf green

On eagle issue of Germany:

  5 pesa on 10 pf red
  10 pesa on 20 pf blue
  25 pesa on 50 pf brown

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

I've seen a postcard with a similar design in the value 5 p on 10 p red.

1896 Stamps of Germany surcharged 'Deutsch-Ostafrika' and value in 'PESA'

On number issue of Germany:

  2 pesa on 3 pf brown
  3 pesa on 5 pf green

On eagle issue of Germany:

  5 pesa on 10 pf red
  10 pesa on 20 pf blue
  25 pesa on 50 pf brown

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

1900 German colony type (ship), inscription 'DEUTSCH-OSTAFRIKA'

Small size, value in 'Pesa':

  2 p brown
  3 p green
  5 p red
  10 p blue
  15 p orange and black
  20 p red and black
  25 p violet and black
  40 p red and black on red

Small size, value in 'heller':

  2 1/2 h brown
  4 h green
  7 1/2 h red
  15 h blue
  20 h orange and black on yellow
  30 h red and black
  45 h violet and black
  60 h red and black on red

Large size, value in 'Rupie

  1 R red
  2 R green
  3 R red and black

All these stamps are perforated 14.

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

Forgeries:

I have seen genuine stamps with forged cancels of this issue. For example 'KISAKI 29/4 95 * * *'

(Fournier forgeries)

Fournier has made forgeries of the small ship design. For more information on forgeries of the German colonies click here or click here.

Fournier forgery (left) and another bogus product which is much larger in size. I have seen the values 2 1/2 h brown, 15 h blue and 30 h red of the larger (bogus) size. I've also seen the values 3 c on 4 h green, 12 c on 2 1/2 h and 25 c on 30 h (all of them with 'G.E.A. BRITISH OCCUPATION' overprint) in this large size.

Bogus issue (?):

(Manual overprint 'G R Mafia JDM')

I have also seen the 2 1/2, the 4 h and the 15 h with the same overprint.

Two other unlisted 'Mafia' overprints on stamps of German East Africa

Private reprint of the 1 M, 2 M and 3 M values for the 75 years existence of the Solingen stamp club in 1978:

Reduced size

1916 Non issued stamps

Image obtained with permission from http://www.sandafayre.com/gallery/stamp_1676.htm

  2 1/2 h lilac (2 types '2' different)
  7 1/2 h red (2 types, '7' different)
  1 R red (larger size)

These stamps were prepared for an anticipated shortage of stamps due to World War I. However, they were never issued.

(2 types of the 2 1/2 h stamp)

Two types of the 7 1/2 h printed together (se-tenant)

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon

*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare

Forgeries:

(I've been told that this is a forgery!)

I've seen a forgery of the 7 1/2 h stamp with inscription 'FAUX' in very small letters just below the lower frameline at the right hand side.

1892 Non issued private issue of the Schulke Mayrs company, inscription 'AFRIKANISCHE SEEEN POST Unter Contract mit dem Kaiserl. Gouvenement in DEUTSCH OST AFRIKA'

  5 c red
  10 c orange
  25 c blue
  50 c green
  1 Dollar brown

The contract of the postal service expired before these stamps could be put into use. Reprints exist of these stamps, they were made in 1939 (on the 50th anniversary of the Schulke & Mayr company); 3000 sets of reprints were made. Genuine stamps are perforated 11 1/2, while the reprints have perforation 10 3/4. The background printing (burelage or 'Netzunterdruck') is also missing in the reprints.

Left original and right reprint

Fiscal stamps

1900 Inscription 'STASTISTIK DES WAAREN-VERKEHRS'

With inscription 'STASTISTIK DES WAAREN-VERKEHRS' were issued: 8 p brown, 16 p green, 24 p red, 32 p blue and 1 R violet. In 1905 some more values were issued: 12 1/2 h brown, 50 h blue.

1905 Inscription 'UEBERSETZUNGS - GEBUHREN' (translation tax)

The values 15 pesa grey and 25 heller grey were issued.

Overprinted 'Kai-Gebuhr' and value:

I have also seen the values 5 h on 12 1/2 h brown (overprint red), 10 h on 25 h green, 20 h on 25 h orange and 1 R on 1 R blue.

The 'Statistik des waarenverkehrs' stamps exist also overprinted with 'Lagergebuhr' (=storage fees) in the values: 5 h on 25 h red, 10 h on 25 h orange, 25 h on 25 h green, 50 h blue, 75 h on 25 h olive, 1R on 1 R violet. These stamps were issued in 1914.

The 'Statistik des waarenverkehrs' stamps exist also overprinted with 'O.H.B.M.S. MAFIA' in a circle. They were issued during the British occupation of the island Mafia. A similar overprint can be found on a 25 h 'Ubersetzungs-Gebuhren' fiscal stamp. They are very rare. Example:

(Statistik des waarenverkehrs with 'O.H.B.M.S. MAFIA' overprint in a circle)

'Woermann Linie Deutsche Ost-Afrika-Linie Kaigeld'

More information on the Woermann line (founded 1890) can be found at: http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/woermann.htm.

Local envelopes

Some provisional envelopes were issued in Morogoro in 1916, they consist of a seal with the German eagle and 'KAISERL. POSTDIREKTOR DEUTSCH-OSTAFRIKA' and a red 'Frankiert mit 7 1/2 H', example:

These envelopes were prepared since stamps were no longer available due to the British blockade of this country.

Mourning labels for the German colonies

Labels commemorating the loss of the German colonies exist, including for German East Africa. They have the size of the large 'Hohenzollern' yacht issue. The stamps have a coloured center surrounded by a black design.

Reduced sizes

Literature:

• Postal History of German East Africa- Jerome Newman (1973):
  
  211 pages, covers the broadest aspects of the country. It includes private issues, foreign offices, forerunners, regular and emergency issues, postal stationery, railroad mail, seaposts and naval ship mail, and the war in German East Africa. Furthermore lists of postal agencies and post offices.

• Erler / Norton: Catalogue of the Adhesive Revenues of Germany: II German Colonies and Overseas Steamship Lines. The following chapters are included: 1) German East Africa and 2)German South West Africa (the other colonies did not use revenue stamps), 1998, 37 pages.

For later issues (Tanganyika) click here.

Copyright by Evert Klaseboer