Litzmannstadt Ghetto Paketkarte with Jewish Star Stamp – WWII

Description

Litzmannstadt Ghetto Paketkarte: Overview

A double-sided German postal parcel card (Paketkarte) bearing, in the sender section, a large circular stamp with a Star of David and the inscription “Der Älteste der Juden in Litzmannstadt” (The Eldest of the Jews in Litzmannstadt), the Jewish administration imposed in the Łódź ghetto. It also carries an orange-red triangular “Nachnahme” marking, a cash-on-delivery postal instruction.

The main fields are largely uncompleted and no address, postage stamp or transit cancellation is visible, so it is described as an original stamped postal form rather than a travelled cover.

Historical Context

Litzmannstadt was the German name imposed on Łódź. Its ghetto, established in 1940, was one of the largest and longest-surviving in occupied Poland, and its Jewish administration was forced to operate within the coercive system imposed by the occupiers. Everyday postal paperwork of this kind preserves evidence of how that system functioned.

Litzmannstadt Ghetto Paketkarte: Description

• Type: Paketkarte, printed, double-sided
• Markings: circular Star of David stamp “Der Älteste der Juden in Litzmannstadt”; triangular “Nachnahme” marking
• Reverse: “Bescheinigung des Empfängers” (recipient’s receipt) and cash-on-delivery instructions
• Inventory code: DOC56

Condition

Age toning, handling marks, minor surface wear, perforations or punch holes at the left edge, small edge irregularities and signs of storage. The printing, stamp and marking remain clearly legible. The photographs show the actual card and form part of the description.

The watermark visible in the listing photographs is digital and does not appear on the original.

Provenance

No further provenance is recorded.

Authenticity

Offered as an original period document on the basis of paper, printing, stamps, handwriting and ageing, which are consistent with each other and with the dates recorded.

Care

Store flat in an archival polyester sleeve or acid-free folder, away from sunlight, humidity and adhesive materials.

Further Reading

For historical background, see Deutsches Historisches Museum, LeMO: “Das NS-Regime”.

Before buying, read my Complete Collector’s Guide to WW2 German Documents.

Historical Responsibility Notice: this document is offered for research, remembrance and education. It does not endorse, minimise or glorify any ideology, and it is preserved in memory of the victims of the period.