Tanga Cash Payment Frankings
In 1869, German missionaries established the first German presence in the territory that would become German East Africa. In 1884, the Company for German Colonization was founded by German explorer Carl Peters, and immediately began establishing treaties with local chiefs in the coastal region.
Over the next decade, the newly-founded German East Africa Company would increase German influence in the area by opening customs houses and forming agreements with local chiefs and Sultans. In the last years of the 1880s, however, Arabs opposed to the increased European presence began raiding and killing German settlers. The German East Africa Company requested assistance from the Imperial government, which quickly came in the form of ships and men under the command of newly-appointed Imperial Commissioner Hauptmann Hermann von Wissmann. Within a year, the insurrection was crushed, and in 1891, Germany acquired sovereignty over the entire territory.
In May 1915, the Post Director in Deutsch-Ostafrika issued orders directed at reducing the usage of stamps due to the war situation. One of these orders was that postage for larger shipments of printed matter, money orders, and parcel post cards should be paid in cash. To denote payment, special metal or rubber handstamps were distributed to numerous post offices throughout the colony. These handstamps typically denoted the amount paid alongside a circular postal cancel and the signatures of two postal officials.
Tanga Post Office, c. 1906
8 June 1915 (front)
8 June 1915 (rear)
28 April 1916
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann BF 13
- ArGe Kolonien Fr. lt. Einn. Nachw. in Tanga ◆1
Dates of Use:
-
26 May 1915 to 25 May 1916
Notes:
-
With handwritten cash amount
-
Violet or blue ink
5 July 1915 (front)
5 July 1915 (rear)
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann BF 14
- ArGe Kolonien Fr. lt. Einn. Nachw. in Tanga ◆1 – 2 1/2 Heller
Dates of Use:
-
28 May 1915 to 2 August 1915
Notes:
-
Additional 34-36 mm “2 1/2 Heller” handstamp applied to rectangular franking
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann BF 16 I
- ArGe Kolonien Fr. lt. Einn. Nachw. in Tanga ◆1 – Heller
Date of Use:
-
17 July 1915
Notes:
-
Additional “Heller” handstamp applied to rectangular franking, but with handwritten amount
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann BF 15
- ArGe Kolonien Fr. lt. Einn. Nachw. in Tanga ◆1 – 2½ Heller
Dates of Use:
-
5 January 1916 to 6 June 1916
Notes:
-
Additional 21 mm “2½ Heller” handstamp applied to rectangular franking
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann BF 16
- ArGe Kolonien Fr. lt. Einn. Nachw. in Tanga ◆1 – 4 Heller
Dates of Use:
-
12 February 1916 to 8 May 1916
Notes:
-
Additional “4 Heller” handstamp applied to rectangular franking
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann BF 17
- ArGe Kolonien Fr. lt. Einn. Nachw. in Tanga ◆1 – 7½ Heller
Dates of Use:
-
7 January 1916 to 7 June 1916
Notes:
-
Additional “7½ Heller” handstamp applied to rectangular franking
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann BF 18
- ArGe Kolonien Fr. lt. Einn. Nachw. in Tanga ◆1 – Frankiert mit 7 1/2 H
Date of Use:
-
7 June 1916
Notes:
-
Additional 2-line “Frankiert mit 7 1/2 H” handstamp applied to rectangular franking
15 August 1915 (front)
15 August 1915 (rear)
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann BF 12
- ArGe Kolonien 2 1/2 Heller Frei laut Ein. Nachw. in Tanga ◆2
Dates of Use:
-
3 August 1915 to 3 June 1916
Notes:
-
Violet ink
Tanga Cash Payment Frankings
In 1869, German missionaries established the first German presence in the territory that would become German East Africa. In 1884, the Company for German Colonization was founded by German explorer Carl Peters, and immediately began establishing treaties with local chiefs in the coastal region.
Over the next decade, the newly-founded German East Africa Company would increase German influence in the area by opening customs houses and forming agreements with local chiefs and Sultans. In the last years of the 1880s, however, Arabs opposed to the increased European presence began raiding and killing German settlers. The German East Africa Company requested assistance from the Imperial government, which quickly came in the form of ships and men under the command of newly-appointed Imperial Commissioner Hauptmann Hermann von Wissmann. Within a year, the insurrection was crushed, and in 1891, Germany acquired sovereignty over the entire territory.
In May 1915, the Post Director in Deutsch-Ostafrika issued orders directed at reducing the usage of stamps due to the war situation. One of these orders was that postage for larger shipments of printed matter, money orders, and parcel post cards should be paid in cash. To denote payment, special metal or rubber handstamps were distributed to numerous post offices throughout the colony. These handstamps typically denoted the amount paid alongside a circular postal cancel and the signatures of two postal officials.
8 June 1915 (front)
8 June 1915 (rear)
8 June 1907
27 November 1907
30 June 1911
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann BF 13
- ArGe Kolonien Fr. lt. Einn. Nachw. in Tanga ◆1
Dates of Use:
-
26 May 1915 to 25 May 1916
Notes:
-
With handwritten cash amount
-
Violet or blue ink
5 July 1915 (front)
5 July 1915 (rear)
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann BF 14
- ArGe Kolonien Fr. lt. Einn. Nachw. in Tanga ◆1 – 2 1/2 Heller
Dates of Use:
-
28 May 1915 to 2 August 1915
Notes:
-
Additional 34-36 mm “2 1/2 Heller” handstamp applied to rectangular franking
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann BF 16 I
- ArGe Kolonien Fr. lt. Einn. Nachw. in Tanga ◆1 – Heller
Date of Use:
-
17 July 1915
Notes:
-
Additional “Heller” handstamp applied to rectangular franking, but with handwritten amount
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann BF 15
- ArGe Kolonien Fr. lt. Einn. Nachw. in Tanga ◆1 – 2½ Heller
Dates of Use:
-
5 January 1916 to 6 June 1916
Notes:
-
Additional 21 mm “2½ Heller” handstamp applied to rectangular franking
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann BF 16
- ArGe Kolonien Fr. lt. Einn. Nachw. in Tanga ◆1 – 4 Heller
Dates of Use:
-
12 February 1916 to 8 May 1916
Notes:
-
Additional “4 Heller” handstamp applied to rectangular franking
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann BF 17
- ArGe Kolonien Fr. lt. Einn. Nachw. in Tanga ◆1 – 7½ Heller
Dates of Use:
-
7 January 1916 to 7 June 1916
Notes:
-
Additional “7½ Heller” handstamp applied to rectangular franking
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann BF 18
- ArGe Kolonien Fr. lt. Einn. Nachw. in Tanga ◆1 – Frankiert mit 7 1/2 H
Date of Use:
-
7 June 1916
Notes:
-
Additional 2-line “Frankiert mit 7 1/2 H” handstamp applied to rectangular franking
15 August 1915 (front)
15 August 1915 (rear)
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann BF 12
- ArGe Kolonien 2 1/2 Heller Frei laut Ein. Nachw. in Tanga ◆2
Dates of Use:
-
3 August 1915 to 3 June 1916
Notes:
-
Violet ink
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