Upon the outbreak of World War I, German officials in Kiautschou began censoring incoming and outgoing mail.

This censor mark is a box handstamp containing the text “Gouvernementsseitig unter Kriegsrecht geöffnet / Tsingtau ___ 191_ / ____ Überwachungsoffizier” (Opened by the government under martial law / Tsingtau ___ 191_  / ____ Censoring Officer).

This mark is known on incoming mail with censor dates 11 & 13 August 1914, and outgoing mail with censor dates of 15, 16, & 23 September 1914 with “TSINGTAU c” cancel.  It is also known to have been applied without date and initials of the censor on philatelic postcards dated 15 September 1914.