In the 1870’s, German companies established the first trading ties with the Marshall Islands. On 15 October 1885, Germany formally declared Marshall-Inseln to be a German protectorate.
The first German post office in Marshall-Inseln was established at Jaluit on 29 March 1889. On 14 July 1908, a second post office was opened on Nauru, which had become a major center of phosphate production. These would be the only two post offices in the colony.
Due to disruptions in shipping traffic upon the outbreak of WWI, the last known departure of mail from Nauru was in early September 1914 via a Norwegian steamship bound for Honolulu. The Nauru post office would, however, remain open until Nauru was captured by Australian forces on 8 November 1914.
Despite most Atoll Post items from 1908 forward being philatelic forgeries, Dr. Eduard Ey, in his master work Die Briefmarken der deutschen Postanstalten im Auslande und der deutschen Schutzgebiete, noted that the legitimate Atoll Post items again appeared at the beginning of World War I, with several items known to have been properly transported through the postal system.
This cover originated on Jaluit, presumably in the summer of 1914. It has no date, but it bears a receiving mark from Erfurt, Germany, dated 18 July 1914, indicating that it did properly pass through the postal system.
The manuscript “Jaluit” on the stamp is in the handwriting of the Capt Julius Krümling. Capt Krümling was, from 1 Oct 1904 until WWI, the postmaster, harbor master, constable, and customs officer in Jaluit, and also a ship’s pilot within the Marshall Islands. He was not known to have participated in the forgery of Atoll Post items, and his handwriting and “Jaluit” manuscript cancel are well known. This would seem to indicate it was he who cancelled the stamp, lending credibility to the authenticity of this item.
The sender indicated on the reverse of the cover is “Krümling, Jaluit.” This would seem to indicate that he wasn’t merely cancelling a stamp that was missed by the canceller, but that it was he himself who posted and cancelled the letter.
In the 1870’s, German companies established the first trading ties with the Marshall Islands. On 15 October 1885, Germany formally declared Marshall-Inseln to be a German protectorate.
The first German post office in Marshall-Inseln was established at Jaluit on 29 March 1889. On 14 July 1908, a second post office was opened on Nauru, which had become a major center of phosphate production. These would be the only two post offices in the colony.
Due to disruptions in shipping traffic upon the outbreak of WWI, the last known departure of mail from Nauru was in early September 1914 via a Norwegian steamship bound for Honolulu. The Nauru post office would, however, remain open until Nauru was captured by Australian forces on 8 November 1914.
Despite most Atoll Post items from 1908 forward being philatelic forgeries, Dr. Eduard Ey, in his master work Die Briefmarken der deutschen Postanstalten im Auslande und der deutschen Schutzgebiete, noted that the legitimate Atoll Post items again appeared at the beginning of World War I, with several items known to have been properly transported through the postal system.
This cover originated on Jaluit, presumably in the summer of 1914. It has no date, but it bears a receiving mark from Erfurt, Germany, dated 18 July 1914, indicating that it did properly pass through the postal system.
The manuscript “Jaluit” on the stamp is in the handwriting of the Capt Julius Krümling. Capt Krümling was, from 1 Oct 1904 until WWI, the postmaster, harbor master, constable, and customs officer in Jaluit, and also a ship’s pilot within the Marshall Islands. He was not known to have participated in the forgery of Atoll Post items, and his handwriting and “Jaluit” manuscript cancel are well known. This would seem to indicate it was he who cancelled the stamp, lending credibility to the authenticity of this item.
The sender indicated on the reverse of the cover is “Krümling, Jaluit.” This would seem to indicate that he wasn’t merely cancelling a stamp that was missed by the canceller, but that it was he himself who posted and cancelled the letter.
