Previous

अनुवाद Übersetzen sie WORKING Traduisez ترجم перевести Traduca Traduzca 翻译

Next

 

POLAND

Telegraph seals seem to have been widely used in Poland. They tend to have a rather "home-made" look about them with many small differences to a common theme.
It seems probable that there are others to be found.

 

Updates. The above was written by Steve Hiscocks. He had not seen the perforated examples that I have added. I have also added the other colour images scaled to 300dpi. I have re-numbered using 'RH' (Revised Hiscocks) numbers. From 1569, Poland was part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. In the period 1772–1795, this area was divided up between the German, Russian and Austro-Hungarian Empires. Poland regained its independence in 1918, at the end of World War I. Poland was invaded by Germany in September 1939 and occupied until May 1945. I have had to re-number them. No pricing as yet.

 

1919-27	1927-39 New design.	1945-89 Communist.	1956-90 Govt. in exile.	Since 1990 3rd. Republic.

The type of crown indicates the period.

 

#1 1921, 22.7mm	#2 15.5mm	#3 18mm	#4 1925

#5 1925, 14.9mm	#6 1935 14.8mm (different arrows)	#7 1925? 15.6mm	#8 1932, 19mm (different in post horn loop)

#9 1948, 13mm	#10 1968-9, 13.1mm (narrow frame lines)

 

RH #	Type.	was	Description	Mint	Used	On telegram
RH1	1	#1	1921 Imperf. "TELEGRAF / PANSTWOWY". Black / White	-	-	-
RH1a	1	-	Red / white.	-	-	-
RH2	2	#3	Imperf. Post horn close to frame at left. Black / White	-	-	-
RH3	3	#4	1922 Imperf. Similar to Type #2 but red / white	-	-	-
RH4	4	#8	1925 Imperf. Black / White	-	-	-
RH5	5	#5	1925 Imperf. Larger post-horn, eagle's wings rounded, Black / White	-	-	-
RH6	6	-	1935 Imperf. Different arrows. Black / White	-	-	-
RH7	7	-	1925? Imperf. Crown close to frame at top. Black / White	-	-	-
RH8	8	#2	1932 Imperf. Crown close to frame at top. Black / White	-	-	-
RH9	9	#6	1948 Perforate, small uncrowned eagle, "TELEGRAM". Black / White	-	-	-
RH10	10	-	1968-9 Imperf. Narrow frame lines.	-	-	-

Hiscocks adds the following notes:

Note 1. #8 [now #4] appeared on eBay and was added at the last moment. It seems to have been                 cut from the bottom row on the sheet and to differ from those above.

Note 2. All but #6 [now #10] are cut out with scissors and the papers are mostly toned but probably                 started out as white.

My notes: H1a is illustrated on the front cover of his book, but Hiscocks only lists it as black on white.
The dates on #5 and #8 need verifying in view of the crown-types.

 

#11 26.9mm	#12 27.1mm

#13 34.3mm

Three seals that Hiscocks did not list. Państwowy means 'State' and "Państrva polskiego" means "of the Polish State".

RH #	Type.	was	Description	Mint	Used	On telegram
RH11	11	-	Perf. 10. "Telegrafja / Państrva polskiego". Red on white.	-	-	-
RH12	12	-	Perf. 10. "Telegraf / Państwowy". Red on white.	-	-	-
RH13	13	-	Perf. 10. "Telegraf / Państwowy". Red on white.	-	-	-

 

#14 RH14 45.3mm   note the 8 cuts in the seal to make removal difficult. The used one is tied with an interesting cancel of the city of  Płock, making it difficult to open undetected.

#14 RH15 45.5mm   This has the number 3 and was used in Krakow	#14 RH16 45.0mm   This has the number 6 and was used in Lubuskie Click image for listing. There are probably other numbers, perhaps for other areas.

 

RH #	Type.	was	Description	Mint	Used	On telegram
RH14	14	#7	Imperf. '0'. Black, blue and red.	-	-	-
RH15	14	-	Imperf. '3'. Black, brown and red.	-	-	-
RH16	14	-	Imperf. '6'. Black, green and red.	-	-	-

 

 

Telegrams

It may be of interest to show some of the telegrams that these seals were used on.

I think this was produced in 1921.
The form appears to have been privately produced in Kraków for one or more Jewish enclaves within Poland

At the bottom is "Nowa Drukarnia Dziennikowa, Kraków." or "New Journal Printing House, Krakow" Above that is "Dochód przeznaczony na Zydowski Fundusz Narodowy" or "Income assigned to Jewish National Fund". ZFN is in the left circle, and I presume the Hebrew equivalent on the right. At the top in Hebrew has ישראל or Israel on the left, but I have not been able to make out what is on the right. In the left panel of the form it has "Ż. F. N. ma na celu zakupno ziemi w Erec Israel na wieczystą własność narodu żydowskiego. Żałożony wroku 1901 zakupił łącznie do roku 1921, 85.000 dunamów ziemi w Erec Israel (Dun. = 1/11 ha)." meaning "Z. F. N. aims to purchase land in Eretz Israel for the perpetual ownership of the Jewish people. Founded in 1901, it has purchased a total of 85,000 dunams of land in Eretz Israel by 1921 (Dun. = 1/11 ha)." The right panel appears to have the same in Hebrew, but note that numbers in traditional Hebrew are handled differently.

The choice of dates, 1901 to 1921, on the left makes me think that these were printed in 1921 for some kind of twentieth anniversary. I have not been able to list this chronologically because I do not know the date. I would guess the 1920's or 1930's. If there is a date on this at all, it is most likely across the seal, but there are several layers of problems. Firstly, this is handwritten Hebrew and that will need to be converted to a typewritten form. There are online conversion tools that help with the numbering system used and the 3760 year difference. It took me a while just to work out the name of the man on the seal. This is "יוסף טרומפלדור" (written right to left), or Josef-Trumpeldor, a Zionist hero who died in 1920. My problem is whether this was intended as a telegram seal, or was intended as a propaganda sticker and just happened to get used as a seal. Of course it could have been dual purpose. Does anyone know the date of this telegram ?

Back of telegram showing presumably the address and a seal.

 

A telegram of 28 November 1922 written in German.

At the bottom-left is the imprint "M. P. i T. 1010 (VIII. 922) 5.000 000." which suggests that 5,000,000 were printed in August 1922.

 

This was printed in Lwów (Lviv in Ukrainian / Lemberg in German)

It was used on 6 May 1925. At the bottom-left is the imprint "G. D. P. I T. 1010 (IX. 1925) 3.000.000." which, though a bit cryptic, suggests that 3,000,000 were printed in October 1925.
On the right it says 'Zlecenia na reklame na drukach l objektach pocztowych przyjmuje "PARORBIS" Lwów.' meaning 'Orders for advertising on forms and postal objects are accepted by "PARORBIS" Lwów. '

 

This has a very small coat of arms at the top.

It was used on 3 June 1935. At the bottom-right is the imprint "M. P. i T. 1010/Telegr. (X. 1934). 4.500.000 wibl. á 100 " which suggests that 4,500,000 (in pads of 100 ?) were printed in October 1934.
Under that it has 'Blankiet do telegramow nadeszlych.' Meaning 'Form for incoming telegrams. '

On the left it says 'Zarzad P. T. i T. nie przyjmuje  odpowiedzialności / za straty wynikle z zagubienia, znieksztalcenia lub / opóznienia telegramu.'
meaning 'The management of P. T. and T. shall not be liable for any losses resulting from the loss, distortion or delay of the telegram.'

 

This was used on 7 May 1968.

At the bottom-left it has 'PPTiT Nr  1009-1967 ZG ,.Ruch" W-w, z. 438-67 druk. A5 VII kl. 60g.- 113.000 bl. á 100 ?' which suggests that 113,000 (pads of 100 ?) were printed in July 1967.
On the right it has "ODWRÓCIĆ !" meaning "Turn it over"


The back has 5 Recommendations :

Number 3 says "Chcąc przyspieszyć przebieg i doręczenie telegramu przeznaczonego dla osoby (instytucji) posiadającej
telefon, adresujcie go według następującego przykładu:
  1) = TF 286738 = Szymanik Warszawa =                    
2) = TF 281741 = DOM KULTURY WARSZAWA =
This translates as "If you want to speed up the course and delivery of a telegram intended for a person (institution) who has a
telephone, address it according to the following example:
1) = TF 286738 = [ name ] Warsaw =                      
         2) = TF 281741 = HOUSE OF CULTURE WARSAW ="

 

This was used on 8 January 1970. It is quite similar to the last.

At the bottom-left it has 'PPTiT Nr  1009  —  1969       ZG ..Ruch" W-w. z. 1589-69 druk A5 VII kl. 60 σ - 65.000 bl.' which suggests that 65,000 were printed in July 1969.


Again the back has 5 Recommendations :

Number 3 now says "Chcąc przyśpieszyć doręczenie telegramu przeznaczonego dla adresata posiadającego
telefon lub, dalekopis adresujcie go według następujących przykładów:
1) = TF 286731 = SZYMANIK WARSZAWA = (gdy adresat ma telefon);
             2) = TLX 81242 = METALEXPORT WARSZAWA = (gdy adresat ma dalekopis).
                    Wskazówki = TF = i TLX = wraz z numerem telefonu lub dalekopisu są bezpłatne. "

This translates as "If you want to speed up the delivery of a telegram intended for an addressee who has a
telephone or teletype, address it according to the following examples:
1) = TF 286731 = [ name ] WARSAW = (when the recipient has a telephone);
            2) = TLX 81242 = METALEXPORT WARSZAWA = (when recipient has a teletype).
Tip = TF = and TLX = including telephone or teletype numbers are free. "

 

On Sunday 13th December 1981, Poland was placed under martial law, resulting in censorship of telegrams.
This was the result of growing protests against the economic problems resulting from the communist regime.
It ended with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, 26 December 1991.

 

This was used on 26 April 1982 (by telex ?). Apparently stamped with a "Telegram" heading for Rzym (northern Poland, 36km west of Gdańsk) and
"OCENZUROWANO" (CENSORED) in the same red ink.

This relates to a shipment of calcium carbide to Gdańsk. To me, knowing what happens when calcium carbide is dropped in water, that sounds rather risky!
Image courtesy of Les Bottomley.

 

This was used on 27 June 1982 (or 24th ?). It is quite similar to the that of 1970, but smaller. It has no seal and was probably sent in an envelope.

At the bottom-left it has 'PPTiT Nr  1009  —  1969       ZG ,,Ruch" W-w, z. 846-69 piśm. A5 VII kl. 60 g. - 85.000 bl.'
which suggests that 85,000 were printed, but when? Surely not still 1969 !
This is stamped "OCENZUROWANO", CENSORED.


Again the back has 5 Recommendations :

Number 3 now says "Chcąc przyśpieszyć doręczenie telegramu przeznaczonego dla adresata posiadającego
telefon lub, dalekopis adresujcie go według następujących przykładów:
1) = TF 286731 = SZYMANIK WARSZAWA = (gdy adresat ma telefon);
             2) = TLX 81242 = METALEXPORT WARSZAWA = (gdy adresat ma dalekopis).
                    Wskazówki = TF = i = TLX = wraz z numerem telefonu lub dalekopisu są bezpłatne. "

This differs only in having "TF = i = TLX" in place of "TF = i TLX" in the last line.

 

 

If anyone can provide scans to help with this page, I am happy to give appropriate credit.