Allenstein Administrative District (East Prussia)

The postal history of the Allenstein administrative district is closely linked to its historical development, particularly to the period of the referendum following World War I in 1920.

The Allenstein Administrative District existed from 1905 to 1945 as an administrative unit of the Prussian province of East Prussia. Before 1920, the standard postage stamps of Prussia, the North German Confederation, and later the German Empire were used in Allenstein. An outstanding chapter in philatelic history began after the Treaty of Versailles, when a referendum on the region’s political affiliation—whether to remain part of East Prussia or become part of Poland—was scheduled.

The 1920 Election Expenditures

To promote the vote and regulate mail traffic during this transitional period, special stamps were issued beginning April 3, 1920. These were regular German stamps bearing two different overprints:

• First print variant: "PLÉBISCITE / OLSZTYN / ALLENSTEIN".
• Second print variant: "TREATY / OF / VERSAILLES / ART. 94 and 95" (inside a portrait-oriented oval).
• Validity & Value Levels: Both versions were issued in 14 different denominations (ranging from 5 pfennigs to 3 marks) and ceased to be valid shortly after the referendum victory for East Prussia on August 20, 1920.

Since these stamps were in circulation for only a few months, clean and properly dated stamps from the adjustment period are now a very popular, specialized area of collecting.

The counties in the Allenstein Administrative District

For detailed postmark overviews and historical postal features, please click on the individual districts within the region:

Our Research Group's Main Areas of Focus

Within our working group, specialized collectors and researchers are dedicated to the detailed documentation of all post offices in the Allenstein administrative district. This includes recording the types of postmarks used, postage rates, postal routes, and special features such as censored mail, field post, and railway post within this regional context.

The results of our research are regularly published in the newsletters of the working group and provide a solid foundation for the transfer of knowledge between experts and new collectors.