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Clark University
CENTERS AND INSTITUTES
Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies

Barry Hoffman Nazi Postcard Collection

Befreiungsfeier

October 16, 2024

Accession Number: 2022.02.4.86

Stamp: President Friedrich Ebert 1928 Deutsches Reich 8 Pfennig

Postmark: Mainz 30. Juni 1930

Historical background:

This postcard celebrates the ending of the Occupation of the Rhineland. After World War I, an agreement was signed to put the Rhineland (the region of Germany west of the Rhine river) under control of the Inter-Allied Rhineland High Commission, led by France and Belgium. This occupation was to give France and Belgium security against any future German attack and serve as collateral against Germany’s reparation obligations. In 1929, the original agreement was renegotiated, and all Allied troops evacuated the Rhineland by 30 June 1930. The final region to be evacuated was the Mainz Zone, which is where the postcard was postmarked.

[Front]

Zum Gedenken an die Befreiung des Deutschen Rheines

[Back]

2022.02.4.86 Back

Front

The painting depicted is Zum Gedenken an die Befreiung des Deutschen Rheines, designed and drawn by Theo Matejko. Matejko (1893-1946) was an Austrian illustrator who became involved with the Nazis in 1933 illustrating propaganda materials including posters for the 1936 Olympics and Die Wehrmacht magazine.

Back

[Addressed]

Rolf Bachmann

Hamburg 37

Isestr. [Isestrasse] 73

 

Lieber Rolf, 

Zu deinem geburtstag gratuliere ich dir herzlich + auch dein Onkel Klaus wünscht dir alles gute. Wie geht es deinem Eltern und deinem Schwesterchen? Wir haben hier die eindrucksvolle Befreiungsfeier mitgemacht + mus am diesem denkwürdigen Tag die Verlobungsringe aufgesetzt im aller Stille. Wegen einer Zahnbehandlung müssen wir alle Pläne 

ändern + noch ca 2 wochen hier bleiben. Wir wollten deine großeltern im München treffen aber ich fürchte wir sind am 12. noch hier.

Viele herzlichen grüßen,

Eure Drellie 

 

Rolf Bachmann

Hamburg 37

Ise Street 73

 

Dear Rolf,

I would like to congratulate you on your birthday + your Uncle Klaus wishes you all the best too. How are your parents and your little sister? We took part in the impressive liberation celebration here + had to put on the engagement rings in complete silence on this memorable day. Due to a dental treatment we are going to have to change all our plans + stay here circa 2 more weeks. We wanted to meet your grandparents in Munich but I’m afraid we’ll still be here on the 12th.

Many warm greetings,

Your Drellie

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