Marienwerder

1920 Scott 11 1m brown & green

Allegorical Symbol of Allied Supervision of Plebiscite

Quick History
After the defeat of Germany in WW I, the Versailles Treaty specified that much of the Province of Posen and of West Prussia be ceded to Poland. Poland, then, would have a corridor to the Baltic Sea via access to the Free Port City of Danzig (Gdansk).

German Territorial Losses after WW I

Note Poland gained a large strip of land- and Baltic Sea access

This was decided without a plebiscite (vote). But some territories, namely Alleinstein in East Prussia, and Marienwerder in West Prussia, because of a vocal German population, and the sympathies of the British Prime Minister Lloyd George, were allowed  to vote whether to join Poland or East Prussia (Germany).

The Plebiscite Territories with German/Polish majorities indicated

West end of Map: Marienwerder (Kwidzyn) is located 50 miles south of Danzig

The Plebiscite was scheduled for July 11, 1920. It was sponsored by Inter-Allied Commissions for the League of Nations. British and Italian contingents were on the ground, but civil administration was handled by the Germans.

(Note: For a superb map of the German land losses 1919-21, and another view of the Allenstein/Marienwerder Plebiscite lands, see Michael's Dead Countries Stamps website for Allenstein. Thanks Michael!)

Naturally, the plebiscite was promoted and publicized through the use of stamp issues.

The result for Marienwerder (Kwidzyn) was a very lopsided 96,000 votes for East Prussia, and 8,000 votes for Poland. Consequently, Marienwerder joined East Prussia and the Weimar Republic.

Now, let's look at the stamp issues....

1920 Scott 1 5pf green

Into the Deep Blue
The 2011 Scott Classic Specialized catalogue has 42 major stamp descriptions for Marienwerder. Of those, 19 are CV <$1-$1+. Clearly, a modest collection can be accumulated.

A closer look at the stamps and issues
100 Pfennig = 1 Mark

1920 Scott 5 25pf deep blue

Allegorical Symbol of Allied Supervision of Plebiscite

The first 14 stamp issue was produced beginning in March, 1920, and had this striking allegorical design with  "Commission Interallièe" and "Marienwerder" scripted on the top and bottom of the stamp respectively. The CV is <$1-$2+ for 12 stamps, all less expensive for unused.

1920 Scott 29 75pf green & black

"Commission Interallièe Mareinwerder"

Stamps of Germany, 1905-19, were also overprinted with the same script. The 6 German stamps in the set have a CV of $4+-$10+ for 3 stamps.

There are two more four stamp overprinted German issues produced in 1920: but, alas, I do not have them.

1920 Scott 53 5m blue & rose

Second Plebiscite Issue of 1920 with Allegorical Symbolism

In July, 1920, another 14 stamp issue was released; this time with "Plebiscite" and "Marienwerder/Kwidzyn" script. CV ranges from <$1-$1+ for 9 stamps. The 5m blue & rose above has a town cancel I cannot find for the Marienwerder region, and it appears to have been cancelled in August, 1920, after the plebiscite. ;-)

1920 Scott 51 2m dark violet

Almost all of my collection is unused, but here is another used specimen. Marienburg is a real town in the Marienwerder region, but this stamp appears to have been cancelled in September, 1920. ;-)

Deep Blue

1920 First Plebiscite Issue in Deep Blue

The Deep Blue album (Steiner) has two pages for the Marienwerder plebiscite issues. The album follows the Scott sequence for major numbers exactly.

1920 Scott 10 75pf chocolate

Big Blue

Big Blue '69, on two lines of one page, has six spaces for the first allegorical plebiscite issue, and six spaces then for the second issue.

Marienwerder in Big Blue

Observations...

• The second allegorical plebiscite issue yields two CV $10+ stamps in BB.

• I found some nine stamps CV <$1-$1+ that are not in BB.

• Still, I'm appreciative that Marienwerder has spaces allocated, and was not among the countries purged by the '69 editors. ;-)

Checklist

1920
1,2,3,4,5,6,
40,41,42,43,44,45,

Comments
A) Expensive stamps ($10 threshold):
1920 Scott 42 15pf gray ($10+)
1920 Scott 44 25pf deep blue ($10+)

1920 Scott 13 3m red

Out of the Blue

Poland, of course, ultimately "won", as the lands became part of that country after WW II.

Note: Maps, "Kwidzyn" pic appear to be in the public domain.

Links
Marienwerder - Bud's Big Blue

A Comment?

Kwidzyn (Marienwerder) Today