Military Postal Service - Miniature Sheet

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This year’s design from the “Historical postal vehicles“series is dedicated to the military postal service, which was vital for maintaining morale among the troops during times of war.

The block of stamps shows a postcard from the First World War. Based on a work by the postal worker and artist Karl Schnorpfeil, it shows two soldiers on a two-horse-drawn military postal vehicle. During the age of “industrial warfare”, field post, albeit censored, was the only way for the soldiers at the front to keep in touch with their families. Field post parcels containing warm clothes and home-made baked goods from home were a particular highlight. A postcard from one's husband, son or brother at the front, in return, was a reassurance that they were still alive that could give hope for the future to those back at home.

New regulations for the Austro-Hungarian military postal service were introduced in 1913. It was a joint facility of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy and its task was to convey both official and private letters and parcels between the army in the field and the homeland. After war broke out, field post offices were set up with each allocated a field post number, which was essential to ensure correct delivery. Postcards and letters labelled “Feldpost” could be sent free of charge up to a weight of 100 grammes. During the First World War, an estimated 30 billion field postcards and letters were sent in Austria-Hungary.