TPO -> Czechoslovakia -> Military TPOs 1938-1945

Military TPOs 1938-1945

Military Railway Post hand stamps were issued by the Czechoslovakian authorities in 1938; they seem to have been used only during October and November of that year. Twenty-four different numbered hand stamps are known in the range of 1a to 20b.

Vojenska Vlakova Posta Military TPO
Vojenska Vlakova Posta / 16 11.XI.38 / Side b

Following the annexation by Hitler in October 1938 new TPO handstamps were issued by the Third Reich. These new handstamps were bi-lingual with the route shown in German in the top half and the Czechoslovakian version in the lower half.

Bi-lingual German Czech Military TPO 52
Budejovice - Praha TPO (No 52) Side a

There are many examples during the Occupation of the TPO handstamp being struck upside down, thus ensuring that the Czechoslovakian names appeared above the German. This may well have been a show of defiance!

Bi-lingual German Czech Military TPO 98
Nemecky Brod - Pardubice TPO (No 98) Side a (postmark upside down)

The line from Solnice to Castolovice was opened in 1893 and is about 10 kilometres - so short that the TPO was never issued with a route number (probably a Mailguard). Shown below are the pre-war and Occupation cancellations.

Solnice to Castolovice TPO pre-war Solnice to Castolovice TPO post-war

100th anniversary of the opening of the line between Olomouc and Praha.

Illustrated registered commemorative cover dated 18 August 1945

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