This section provides another point of entry into the troubled landscape of Holocaust memory. It samples the post-war stamps and first day covers issued by many nations to commemorate the victims, resisters, partisans, the liberators, the hidden and the ones who sheltered, the diplomatic heroes and others, as well as highlights some of the essential themes and signal events of the genocide of the European Jews and its aftermath. Interspersed among these is a selection of other, older, philatelic and numismatic items: stamps, labels, Notgeld, ghetto scrip, and coins, that were utilized both prior to and during the Third Reich and the Holocaust and tell another story.
--Michael D. Bulmash, K1966
Browse the Bulmash Family Holocaust Collection.
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Litzmannstadt Ghetto Stamps; Full Set of Three
2019.2.72a-c
Stamps featuring Mordechai Rumkowski's profile, a gear, a drafting compass, and a Star of David in three different colors: Blue, Green, and Red. They each have a number, 5, 10 and 20 respectively.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash:Soon after the German occupation of the Polish city of Lodz in 1939, the name of the city was changed to Litzmannstadt. Jews were forced into a ghetto, and Mordechai Rumkowski was chosen Judenalteste, or Elder of the Jews. Rumkowski was an enormously controversial figure who believed that converting the Ghetto into an industrial center would ensure the survival of the beleaguered Jewish population. He established a postal service within the Ghetto, and the design of these stamps was chosen for correspondence exclusively within the Ghetto. They were issued on March 9, 1944, but were soon discontinued by the Germans. In these stamps Rumkowski’s profile is prominently displayed, along with industrial imagery, mirroring Rumkowski’s fantasied salvation from the ineluctable Nazi extermination of the Jews. He was ultimately deported on the last transport to Auschwitz where he and his family were murdered. Of the more than 200,000 Jews imprisoned in the Ghetto, less than 900 survived.
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Provisional Label/Stamp Used During the Period Between British Mandate and Beginning of Jewish State
2021.1.74
Four black-and-white stamps depicting a man, Saul Tsherichovsky. Hebrew text along top and bottom borders.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash:
Saul Tchernichovsky--Hebrew Poet.
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Provisional Label/Stamp Used During the Period Between British Mandate and Beginning of Jewish State
2021.1.77
Blue stamp showing a soldier in front of the flag of Israel. Several symbols surround him. Hebrew text along the bottom.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash:
Jewish Brigade label/stamp JNF/KKL. JNF stamp commemorating the establishment of the Jewish brigade in World War II.
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Lagergeld Money from Westerbork, East Netherlands
2012.1.464a-d
Four pieces of currency, including a pink 10 cent note, a red 25 cent note, a blue 50 cent note, and a green 100 cent note.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Lagergeld from the transit camp at Westerbork, East Netherlands.
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French Stamp Commemorating the 44 Jewish Children From Izieu Murdered at Auschwitz in April, 1944
2014.1.455
Small stamp showing a group of children.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: French stamp commemorating the 44 children of Izieu who were deported to Auschwitz to their deaths in April, 1944 under Klaus Barbie’s orders.
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German Cover Commemorating 21st Anniversary of the Munich Uprising
2019.2.212
Green envelope, includes white and red postage stamp of eagle and two snakes, writing in pencil
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: The inscription reads “Remember the 9th of November 1923.” The eagle, representing Germany, is doing battle with the three major co-signatories- Great Britain, France, and the United States- of the Versailles Treaty in June 1919. The tide had clearly turned against Germany by the end of 1944. To manage shortage of manpower, Hitler had ordered the creation of the Volkssturm in October: all males between 16 and 60 years of age were required to participate in the war effort.
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Third Reich "Futches Reich" Propaganda Mini Stamps
2012.1.443
Tan paper with four red stamps of a skeletal Adolf Hitler. Titled, "We ein Volk Retten will kann nur Heroisch Denken."
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: This 12 Pfennig parody is also known as the Hitler Skull Stamp or Deaths-Head Stamp. The bottom of stamp has been changed from Deutches Reich to "Futches Reich" (lost empire). The originals were produced during the war by the OSS ("Operation Cornflake"), the brainchild of "Wild Bill" Donovan, head of the OSS, the U.S. Espionage agency during WWII and precursor to the CIA. The effort was part of a broad-based propaganda campaign to undermine the morale of the average German citizen.
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Luxembourg War Victims Fund Stamps to Heroes and Martyrs
2014.1.393
Four postage stamps; left to right: green 'FIR ONS JONGEN ZALDOT A MAQUISARD' ; red 'LES DEPORTES'; blue 'LES PRISONNIERS POLITIQUES'; brown 'LES FUSILLES'
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Provisional Label/Stamp Used During the Period Between British Mandate and Beginning of Jewish State
2021.1.75
Dark blue stamp showing a landscape with portraits of two men superimposed.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash:
Chaim Bialik--modern Hebrew poet; and Theodor Herzl.
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Provisional Label/Stamp Used During the Period Between British Mandate and Beginning of Jewish State
2021.1.78
Green stamp depicting a large building with a dome. Hebrew text along the top and bottom.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash:
Technical Institute in Haifa.
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Provisional Label/Stamp Used During the Period Between British Mandate and Beginning of Jewish State
2021.1.79
Four blue stamps depicting several large buildings. Hebrew text along the borders.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash:
Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
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Provisional Label/Stamp Used During the Period Between British Mandate and Beginning of Jewish State
2021.1.80
Dark green stamp depicting a bearded man wearing glasses. Hebrew text along the bottom. Two Stars of David in the bottom corners.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash:
Rabbi Abraham Kook.
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Provisional Label/Stamp Used During the Period Between British Mandate and Beginning of Jewish State
2021.1.88
Brown stamp depicting bearded man. Hebrew text along bottom border. Hebrew postmark. Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Yehoshua Hankin: Zionist responsible for major land purchases in both Ottoman and Mandatory Palestine.
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Cover from Lubben to Marienbad, with Stamp Commemorating Home Guard (Volksstürm) Mobilization
2019.2.131
Envelope with red postage stamp in upper right corner beside white postage stamp with “5,00” in red print, stamped with 11a in blue ink.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: This cover was mailed 17 days after the stamp was issued to honor Hitler’s order to call up of all males between 16 and 60 to fight along with the Wehrmacht in defense of Germany. The war was to end for Germany in just a few months.
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Liberation of Dachau Commemorative Postcards
2012.1.424a
White blank postcard with green and orange stamps and a black Dachau hand stamp, as well as a green postcard with a purple stamp and two black Dachau hand stamps.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Dachau was liberated by American troops on April 29, 1945. This philatelic souvenir was made in commemoration of that event.
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V-E Day Commemorative Envelope with Complete Set of Stamps of Countries Overrun by Nazis
2014.1.381a
: 'V-E-Day Washington, D.C. -May 8, 1945 - 9 A.M.' printed at top center; Thirteen stamps with flags; 'Win the War' stamp at left; 'Toward United Nations, April 24, 1945' stamp; five circular handstamps
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Oradour-Sur-Glane Remembrance Stamp
2014.1.453ab
Booklet including an illustration of the ruins of Oradour Sur-Glane, including a postage stamp, as well as an additional information sheet in French.
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U.S. Commemoration of War Crimes Commission Indictment of Top Nazis Cover
2012.1.159ab
White envelope with text in English: "War Crimes commission returns 25,000 Word Indictment vs. 24 Top Nazis including Goering, Hess and Von Ribbentrop." Includes a sheet with a blue "discontinued" stamp.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: A War Crimes Commission was set up shortly after the war. It returned indictments against twenty-four Nazis, twenty-one of whom later stood trial before the International Military Tribunal in Nuremburg. Of the twenty-one defendants at Nuremburg three were acquitted, seven drew prison sentences, and eleven were sentenced to be hanged.
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Polish Red Cross Souvenir Stamp Sheet Commemorating Polish Victims of Dachau
2012.1.413
White paper with six colorful serated stamps. Titled, "1.11.1945 Polish Committee Dachau-Allach" in English and Polish.
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Celebrating US Navy in WWII and Commemorating the Beginning of the Nuremburg Trials Envelope
2012.1.155
White envelope with English text: "Eisenhower Chief of Staff; Nimitz Chief, Naval Operations, Trial of Nazi War Criminals Begins To-day."
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Envelope celebrating the US Navy in WWII and commemorating the beginning of the Nuremburg Trials.
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Oradour-Sur-Glane Commemorative Postcard and Stamp
2014.1.200
Front: A sepia-colored photograph of a church and bridge with people walking. Includes a grey postage stamp and black hand stamp, as well as a caption in French.Back: Blank black printed postcard lines and text and a purple hand stamp.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Oradour-sur-Glane commemorative card and stamp. View taken from the bridge in happier days.
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KFAR ATA Interim Cover with Label Commemorating 25th Anniversary of Jezreel Valley
2021.1.64
Pale gray envelope with green stamp in the top right corner.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash:
Kfar Ata Interim cover with Haifa overprint on JNF label/stamp commemorating 25th anniversary of Jezreel Valley (1946). Cover postmarked Kfar Ata with Haifa District overprint.
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Holon Interim Cover from Holon with Jezreel Valley Stamp
2021.1.65
Pale brown envelope with gray stamp in top left corner and writing in black ink in bottom right corner.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash:
Holon Interim (Minhelet Haam) cover postmarked Holon, violet double ring cancellation and overprint. Jezreel Valley commemorative stamp (1946).
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Registered Cover from Tel Aviv with Stamps of Immigrant Ships and 25th Anniversary of Ramat Gan
2021.1.67
Pale gray envelope with three gray stamps and one green stamp across the top and one black stamp in the bottom left corner. Writing in green ink across the front.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash:
Tel Aviv registered interim cover, 13 May 1948 with 4 JNF labels/stamps, Tel Aviv postmarks and violet overprint: Immigrant Ships (1946) and 25th Anniversary Ramat Gan (1947).
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Haifa Interim Cover with Construction and Defense Stamp
2021.1.68
[Front]: White envelope with gray stamp in the top right corner and writing in black ink; [Back]: printed address in black font.