Welcome to the German Reichspost

RPM, Reich Postal Ministry

RPM, Reichspostministerium

 

Home
About the site
Contact Us
History
Photos
Reichspost Information

 

Reichspost Information

Leaders

Georg Schätzel

Reichspostminister des Deutschen Reiches

Paul Freiherr von Eltz-Rübenach

Reichspostminister des Deutschen Reiches

Paul Freiherr von Eltz-Rübenach (9 February 1875 - 25 August 1943)the Reichspost Minister (Reichspostminister) and Minister of Transport (Reichsminister für Verkehr) of Germany between 1932 and 1937.

Karl Wilhelm Ohnesorge

Reichspostminister des Deutschen Reiches

Wilhelm Ohnesorge, center, in civilian attire holding hat, 1937

 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Karl Wilhelm Ohnesorge (8 June 1872 - 1 February 1962) was a German politician in the Third Reich who sat in Hitler's cabinet. From 1937 to 1945, he also acted as the minister and official of the Reichspost, the German postal service, having succeeded Paul Freiherr von Eltz-Rübenach as minister. Along with his ministerial duties, Ohnesorge also significantly delved into research relating to propagation and promotion of the Nazi Party through the radio, and the development of a proposed German atomic bomb.

Life

Born in Gräfenhainichen, Saxony-Anhalt, Ohnesorge started working for the Imperial Post in 1890. He later went on to study Physics in Kiel and Berlin, before he became the head of the postal service in the Imperial Headquarters during World War I.

Ohnesorge first met Hitler sometime in 1920, and they became good friends. Shortly after this, he joined the Nazi Party (Party Membership Nr. 42), founding its first branch outside Bavaria, at Dortmund. By the year 1929, he had become the president of the Central Office of the Reichspost, Germany's central postal service. With the Nazi takeover in 1933 Ohnesorge was named State Secretary, and he de facto supervised the Reichspost, particularly engaging himself for the propagation of the Nazi Party and their goals through the Post. From 1937, he assumed the duties of Minister of the Reichspost, succeeding Paul Freiherr von Eltz-Rübenach.

Ohnesorge was also intrigued by the possibility of party propagation through wire signals and radio, and became known as something of a technician for his work in making the latter technically possible. He is also known to have contributed heavily to research towards a German atomic bomb, despite his occupation as the minister of the German postal service, which would constantly tax his time. He presented many designs and diagrams of his ideas to Hitler himself, with whom he had developed a personal companionship.

During the denazification after the war, as a leading member of the Party, charges were brought against him. However, for unknown reasons, these charges were later revoked, and Ohnesorge was not penalised for his involvement with the Nazis. His life post-war remains undocumented.

Ohnesorge died at the age of 89 on 1 February 1962 in Munich.

 

From the archives:

A letter of congratulations from his friend and former employer, Der Reichspostminister Karl Wilhelm Ohnesorge;


****************************************
Berlin, May 15th 1942

Oberleutnant
Erwin Koopmann

Postal protection school Besenhorst

My dear comrade!

I have already been able to send you my congratulations because of your decoration with
the Iron Cross 1st class. But I am especially happy that you have again shown your
valour in the field, so that the Führer has now decorated you with the German Cross in
Gold. All my warmest congratulations for this high decoration. I am proud that there are
comrades in my following who are a bright example in the battle for Germany’s honour
and liberty.

Because of your heroic efforts, I will take into consideration whether you can be
promoted – e.g. for use in the occupied eastern territories, after you have returned from
military service. Should you have certain wishes in this connection, you may contact me
any time.

I am wishing you to recover fairly soon and completely from your wounds.

Heil Hitler!

Ohnesorge

**********

References

 

 

German Postal Officials - Reichspost
1900 - 1915

Introduction

At the outbreak of WW1, 3 postal services existed in the German Empire. These were the

·  Kaiserlich Deutschen Feldpost

·  Königlich Bayerische Feldpost

·  Königlich Württembergische Feldpost

When the war started, these 3 services were combined under one command. A commanding structure was adopted in the German Army, from Army to Division level.

Positions used at the outbreak of the war :

·  Armee-Postdirektor

·  Feldpostmeister

·  Feld-Oberpostsekretäre

·  Feldpostschaffner

·  Feldpostillone

·  Trainsoldaten

The Postal Services personal were military employees during the First World War. They were responsible for distributing the post between the front and home and were thus very important for the moral of the troops.

Ranking used was as follows:

·  Feldpostbeambte : wearing shoulder boards

·  Feldpostunterbeambte

·  Feldpostillone

Postal Official (Feldpostbeambte)

The Feldpostbeambte wore a dark blue uniform in 1914 (called Dienstkleidung 1907) and continued to do so until September 1914 when a new field-gray uniform was introduced. In the early days of the war, German Postal Officials were often shot at, because their uniform and cape closely resembled the French officer appearance.

Even after the introduction of the field-gray uniform, it was allowed to use the pre-war outfit as long as available. Distinctive piping of postal troops was orange. The dark blue tunic was piped in orange down the front, along the ham, and around the cuffs.

The collar was decorated with two large orange stripes separated with a dark blue center. Rank stars were fixed on both the collar and one the shoulder boards. The Reichspostadler or Imperial Postal Eagle, was made from yellow metal and featured the shoulder straps. The Reichspostadler can also be found on each of the tunic buttons and on the cap.

 

 

Transition of the Austrian Post to the Reichspost in 1938

 

A link to superb website that provides information regarding incorporation of Austrian post into the German Reichspost in 1938:

Transition of the Austrian Post to the Reichspost in 1938

 

Reichspost Data:

German Reichspost 1900-1937 (in millions)

[Graphic]

Jahr

Year

Beförderte Briefsendungen Carried letters

Beförderte Paket- und Warensendungen

Transported parcels and consignments

Übermittelte Telegramme

Sent telegrams

1900 1900 3175 3175 180 180 41 41
1901 1901 3397 3397 184,2 184,2 40,5 40,5
1902 1902 3602 3602 192,3 192,3 40,4 40,4
1903 1903 3834 3834 199,7 199,7 41,5 41,5
1904 1904 4036 4036 207,4 207,4 42,7 42,7
1905 1905 4247 4247 217,2 217,2 45,6 45,6
1906 1906 4665 4665 224,7 224,7 46,8 46,8
1907 1907 5158 5158 232,2 232,2 49,2 49,2
1908 1908 5347 5347 241,9 241,9 48,7 48,7
1909 1909 5660 5660 254 254 50,9 50,9
1910 1910 5508 5508 267,2 267,2 52,6 52,6
1911 1911 5800 5800 277,1 277,1 54,5 54,5
1912 1912 6259 6259 291,7 291,7 57,5 57,5
1913 1913 6822 6822 298,5 298,5 57,6 57,6
1914 1914 5798 5798 274,2 274,2 66,5 66,5
1915 1915 5001 5001 311,4 311,4 64,5 64,5
1916 1916 4917 4917 342,7 342,7 62,8 62,8
1917 1917 4482 4482 365,5 365,5 70,5 70,5
1918 1918 4650 4650 353,9 353,9 77,3 77,3
1919 1919 4346 4346 262,1 262,1 82,8 82,8
1920 1920 4705 4705 267,1 267,1 79,6 79,6
1921 1921 4821 4821 258,4 258,4 81,5 81,5
1922 1922 3912 3912 235,5 235,5 63,2 63,2
1923 1923 3225 3225 163,8 163,8 57,1 57,1
1924 1924 4387 4387 259,8 259,8 42,7 42,7
1925 1925 6667 6667 265 265 47,3 47,3
1926 1926 6763 6763 274,6 274,6 43,9 43,9
1927 1927 7678 7678 307 307 45 45
1928 1928 7771 7771 285,6 285,6 41,1 41,1
1929 1929 7663 7663 278 278 37,5 37,5
1930 1930 6461 6461 260,6 260,6 31,7 31,7
1931 1931 5924 5924 233,6 233,6 25,1 25,1
1932 1932 5600 5600 231,7 231,7 21,3 21,3
1933 1933 5504 5504 252,9 252,9 20,8 20,8
1934 1934 5564 5564 264,5 264,5 19,3 19,3
1935 1935 5765 5765 282,2 282,2 19 19
1936 1936 6434 6434 300,5 300,5 19,7 19,7
1937 1937 6815 6815 311,3 311,3 19,4 19,4

Zahlen nach Bevölkerung und Wirtschaft 1872-1972, S. 209 Figures on population and economy 1872-1972, p. 209

Auf die Zahl der beförderten Briefe wirkte sich der Erste Weltkrieg kaum aus. The number of letters carried in the First World War had hardly. Bis zum Ende der Inflationszeit ist die Zahl der beförderten Briefe leicht rückläufig, danach steigt sie wieder etwas an. By the end of the inflationary period, the number of letters is carried slightly, then it increases again in something. Auf die Gesamtzahl der beförderten Pakete hatte der Krieg noch weniger Auswirkungen.

The total number of transported packets, the war had even less impact. Die Zahl der übermittelten Telegramme ging seit 1921 zurück. The number of sent telegrams declined since 1921.

 

* Source - DEUTSCHES HISTORISCHES MUSEUM

 

Other Reichspost Links:

DRP to 1933-48

German Postal History