1939-44 Poland — issued under German occupation

1939 surcharged German stamps

Germany invaded Poland Sept. 1, 1939, and annexed the Polish territories along its eastern border. Surcharged stamps issued Dec. 1 were created by overprinting “Deutsche Post OSTEN” (“German Post EAST”)and new values in Polish currency on existing German definitives picturing German President Paul von Hindenburg. The rest of German-occupied Poland was established as an administrative region of the Third Reich.

1940-44 General gouvernement issues

The first stamps for the occupied administrative region, known as the General Government, were Polish stamps of 1937 heavily surcharged with the words “General Gouvernement,” the Nazi eagle and swastika emblem, and new or matching values in Polish currency. Later stamps inscribed “Generalgouvernement” (some also inscribed “Deutsches Reich”) were issued as postage, semipostal, rural delivery and Official stamps.