Postal History

Dutch volunteers who served with the German forces in Russia utilized the same Feldpost services as their fellow compatriots. Mail weighing up to 250gms could be sent free to the Netherlands. There was a 20Rpf fee for packages weighing up to 1000gms. All Feldpost mail sent by Legionnaires was subject to censorship.
In 1941, Feldpost mail addressed to SS-Dutch volunteers was forwarded to the "SS Ersatzkommando Niederlande" in "Den Haag" (the Hague) for examination. By March 1944, this function had been transferred to the "SS Hauptamt D-II-2" in Maastricht.

The Dienstpost Systems were established in most occupied countries because of possible sabotage and espionage activities in the local post offices. On 5 June 1940, the "Deutsche Dienstpost Niederlande (DDPN)" (German Official Postal Service in the Netherlands) was set up. The purpose of the DDPN was to provide postal services to and from Germany for civil service and military personnel. Mail could be posted by Dutch citizens to German and Dutch military personnel through the Dienstpost system free of charge same as the Feldpost services. However mail sent through the DDPN system by German civilians and commercial businesses not dealing with the military required German postage. A 15Rpf fee was charged for mail weighing 100 to 250gms and for packages up to 1000gms a 20Rpf fee was charged.
Feldpost mail sent through DDPN system was sent to the Ehrenfeld branch of the Cologne-Riehl censor office before postal delivery. By April 1944, incoming Feldpost mail was forwarded to Maastricht in southern Holland for censorship and delivery service.

Dutch Legion Souvenir Sheets

The Dutch Legion stamps were issued by the Dutch postal administration on 1 November 1942. These are two semi-postal stamps portraying Dutch Legionnaires. Both stamps were printed in sheets of one hundred.

In addition two souvenir sheets were printed as shown above.
The 1st stamp is valued at 7-1/2 (+) 2-1/2Cents, the design is in vertical format, has a dark red color and 1,088,134 were printed. There were 131,424 sheets of ten stamps issued.
The 2nd stamp is valued at 12-1/2 (+) 87-1/2Cents, the design is in horizontal format, has an ultramarine color and 527,532 were printed. There were 121,211 sheets of four stamps issued.

Both sheets have a Dutch inscription, which reads in English "STAMP ISSUED FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE SUPPLY FUNDS OF THE DUTCH LEGION, 1942." Both stamps were designed by WJH Nijs and were printed by Enschede and Zoren, Haarlem, Netherlands. Both the stamps and the souvenir sheets have watermark circles and have 12-1/2 x 12mm perforations. Sale of stamps ceased on 28 February 1943, and they remained valid until 31 December 1943. All remainders were destroyed. The surtax from these stamps was used to benefit the Legion.

Dutch Legion Ambulance Label

Dutch Legion Stamps

Above is a legitimate SS Feldpost cover mailed by a Dutch Legionnaire. The reverse of the cover shows a military ambulance label, the Dutch Red-Cross unit was attached to the legion. Notice the Legionnaires name and Feldpost number.

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