Croatian Stamps

Regular stamps, revenues, Cinderella stamps and exile stamps of the Independent State of Croatia 1934 - today.

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Local stamps of the Independent State Of Croatia : Brač.

Some officers of the 3rd Battalion of the 738th Regiment of the 118th Division of the Wehrmacht, who occupied the Croatian island of Brač in January 1944, apparently had enough time and courage to produce some of the strangest Croatian stamps.

Under the pretext of wanting to help the poor on the island, to whom they wanted to give benefits, they came up with the idea of ​?​?issuing stamps. Unlike similar publications on the islands of Hvar and Korčula, the genesis of the Brač stamps is well known.

In the second half of April 1944, two officers of a German unit were sent to Dubrovnik from Nerežišće, the capital of the island of Brač. Accompanied by the field gendarme commander of the place, they visited the famous philatelist Erwin Zwerger and asked him for advice on how to create a philatelistically impeccable charity stamp for the island of Brač.

The next day, the gentlemen visited the "Jadran" printing house and requested that the printing house produce an issue of stamps of 5 or 6 denominations as soon as possible. The postcard of the island that had been brought was to serve as a template for the illustrations of the special purpose stamps.

The printing house rejected this request, explaining that they were technically incapable and did not have permission to print stamps. The two then disappeared and returned in the afternoon with reinforcements from the commander of the place and submitted a written order, which was handed over to the printing house under threat of legal action if the desired stamps were not produced.

Since the printing house was really unable to produce the labels for technical reasons, they changed their plan and decided to produce overprints, for which, of course, the original stamps were required.

It was not possible to take German stamps for this, because it was expressly from the O.K.W. was forbidden.

Postage stamps of the Independent State of Croatia did not want to be used, because these stamps would have to be purchased and there was also the danger of diplomatic steps by the Croatian government in the Reich government.

Therefore, stamps of the former Kingdom of Yugoslavia were used, which, however, had to be obtained from the postal warehouse in Cetinje, Montenegro. This did not cause great difficulties, because those two gentlemen organized the then very scarce fuel for their private needs and received the requested Yugoslav stamps in Cetinje.

Upon their return, the purchased sheets were brought to the printing house by the Feldgendarm and at the same time issued an order for the overprints to be made on the same day. The Feldgendarm waited in the printing house and after four hours he was able to collect the overprinted stamps. The printing house did not receive a receipt for the delivered stamps, let alone payment. Only two test prints on thick white paper and the order to overprint the stamps remained in the printing house.

Of these stamps, 50 sets were given to the command center of the town, and all the other sheets were taken to the island of Brač. The stamps that remained in Dubrovnik came into the possession of the philatelist Erwin Zwerger and are probably the only ones that survived.

The further fate of the stamps brought to Brač is as follows: at the beginning of May 1944, several stamps were sold at the post office in Nerežišće. Also, six letters with addresses in Dubrovnik were produced and delivered by the Wehrmachtskurier to the Dubrovnik command post. All other stamps were probably destroyed at the beginning of June 1944 during the battles for the island, because none of these stamps have appeared to this day and the persons who ordered the stamps were killed in the fighting.

 

 

 

Description :

Colour :

Year :

Limitation :

Special feature :

Mint :

Stamped :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 + 2 at 25 Para

Brownblack

April 1944

400 sheets

Red overprint.

300.00 €

450.00 €

4 + 4 at 50 Para

Orange

April 1944

400 sheets

Black overprint.

300.00 €

450.00 €

8 + 8 at 2 Dinar

Redlilac

April 1944

400 sheets

Black overprint.

275.00 €

425.00 €

16 + 16 at 25 Para

Brownblack

April 1944

400 sheets

Red overprint.

300.00 €

450.00 €

32 + 32 at 2 Dinar

Redlilac

April 1944

400 sheets

Black overprint.

275.00 €

425.00 €

 

 

Description :

Colour :

Year :

Limitation :

Special feature :

Mint :

Stamped :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

50 + 50 at 1 Dinar

Redcarmine

April 1944

500 sheets

Black overprint.

300.00 €

425.00 €

 

 

This is evidence that the issue of charity issues for the island of Brač was already known in 1944.

In the bulletin of the Croatian Philatelic Association in Zagreb, issue number 7-9 from July-September 1944, on pages 84 and 85, one can read about the charity issue for the island of Brač.

In it, one can read that some Zagreb stamp dealers received a letter from Mr. E. Zwerger from Dubrovnik, in which he offered to buy stamps issued by the command of the German armored forces on the island of Brač for the benefit of the poor population on the island of Brač.

So this is the proof that it is definitly a lie that this stamps are fanasy issues issued after WWII!

 

 

 

NEW IN STOCK :

 

Sandžak :

The Sandžak was from the April, 29th, 1941 for 6 months part of the Independent State of Croatia. At this date a stamp set, limited to 99 copies, was issued and given to the some members of the croatian customs members and Ustaša (all croatian muslims).

To honour this annexion, local patriots from the Sandžak who haven´t forgot this event have issued a set of 24 stamps with landscape-motives from the Sandžak at April, 29th, 2024.

[ READ MORE ] [ BUY HERE ]

 

Veterans Association Handschar :

The german Veterans Association Handschar have issued in 1955 two overprinted stamp-sets and between 1989-1994 80 stamp sets to help Croatians in emigration and in the 1990´s to collect money for croatian defense against the serbian aggression against Croatia.

[ READ MORE ] [ BUY HERE ]

 

The “Omoti”-sets :

In 1993 32 music-cover sets were issued from the emigration of the Independent State of Croatia. Every set contains 16 stamps.

8 sets are dedicated bands :
- 3 sets of Depeche Mode.
- 1 set of Kraftwerk.
- 1 set of Front 242.
- 1 set of Nitzer Ebb.
- 1 set of Front Line Assembly.
- 1 set of Skinny Puppy.

24 sets are dedicated to music styles :
- 8 sets of
70s/80s/90s Synthie Pop, Darkwave, Dark Electro, Italo Disco, Neofolk, ... .
- 2 sets of Electronic Body Music.
- 2 sets of Neue Deutsche Welle.
- 2 sets of House, Dance, ... .
- 3 sets of Hip Hop, Miami Bass, Freestyle, ... .
- 3 sets of Heavy Metal, Rock, Hard Rock, ... .
- 1 sets of Punk, Oi, ... .
- 3 sets of Italo Disco, Euro Disco, Hi NRG, ... .

[ READ MORE ] [ BUY HERE ]

In 1994 four music-cover sets were issued from the emigration of the Independent State of Croatia :

- 1 set of Erasure
- 1 set of Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
- 1 set of Pet Shop Boys
- 1 set of The Cure

[ READ MORE ] [ BUY HERE ]

In 2022 three more music-cover sets were issued from the emigration of the Independent State of Croatia :

- 3 sets of Neofolk, Industrial ...

[ READ MORE ] [ BUY HERE ]

In 2024 three band-sets of the band Rammstein were issued from the emigration of the Independent State of Croatia :

[ READ MORE ] [ BUY HERE ]

In 2024 nine music-cover sets were issued from the emigration of the Independent State of Croatia :

- 1 set of Adele
- 1 set of Ariana Grande
- 1 set of Beyoncé
- 1 set of Christina Aguilera
- 1 set of Lady Gaga
- 1 set of Miley Cyrus
- 1 set of Pink
- 1 set of Rihanna
- 1 set of Taylor Swift

[ READ MORE ] [ BUY HERE ]

 

Counties “Raša” and “Dubrava” :

After the italian capitulation in the year 1943 the croatian territories, occupied by fascistic Italy, returns to the Independent State of Croatia.

Overprints at italian stamps were issued from the Great County of Dubrava for the planed return of the Bay of Kotor and the planned foundation of the Great County of Raša (today known as Istria).

Read more about the [ Great County of Raša ] and the [ Great County of Dubrava ].

[ BUY HERE ]

 

Prince Eugen Gau :

Before the war III. Reich against the in theeses days existing Kingdom of Yugoslavia, the Germans threatened the Hungarians that if they did not participate in that war, the Volksdeutsche would declare a German state at the territory of Bačka, Banat and eastern Syrmia all the way to Belgrade. That German state was supposed to be connected with a corridor that would go partly around the Danube river to the territory of III. Reich, that is, to the Slovenian Prekomurje, which was then part of III. Reich.

After the proclamation of the Independent State of Croatia April 10, 1941 this plans didn´t stop and the Volksdeutsche planed the proclamation of that state at the birthday of Adolf Hitler
April 20, 1941. They had prepared 3 stamps with overprints on hungarian stamps, but the III. Reich didn´t support this plans, because they don´t want to have problems with the new state, the Independent State of Croatia and also not with Hungary.

The Hungarians were afraid of a possible realisation of such a exteritorial german territory and annexed first the Bačka at the April 11, 1941 and some days later Međimurije of the Independent State of Croatia at the April 16, 1941 so that a corridor between a possible "Prince Eugen Gau" and the III. Reich couldn´t be realized without a war between the Allies Hungary and the III. Reich.

[ READ MORE ] [ BUY HERE ]

 

HOS :

At April 10, 1993, the Croatian Defense Forces (Hrvatske Obrambene Snage = HOS) issued 2 different stamp sets and at April 10, 2024 the third HOS stamp set.

[ READ MORE ] [ BUY HERE ]

 

OZAK :

The "Operation Zone Adriatisches Küstenland" ("Operations Zone Adriatisches Küstenland" or "OZAK") existed from September 10, 1943, and consisted of the Croatian and Slovenian territories occupied by the Kingdom of Italy, as well as the territories in northern Italy, which from October 8, 1943 fell under the control of the German III. Reich, which had the meaning as an operational zone of the German Wehrmacht, means exclusively military.

After the capitulation of Italy on September 8, 1943, the Great County of Raša were established by the Independent State of Croatia from the Croatian areas of Istria, the Kvarer Islands, the city of Rijeka, which was donated to the Kingdom of Italy by Serbian Minister Pasić of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia under the Treaty of Rapala in 1920, the city of Trieste and the present-day Slovenian coast.

The Independent State of Croatia could only formally establish the Great County of Raša, because since the capitulation of Italy on the territory that the Kingdom of Italy got from the Kingdom of Yugoslavia the III. Reich took control since October 1, 1943 over the entire Istrian peninsula, the cities of Rijeka, Sušak, Bakar, Kastav, Čabra and the island of Krk. Those Croatian territories were included in the "Operational Zone of the Adriatic Coast" ("OZAK") together with the Italian provinces of Friuli, Trieste and Gorica, and until the capitulation of Italy to the occupied Slovenian province of Ljubljana from the Italians.

From some German activities, such as the ban of the teaching of the Italian language in schools and the introduction of the Croatian language, it can be concluded that the III. Reich planned the reintegration of the "Operational Zone of the Adriatic Coast" into the Velika župa Raša (Great County of Raša) of the Independent State of Croatia.

The course of the war prevented that return, as well as the return of Sandžak and the Bay of  Kotor from the III. Reich (which controled both areas) to the Independent State of Croatia.

[ READ MORE ] [ BUY HERE ]

 

Prince Eugen Division :

The Volksdeutsche from the Independent State of Croatia issued overprints on German stamps of the “Day of Wehmacht” in 1943 and 1944, which was given to the new members of the division "Prince Eugen".

[ READ MORE ] [ BUY HERE ]

 

Other stamp-series :

The emigration of the Independent State of Croatia has issues also in the year 1999 stamp series of Pope John Paul II.

In 2024 four Independent State of Croatia / Ukraine stamp-series were isued :
Slava Ukraini / Putler

In 2024 the Independent State of Croatia issued seven stamp-series :
- 2 stamp-series of landscapes of the Independent State of Croatia.
- 2 stamp-series with croatian food-motives.
- 3 stamp-series with croatian football fans

Other stamp series :

-
Beware of Yugoslavs
- Communist bandit Josip Broz Tito
- Croatian coat of arms
- Croatian Kingdom
- Croatian Muslims
- Erich von Däniken
- Fazlagića kula
- History of the Croats
- King and Queen of the Independent State of Croatia
-
Mother
- Sandžak 2024 in two sizes.
- Ustasha
- Velika Smradija (Velika Srbija/Great Serbia)
- Zvonimir Boban

 

Pocket watch :

Absolute rarity : we can offer you a Zenith Pocket watch with Rubins with coat of arms of the Independent State of Croatia and “Za dom spremni!” of the watchmaker Jozo Mazuric from Mostar. [ Read more ]

 

Coins :

We offer you very hard to find coins of the Independent State of Croatia and the 2nd exile.
[ Read more ]

 

Silver ring :

The german veteran-association “Handschar” issued in 1955 three different silver rings. One of them is that one with the coat of arms of the Independent State of Croatia. [ Read more ]

Prsten

 

 

Official stamps of the Independent State of Croatia 1941 - 1945 :

 

[ 1941 ] [ 1942 ] [ 1943 ] [ 1944 ] [ 1945 ].

Revenue stamps of the Independent State of Croatia 1941 - 1945 :

 

[ Banja Luka ] [ Bjelovar ] [ Derventa ] [ Dubrovnik ] [ Granešinska Dubrava ] [ Hrvatska Mitrovica ] [ Hrvatski Karlovci ] [ Karlovac ] [ Koprivnica ] [ Kustošija ] [ Nova Gradiška ]  [ Osijek ] [ Petrinja ] [ Petrovaradin ] [ Plehan ]
[ Rajlovac ] [ Ruma ] [ Samobor ] [ Sarajevo ]  [ Sinj ] [ Sisak ] [ Slavonski Brod ] [ Slavonska Požega ] [ Stara Pazova ] [ Stenjevec ] [ Sveta Klara ] [ Sveta Nedelja ] [ Šestine ] [ Tuzla ] [ Vinkovci ] [ Virovitica ] [ Vrapče ] [ Vrbovec ]
[ Vukovar ] [ Zagreb ] [ Zemun ]

Local stamps of the Independent State of Croatia 1941 - 1945 :

 

[ Alpenvorland Adria ] [ Banat ] [ Banja Luka ] [ Belišće ] [ Berane ] [ Bay of Kotor ] [ Brač ] [ Great County of Dubrava ] [ Great County of Rasa ] [ Hvar ] [ Korčula ] [ Lastovo ] [ Međimurje ] [ OZAK ] [ Prinz Eugen Gau ]
[ Rijeka / Kupa ] [ Sandžak ] [ Šibenik ] [ Split ] [ Sušak ] [ Ugljan ] [ Zadar ]

All other stamps of the Independent State of Croatia 1941 - 1945 :

 

[ Association of Croatian Mountaineering Societies ] [ Catholic Church ] [ Court Stamps ] [ Croatian Red Cross ] [ Croatian State Railways ] [ Defense Surcharges ] [ Dunav Insurance ] [ European Insurance ] [ Excise Stamps ]
[ Fiscal Stamps ] [ German National Group ] [ Hitler Youth ] [ Inselpost ] [ Journalist Pension Fund ] [ Lawyer Pension Fund ] [ Military Stamps ] [ Monopoly ] [ Muslim Community ] [ National Defense ]
[ Pension Fund for Employees of the S.P.Ž. ] [ Porto Stamps ] [ Sales Tax Control Tapes ] [ Sports ] [ SS Division "Prince Eugen" Access Stamps ] [ Student Fund ] [ Surcharge Stamps ] [ Tax Stamps ] [ Travel Fund Fee ]
[ Unissued Stamps ] [ Unknown Stamps ] [ Vignettes ] [ Zagreb Electric Tram ]

Stamps of the emigration of the Independent State of Croatia 1934 and after 1945 :

 

[ 1934 ] [ Croatian exile gouverment stamps ] [ Croatian Franciscans from McKeesporta / Pennsylvania ] [ Croatian Philatelic Society from Australia ] [ German Veterans Association “Handschar” ] [ Music Stamps ]
[ Private and semi-private stamps ] [ Republic Croatia from 1971 ]

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