Postal relationship between France-Prussia in 1817

    Hello to everybody
    I'm new of this forum, even if i've met someone of you elsewhere.
    My name is Roberto. I collect the polish area, stamps and, for the period up to 1875, letters and postal history in general sent from/to polish area to/from foreign destinations. Before WWI, Poland didn't exist as an independent country, but it was subdivided into three occupied area (in three "zabory", using the polish term): the prussian partition, the austrian partition (Galicia) and the russian partition (the Kingdom of Poland).
    Actually, i'm trying to study the postal relationship between France and Prussia of 1817, and how do they relate to mail coming from Russia to France throught Prussia. Is there anyone who has the same (or similar) interess? Could anyone provide a bibliography (better if in english) concerning this matter? In particular, i'm also interested in postal rates within Prussia in the same period, how was they calculated depending on distance and weight...
    Bye
    Roberto (ameis33)

    There should be a few here who can help you. Whether they can write in English is another matter. However if it is relatively concise I will only too willingly translate the information.

    regards

    Nigel

    Sammeln wie es einem Spaß macht

    @roberto:

    There are several rate studies and books about the subject, but all in German. Best source is still Heinrich von Stephans "Geschichte der Preussischen Post", written in 1858 with detailled information about the postal relations between Prussia and all neighbouring countries.

    I've looked for the book you suggest. Tell me if i'm wrong. It has been originally printed in 1858, then reprinted several time later on. A little note. The original book has been printed with a gothic font. I'm not sure, but i've already seen other old dokuments, and it seems to me realistic that the gothic was used. I underline this aspect because the gothic is not very readable. What about a reprint?
    It should cover the prussian postal system since the origin (XV century?) up to now (well, "now" when the book was written is 1858...). I will think about.

    BTW, how do you judge wikipedia?


    Can i make a second question? I have one of the Feuser's postmark catalogs, in particular the transit and disinfection postmarks catalog, but some postmarks (i.e. "PRUSSE PAR FORBACH/GIVET") are not catalogated. Do you know a catalog which cover also these last? I know (just by name) two: the one written by Van der Linden and the one written by Bruns. The first is quite expansive (catalog + update is over 150 euro...) and also it seems to me too general (i've seen some pages). About the second i don't have any information. I was looking something more specific...

    ameis33:

    The reprint is also in gothic but the price is affordable and the content unbeatable. But yes, hard to read and in old fashioned German. You might try to get the foreign postal rates of Prussia compiled by Steven.

    Wikipedia: Not bad, but only the internal postage.

    The VdL "Marques de Passage" is not that expensive but essential for transit postmarks. Soluphil sells the package at 120 Euro.

    I do not know of a catalogue done by Bruns, we aren´t talking about the Aachen postmarks?

    I have the full text of the postal treaty between France and Prussia. I will try to explain briefly. Let's consider an unpaid letter.
    The cost to be paid by the addressee is made by two terms. The cost of the transit in the sender country (defined in the treaty) plus the cost of the shipment from the exchange post office which handled the letter to the final destination. This second term is not fixed by the treaty, and it has to be calculated applying the normal post rates for the inland. I have the french rates (something simplified can be found also online), but not the prussian rates (just few information). That's the reason of my request. I will think about this book (at least, for the figures)...

    Well, maybe 150 euro is the cover price. I agree with you about the goodness of the VdL catalog, but i'm not yet 100% sure to purchase it...

    The postmark i was speaking about was applied when the letter entered in France at the Forbach or Givet offices. Aachen is one of the corresponding offices in Prussia. Feuser mention but doesn't catalog them. If i understood well, they're out of the scope of the catalog.

    Thank you for your reply anyway. Interested to see some letter (very common, nothing special)?








    ameis33:

    There are two books written about the analysis of prefilatelic letters and treaties, written by Dr. Helbig. They should give you an general idea how to approach the subject.

    And you could contact Andreas Grünewald directly: - he has recently written a book about the postal relations between France and Bavaria and is one of the best experts of European prephilately.