TOMAS BABRAVIČIUS

German Administration Post in Lithuania in the Years of World War I (1915-1918)

Five Frame Exhibit

Description:

In our view, Lithuanian collectors often overlook this topic, and it is discussed in literature, albeit frequently in an unsystematic and inconsistent manner. Currently, there is insufficient information about the presence or existence of certain postal facilities, and new facts often emerge, leading to unexplored research directions. Notably, authors such as Mr. Wolf Röttger, Vytautas Doniela, Vitoldas Fugalevičius, among others, have significantly contributed to this field. Through this exhibit, we aim to contribute to the unveiling of new information in this philatelic domain. The exhibition particularly emphasizes the military field post offices.

Most of the Ober-Ost territory, both under the then German military administration and during the 1920s when the borders were determined by treaties, belonged to Lithuania. Consequently, the primary focus of this exhibit is on postal objects circulated within the boundaries of this territory. The exhibit also features some postal facilities that are no longer within the present-day territory of Lithuania, such as Augustavas, Suvalkai, Gardinas, Lyda, etc. Subsequently, some of these territories were permanently occupied by Poland or became part of Belarus due to subsequent geopolitical events. Objects from the Ober-Ost – Kurland territory are not included in the exhibition, except for a few exceptions currently attributed to Lithuania (e.g., Palanga). The exhibition will also, with a few exceptions, exclude Grenzschutz mail, considering it a separate extensive topic.