JUOZAS URBONAS

Postal History of Zanavykai Region 1842–2018

Five Frame Exhibit

Description: The structure of the Post of Zanavykai Region is investigated starting from the times of the Kingdom of Poland to which belonged Užnemunė and Zanavykija. The postal services were governed by the Administrative Council of Kingdom of Poland. After an uprising in 1831, the Russian Empire launched a reorganization of administration and postal structure. On March 26th, 1851, by the order of Senate of Russian Empire was formed the 13th postal county of Russia with Board of directors in Warsaw. During different periods the following frontier post offices and post stations operated in the Zanavykai region in 1815-1866: 1. Kudirkos Naujamiestis (Nowe Miasto, since December 11th, 1819, the name of the village is Wladyslawow) mail transportation and horse changing station since 1817. Until June 1st, 1863, it belonged to Marijampolė frontier post office and later was owned by Kybartai frontier post office. 2. Šakiai (Szaki) mail transportation and horse changing station since 1820. From 1820 it belonged to Marijampolė frontier post office and since April 1st, 1863 was owned by the Kybartai frontier post office. In 1815-1851 the post tract of Zanavykai region was Kaunas-Marijampolė-Naumiestis-Šakiai. At the end of 1857, the post stamps of the Russian Empire appeared in circulation and soon reached the Kingdom of Poland. On March 27th, 1858, were introduced the four-ring postmarks for cancellation and the name of the post offices titles were changed from Polish to Russian. In 1915 on the eve of the First World War on the territory of the present Lithuania were 193 Russian post offices, including only two in Zanavykai region: Šakiai (Shaki) and Kudirkos Naumiestis (Vladislavs). As the front of the First World War moved eastwards, postal institutions gradually moved to the depths of Russia. During the First World War 1915-1918 field mail didn’t exist in Zanavykai region, only permitted was so-called field post mail or East Prussia mail. Written extant letters which were written 1915-1918 are rarity in Zanavykai region. In Zanavykai region “Ober ost” post office for civilians were opened only in Kudirkos Naumiestis (Wladislawow) on January 16th, 1916. German frontier post office no. 969.