Postbag label from German Cameroon / Koloniale Postsackmarke aus Deutsch-Kamerun
Foto: Henk Groenendijk
Beitrag von Henk Groenendijk (in Englisch)
I came across the illustrated item. It can be described as follows:
Brass, width 59 mm, height 79,5 mm, hole at top (Messing, 59 x 79,5 mm, oben gelocht)
O: Post von Jaunde nach Jukaduma (incuse letters, within incuse rectangle / the incuse letters and rim are blackened, now mostly worn off)
R: Blank (leer)
This item is appears to be a postbag label, originating from the former German protectorate of Cameroon (Kamerun). The present name of the places mentioned is Yaoundé (Jaunde) and Yokadouma (Jukaduma). Yaoundé is the capital of present day Cameroon.
In the “Deutsche Kolonial-Lexikon” the following can be found about these locations [1]:
Jaunde, Hauptstadt des Bezirks Jaunde in Südkamerun, eine der ältesten deutschen Stationen im Hinterland der Kolonie. Jetzt besitzt Jaunde außer dem Bezirksamt und einer Kompagnie der Schutztruppe ein Polizeiamt, eine Postagentur, ein Lepraheim, eine Viehzuchtstation, eine Reg.-Schule und 14 europäische Faktoreien. Die Katholische Mission der Pallottiner (s. Genossenschaft der Pallottiner) hat in Jaunde eine Niederlassung. Die Zahl der Weißen des Bezirks beträgt 114 (1913).
Jukaduma ist ein Bezirk in Südkamerun mit der gleichnamigen Hauptstadt, die früher unter dem Namen Posten Plehn bekannt war. Der Bezirksort ist Sitz einer Polizeistation, einer Postagentur und einer ganzen Reihe von Faktoreien.
Jaunde was not always the capital (Hauptstadt). The colonial government was first established in Duala (1884–1901), then moved to Buea (1901-1915) and finally to Jaunde (Yaoundé). Colonization of Cameroon by Germany was started in 1884 with the signing of “Schutzverträgen” with local leaders [2]. It ended in 1916/1919 as a result of the first World war. The colony was then divided and taken over by Britain and France. The French part became independent on 1 January 1960. It was united with former British Cameroon on 1 October 1961.
The postal history of Cameroon is described in [3]: From 1 February 1887 the “Reichspost” started to operate in the new colony, using German stamps, with “Kamerun”, “Viktoria Kamerungebiet” or “Rio del Rey” as cancellations. The postal authorities started to issue stamps in 1897, with six “Kamerun” overprints on German stamps (valid until 30/9/1901). This was followed by the regular German stamps for its colonies, showing the Imperial Yacht “Hohenzollern”, in 1900 (valid until February 1916).
Stamps with cancellations for Jaunde and Jukaduma are pictured below [3]:
On the “Verwaltungs und Verkehrskarte von Kamerun” shown on page 34 in [3], no postal route or road between Jaunde and Jukaduma is indicated thus Jukaduma seems to be a minor destination.
The date of use of the postbag label is between 1887 (start of the postal service) and 1916 (end of the German postal service). In a recent catalogue, listing the tokens of the German Colonies [4], only one official and two private tokens are listed for “Kamerun”. This postbag label is not listed. Nor are postbag labels listed for any of the other German Colonies.
In the massive encyclopaedia of tokens by Wolfgang Hasselmann [5] no mention is made of metal postbag labels.
To obtain further information I contacted the “Museum für Kommunikation” in Berlin, Germany. I received the following answers to my questions [6]:
- Is this indeed a postbag label: Unfortunately we don’t know;
- Are similar items from other places in Kamerun known: We have none;
- Have metal postbag label been in use in mainland Germany or any of its colonies: Our research so far has not led to any positive results.
References (Quellen)
[1] Deutsches Kolonial-Lexikon / hrsg. von Heinrich Schnee. – Leipzig : Quelle & Meyer 1920. – 3 Bde. Online: http://www.ub.bildarchiv-dkg.uni-frankfurt.de/Bildprojekt/Lexikon/Standardframeseite.php
[2] https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamerun_(deutsche_Kolonie)
[3] African Postal Heritage; African Studies Centre Leiden; APH Paper 2 Cameroon 1884-1920s; Ton Dietz; Version October 2016. Online: https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/handle/1887/32069
[4] Nils Leipner, Marken und Token der ehemaligen deutschen Kolonien. Eigenverlag 2016, ISBN 978-3-00-052872-9.
[5] Wolfgang Hasselmann, Marken und Zeichen Lexikon, Lexikon für die im deutschsprachigen Raum aus Metall geprägten Marken und Zeichen in 4 Bänden. Bogon Verlag 2007. ISBN 3936059284.
[6] email from: Anke Höwing, Sammlungsreferentin Museumsstiftung Post und Telekommunikation. 19 may 2017.
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Schlagworte: Deutsche KolonienGerman CameroonHenk GroenendijkJaundeJukadumaPostbagPostsackmarke