1937 was a fairly quiet year for German stamp collectors – and somewhat frugal one for the printers – with only seventeen different stamps being distributed. Perhaps the most notable releases were the four minisheet blocks featuring a portrait of Adolf Hitler and the Winterhilfswerke set featuring a number of ships, which has become a sought-after set for thematic collectors. Apart from the first and last sets, all of the designs appeared to be recycled in some way – the Hitler portrait stamp was used in different forms to mark four different events, while the “Braune Band” stamp was simply the previous year’s design with an additional red cachet applied.
3rd March 1937, Luftschutz (Air Raid Protection)
Sondermarken (Commemoratives)
Three values: 3Rpf., 6Rpf., 12Rpf. (Mi. Nr. 643-645)
5th April 1937, 48. Geburtstag von Adolf Hitler (48th Birthday of Adolf Hitler)
Sondermarke (Commemorative)
One value: 6+19Rpf. (Mi. Nr. 646) + Miniature Sheet (Mi. Block Nr. 7)
16th April 1937, Nationale Briefmarkenausstellung (National Philatelic Exhibition)
Sondermarke (Commemorative)
One value: 6+19Rpf. (Mi. Nr. 647, as 646 but imperforate) + Miniature Sheet (Mi. Block Nr. 8)
10th June 1937, Hitlers Kulturförderung (Hitler’s Culture Fund)
Sondermarke (Commemorative)
One value: 6+19Rpf. (Mi. Nr. 648, as 646 but with se-tenant labels indicating +25Rpf.) + Miniature Sheet (Mi. Block Nr. 9)
1st August 1937, 4. Rennen um das Braune Band von München Riem (4th Running of the Brown Riband, München-Riem)
Sondermarke (Commemorative)
One value: 42+108Pf (Mi. Nr. 649, as 621 with red cachet overprint) + Miniature Sheet (Mi. Block Nr. 10)
3rd September 1937, 9. Nürnberger Reichsparteitag (9th Reich Party Day in Nürnberg)
Sondermarke (Commemorative)
One value: 6+19Rpf. (Mi. Nr. 650, as 646 but with side panel overprint “Reichsparteitag Nürnberg 1947”.) + Miniature Sheet (Mi. Block Nr. 11)
4th November 1937, Winterhilfswerke (Winter Relief Fund) – Schiffe (Ships)
Sondermarken (Commemoratives)
Nine values: 3+2Rpf., 4+3Rpf., 5+3Rpf., 6+4Rpf., 8+4Rpf., 12+6Rpf., 15+10Rpf., 25+15Rpf., 40Rpf+35. (Mi. Nr. 651-659)