Deutsche Post Buchenwald Memorial

DEUTSCHE POST in the former German Democratic Republic on 8 September 1956 issued a first day cover stamp dedicated to the Buchenwald Memorial.  The maxicard shown here depicts the Buchenwald Bell Tower at the memorial. The FDC cancellation postmark of this red .20 pfennig stamp originated from Weimar.

The Buchenwald concentration camp, officially known as KL Buchenwald, was one of the largest concentration camps on German soil. It was operated between July 1937 and April 1945 on the Ettersberg near Weimar as a prison for forced labor. A total of around 266,000 people from European countries were imprisoned in the Buchenwald concentration camp during this period. The death toll is estimated at around 56,000, including 15,000 Soviet citizens, 7,000 Poles, 6,000 Hungarians and 3,000 French.  When the 3rd U.S. Army approached on 11 April 1945, the prisoners took over control of the camp from the withdrawing SS.