Österreich Post "Niemals Vergessen (Never Forget)" Surtax Stamps 1946

 

ÖSTERREICH POST first introduced commemorative stamps in June 1946.  These included the first of many future issues of surtaxed pictorial and/or commemorative stamps whose purpose was to raise revenue for public charities, public celebrations, and for reconstruction projects.  Austria experienced incredible devastation during World War II, and with returning prisoners of war, impoverished and homeless civilians, and the damage caused by enemy bombings, an incredible amount of money was needed to care for the citizens.

As proven before, in Austria and other European countries, the surtaxed sale of postage stamps was a great way to raise revenues for these national causes.  To this end, eight surtaxed Austria stamps shown here were issued on 16 September 1946 for the Anti-Fascist Exhibition in Vienna. The theme of the exhibition was "Niemals Vergessen (Never Forget)", which refers to the 'Oesterreich Anschluss' (Nazi Germany's forced annexation of Austria in 1938.

These surtax also contributed to the funding for the exhibition. The allegorical stamps included:

 - 05 G. + 03 G. - Nazi sword piercing Austria.

 - 06 G. + 04 G. - Sweeping away Fascist symbols.

 - 08 G. + 06 G. - St. Stephan's Cathedral in flames.

 - 12 G. + 12 G. - Pleading hand in a concentration camp.

 - 30 G. + 30 G. - Hand choking Nazi serpent.

 - 42 G. + 42 G. - Hammer breaking Nazi pillar.

 - 01 S. + 01 S. - Oath of allegiance.

 - 02 S. + 02 S. - Austrian eagle and a burning swastika.

Additionally there were two other stamps prepared for this series, but they were never issued.  The Allied Occupation governments felt that these designs were too graphic and incendiary, and the release of these stamps was forbidden.

The few examples that are on the philatelic market today are very rare, and when they are offered for sale, the prices can vary wildly.

They are described as follows:

- 05 G. + 03 G. - SS lightening bolt striking a map of Austria.

- 06 G. + 04 G. - Skeleton with Adolf Hitler mask.