The town Žagarė (Zhagory, Schagory) is situated close to the border with Latvia and is almost equidistant to both Šiauliai and Jelgava (Mitava, Mitau) in Latvia. In World War One, during the battles for Šiauliai, Žagarė was passed through by German units of 6. Kavallerie-Division as early as May 5, 1915 and, after a Russian counter-offensive, was regained securely on July 15.
When the German forces withdrew from Russia at the end of 1918, Žagarė came under Soviet control in early 1919 until, after a hard fight, Žagarė was taken on March 11 by 2. Garde-Reserve-Regiment during the Grenzschutz drive for Riga. In the second half of 1919, especially after the formation of the Russo-German Westarmee, Žagarė and northern Lithuania were troubled by the “bermontininkai” who resorted to requisitioning.
In czarist times, Žagarė had had a post office (Zhagory) which was not revived during the German occupation. A postal facility was planned or opened during the short period of Bolshevik rule in early 1919 but there is no surviving evidence of its activity. A mandate, as įgaliotinis, to open a Lithuanian post office was issued to Jonas Vilmanas, effective from April 10, 1919. As from July 26, he was assisted by Aleksandra Vilmanytė and on May 28, 1920 the staff was supplemented by Jonas Kerelis.
Throughout 1919, Grenzschutz and similar troops coming or serving in Žagarė used their own Frw. Feldpost 383 stationed in Latvia, but occasionally they made use of Lithuanian postal services to send home postcards franked at 40 skatikai.
For stamps, Žagarė was at first supplied with values of Second Kaunas Issue and, according to a note by Norton, values of Third Kaunas Issue [this need checking]. Before long, Fourth Berlin Issue was provided, followed by the Sėjėjas Issue and at least some values of the 2-Year Independence set.
Earliest cancelling at Žagarė was done by manuscript, showing place and date.
By early 1920, this mode was replaced by utilising a standard box-type cachet provided for money orders and parcel cards.
A standard calendar-type postmarker was supplied by mid-1920 or earlier.
Known provisional markings:
Cancelling by manuscript:
14 / IV / 19 cover to Kaunas, Kaunas III [Kaunas II ?] 30 [reported by Norton]
14 / IV / 19 cover to Kaunas, Kaunas III [Kaunas II ?] 30 [reported by Norton]
14 / IV / 19 cover to Kaunas, Kaunas III [Kaunas II ?] 30 [reported by Norton]
14 / IV / 19 cover to Kaunas, Kaunas III [Kaunas II ?] 30 [reported by Norton]
19 / IV / 19 cover to Kaunas, Kaunas II 30 [colln. Bubnys]
8 / V / 19 single, Berlin IV 15 [formerly Norton]
4 / VII / 19 single, Berlin IV 40 [colln. Brazdeikis]
19 / VIII / 19 single, Berlin IV 15 [colln. Liesis]
4 / X / 19 cover to Riga, Berlin IV 20 x2 [colln. ?]
…/ X / 19 single, Berlin IV 30 [colln. Doniela]
13 / XII / [19] single, Berlin IV 40 [colln. Wilson]
19 – 12 – 19 single, Berlin IV 30 [colln. Doniela]
30 – 12 – 1919m strip of 3, Berlin IV 10 [colln. Doniela]Cancelling by boxed cachet:
21 – 2 – 20 card to Kaunas, Berlin IV 20 [colln. Bubnys]
No date cover to Germany, Berlin IV 30×2 [fomerly Matuzas]
No date single, Berlin IV 40 [colln. Liesis]
No date singles, Berlin IV 30, 60 [colln. Doniela]
No date single, Kaunas Col. 15 [colln. Lapas]
No date single, 2nd Indep. 10 [colln. Doniela]