Mikelmontas as a very short-lived Lithuanian place-name was known in czarist times as Michelmond. It is a railway station on the Šiauliai - Kaišiadorys (Koschedary) – Vilnius route, ca. 15 km south of Baisogala (Bejsagola). Because of its proximity … [Read more...] about Mikelmontas (Michelmond) 1919
Provisional Postmarks
Mosėdis (also Mosėdys)
Mosėdis is a township in northwestern Lithuania (Žemaitija), 12 km south of Skuodas and half-way to Salantai. The locality seems to have had no postal facility in czarist times, as it does not appear in Harry von Hofmann's listing in Baltische … [Read more...] about Mosėdis (also Mosėdys)
Naumiestis (Šakių, Kudirkos) 1919
There are two towns in Lithuania with the name “Naumiestis” which are usually differentiated by a further geographic addition. The Naumiestis in Žemaitija, in the district of Tauragė, is postally known as “Naumiestis (Taurag.)” or, more … [Read more...] about Naumiestis (Šakių, Kudirkos) 1919
Naumiestis (Tauragės) 1919
Two towns in Lithuania bear the same name “Naumiestis”. Naumiestis (Tauragės, or Žemaičių) is situated in Žemaitija in the district of Tauragė and lies close to the border of what used to be Memelland (the northernmost part of … [Read more...] about Naumiestis (Tauragės) 1919
Nemakščiai 1919-1920
The township Nemakščiai (Nemokshty, Niemokschty) is situated on the major highway linking Tilsit and Šiauliai. In WWI, when the German forces advanced into Žemaitija and Courland, Nemakščiai was taken on the very first day of the advance, … [Read more...] about Nemakščiai 1919-1920
Nemunėlio (Naujas) Radviliškis 1919-1920
Nemunėlio (Naujas) Radviliškis is a township ca. 23 km north of Biržai, on the border with Latvia. In World War One, it was entered by German 8. Kavallerie-Division on August 7, 1915. During the German withdrawal from Russia at the end of … [Read more...] about Nemunėlio (Naujas) Radviliškis 1919-1920
Vilnius – the one-liner “Wilna”
Update: Audrius Brazdeikis reports cachet “Wilna” used on a third type of Ob.-Ost registration etiquettes In World War One, Vilnius was taken by the German Tenth Army, led by Gen. Hermann von Eichhorn, on August 18, 1915. A civilian post office … [Read more...] about Vilnius – the one-liner “Wilna”
Pagiriai (also Pagirys) 1919–1922
Pagiriai (later renamed Pagirys) is a township about half-way between Kėdainiai and Ukmergė. In czarist times and on WWI German military maps it was known as Pogiry. In WWI it was taken by German troops in the autumn of 1915 during their … [Read more...] about Pagiriai (also Pagirys) 1919–1922
Pakruojis 1919
In czarist times, the post-and-telegraph office of Pakruojis (Pokroi) was opened some time before 1900. Most, if not all, of its cancellers have been listed by Vytautas Fugalevičius (Witold Fugalewitsch) in his volume on Postal Markings in … [Read more...] about Pakruojis 1919
Pakuonis 1921-1923
Pakuonis is a township ca. 20 km south of Kaunas. In World War One it was passed through by infantry of XXXX. Reserve-Korps a few days after the fall of the Kaunas fortress on August 18, 1915. During the German withdrawal from Russia at the end of … [Read more...] about Pakuonis 1921-1923
Panemunis 1919-1920
Panemunis (Ponemun) in northern Aukštaitija north-west of Rokiškis, is not to be confused with Panemunėlis (Ponemunok) south-west of Rokiškis. During WWI the area was on the outskirts of a battle zone when the German advance towards Daugavpils … [Read more...] about Panemunis 1919-1920
Panevėžys 1919
Panevėžys, in Aukštaitija, is one of Lithuania's major cities and is linked by rail with Šiauliai and Daugavpils in Latvia. In World War One, it was taken by German 1. Reserve-Korps on July 26, 1915. During the German withdrawal from the East, … [Read more...] about Panevėžys 1919
Papilė 1919-1920
In WWI, when the German advance into Žemaitija and Courland started on April 27, 1915, Papilė (Popeljany) was entered by units of the 6th cav. div. (6. Kavallerie-Division) at mid-day on April 30. There had been a post office in Papilė in … [Read more...] about Papilė 1919-1920
Pasvalys 1919-1920
In WWI, after repeated and final capture of the important communications hub Šiauliai (Schaulen) on July 21, 1915, the German forces in northern Lithuania (Njemen-Armee) were given a double task: to secure the left flank against Daugavpils (Dunaburg, … [Read more...] about Pasvalys 1919-1920
Pilviškiai 1919-1921
In WWI Pilviškiai (Pilvishki, Pilwischki), a town in Suvalkija with a railway station on the vital East Prussia - Kaunas - Vilnius rail route, was taken by units of the German 10th Army (10. Armee) during its preparations to take the Kaunas fortress, … [Read more...] about Pilviškiai 1919-1921
Plungė 1919
In Lithuania’s postal history, Plungė (Plungiany) makes its first appearance as a horse relay facility in the times of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. A post-and-telegraph station was opened in czarist times, in 1876. During the German occupation … [Read more...] about Plungė 1919
Prienai 1919
In WWI, after the Germans had taken the Kaunas fortress on August 18,1915 and were anxious to take the communications centre Vilnius by outflanking, the river Nemunas (Njemen) had to be negotiated at several other points as well. At Prienai (Preny), … [Read more...] about Prienai 1919
Provisional Box and Line Postmarks
Postal provisional box and line postmarks used in the Lithuanian territory between 1918 and 1922. These provisional cancellations and temporary markings were used until the introduction of the Lithuanian standard postmarks. Disclaimer - the … [Read more...] about Provisional Box and Line Postmarks
Provisional Manuscript Cancels
These early manuscript markings are very rare. Postmasters used pen cancellations because they did not have standard hand stamps. These manuscript cancels were used until the introduction of the Lithuanian standard postmarks. Disclaimer - the … [Read more...] about Provisional Manuscript Cancels
Provisional Circular Postmarks
Postal provisional circular postmarks used in the Lithuanian territory between 1919 and 1926. These provisional cancellations were used until the introduction of the Lithuanian standard postmarks. Disclaimer - the illustrations used here solely … [Read more...] about Provisional Circular Postmarks