In line with my expectations noted in article [1] there is still much to be added to Adamczyk’s, Szopa’s and Nowak’s paper entitled “Formation Handstamps of The Polish Legions ….” [2]. In my paper I’d like to present four stamps not included in the above mentioned paper. I’m their proud owner.
I’ve made an effort to present the new stamps; some of them required certain reconstruction. Unfortunately, the eagle shown in one of them is distorted and incomplete. I’ve decided to present this stamp without any alteration hoping that perhaps someone will be able to complete it.
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Adamczyk’s paper on page 468 presents two versions of a Polish Legions square officer stamp in Lublin, with Polish and German caption around it. The two versions differ when it comes to the eagle image. The picture no. 1 presents a letter sent by stage post from Lublin in 24th November 1915. The image has a purple ink stamp of the before mentioned Polish Legions square officer. It’s the third version of the same stamp which somehow combines elements of the two previous versions since the eagle known from the German version is surrounded by Polish caption. What’s even more interesting is the fact that the rosettes that divide the caption come from the German version of the stamp. In picture no.2 you can see the reconstructed image of this stamp made from both templates published by Adamczyk. The diameter of 33 mm is the same in all cases.
On page 525 of Adamczyk’s, Szopa’s and Nowak’s paper there are stamps of Polish Army Recruitment Commissariat in Radom and Recruitment Inspectorate for Polish Armed Forces in Radom. In picture no.3 you’ll see a post card sent on 18th May 1917 by stage post from Radom. There’s a purple blueprint of an unseen stamp. It’s an oval stamp with a following caption: “Wojsko Polskie Komisaryat Werbunkowy w Radomiu” (i.e. Polish Army Recruitment Commissariat in Radom). The eagle on the stamp is very peculiar and I haven’t found anything of this sort in Adamczyk’s paper. Because the blueprint is badly damaged I’ve decided to leave it incomplete. It’s 38 x 31 mm. I’d like to mention that I’ve come across a different post card exchanged between the same people, bearing the same stamp. It was sent on 12th May 1917. The eagle blueprint it contained was also incomplete which may suggest it had been poorly made or that it was tattered already at the time.
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The third new stamp is linked to Polish Legions intelligence. Adamczyk described Polish Legions intelligence on page 560 of the aforementioned paper. He presents only one stamp: Kundschafter-Stelle der Polnischen Legjonen Czenstochau. Image no.5 presents a greetings post card sent from Kowle to Łódź on 21st June 1916 by field post no.163. The sender was a person from Military Department in Piotrków (i.e. intelligence’s outpost). The proof of their allegiance is a black and purple stamp “KUNDSCHAFTER – ABTEILUNG K.U.K. KMDOS POLNISCHER LEGIONEN”. It’s amended version is shown in picture no.6. The stamp’s size is 61 x 11 mm. The post card reached its addressee. Municipal post office in Łódź placed its stamp on it on 30th June 1916.
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There’s no stamp of Polish Field Artillery Battery in Adamczyk’s paper dedicated to PSZ (i.e. Polish Armed Forces) on pages 603-611. Picture no.7 shows a post card sent at the very end of World War I, on 7th November 1918. It was sent by civil post office from Garwolin. The PSZ training took place in Garwolin. Later on it was transformed into Field Artillery Battery. The purple stamp visible on the post card (diameter 33 mm) has a caption which says “Poln. Feldbatterie Brief– Stempel”. It’s a typical stamp which was used in German army at the time. You can see its reconstructed image in picture no.8.
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In case of any queries or further research suggestions please contact me at ksiark@poczta.onet.pl
Literature:
[1] Krzysztof Siarkiewicz – Uzupełnienia do pieczątek formacyjnych polskich legionów cz. 1 – Filatelista 1/2016
[2] J.Adamczyk, J.Szopa, J.T.Nowak - Pieczątki formacyjne Legionów Polskich Polskiego Korpusu Posiłkowego i Polskiej Siły Zbrojnej na przesyłkach poczt polowych z uwzględnieniem tła historycznego 1914-1918. Kraków 2014.
English version: Anna Siarkiewicz
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