Rear area postal service

Each Lines of Communication Inspectorate had a department dedicated to the civilian population, known as the Zivilverwaltung (Civil Administration). This administration was responsible for overseeing social, political, financial, economic, and industrial matters, as well as ensuring the supply of provisions to the population.

It supervised the Mining Administration and the Banking Control Office, operating through several departments, including the Finanzabteilung (Finance Section) and the Abteilung für Handel und Gewerbe (Industry and Trade Section). The offices of the Civil Administration were located at 12, rue de la Halle in Valenciennes.

Instruction II c 2580, issued by the Quartermaster General (Generalquartiermeister) on 17 February 1917, states in point 12:

"12. Administrative censorship took place alongside military censorship:

a) For letters from local public services, civil servants, and members of the clergy concerning official correspondence—where necessary—by senior officials of the Civil Administration [Zivilverwaltung] or their representatives appointed by the Lines of Communication Inspectorate [...]"

The Zivilverwaltung did not cancel postage, as it collected mail that had already passed through the military postal control centre.

Examination marks from the German Civil Administration are rare, despite the significant volume of administrative mail that passed through its system.

The Civil Administration was responsible for enforcing policing regulations and ensuring that the population complied with the decrees of the Lines of Communication Inspector. It also supervised local police forces, municipal authorities, and public services in the occupied regions, while exercising censorship over newspapers, books, theatres, and cinemas.

Additionally, the Zivilverwaltung employed an Intendant (Verpflegungsoffizier) to oversee the supply of provisions and liaise with various food committees within the occupied zone.

VALENCIENNES to LOURCHES (6th Army).

Although it is a service letter, it was controlled militarily on 2 May 1916 ("Geprüft F. Postüberwachungsstelle 6. Armee") and by the intendance officer at the 6th Army Civil Administration (stamp "Verpflegungsoffizier f. d. Civilverwaltung VI.").

VALENCIENNES (6th Army) to MONS (Belgium)

Service letter from the Comité d'alimentation du Nord de la France examined by the intendance officer of the Inspection d'étapes of the 6th Army (stamp "Verpflegungsoffizier f. d. Zivilverwaltung Nordfrankreichs Et. Insp. 6.").

SEBOURG (6th Army) towards VALENCIENNES (2nd Army). Postal censorship carried out by the 6th Army in TOURNAI. Arrived at VALENCIENNES, the Civil Administration carried out a new control and applied its paper seal.

The paper seals used as control marks are not very common.

VALENCIENNES (2nd Army) to LEIPZIG (Germany), 21 October 1917.

Postal control by the Postüberwachungsstelle 39 (stamp "Geprüft P.Ü.St.") and administrative control by the Zivilverwaltung (stamp "Briefstempel Et. Insp. 2. Civilverwaltung").

THUN-L'EVEQUE towards VALENCIENNES (1st Army), 17th January 1917. Administrative control by the 1st Army intendant. This officer was in charge of supplies for the municipalities.

FRESNES-SUR-L'ESCAUT (6th Army) to VALENCIENNES (1st Army). After a military examination, this letter was checked by the Civil Administration of the 1st Army in VALENCIENNES (stamp "Genehmigt Etappeninspektion 1 Zivilverwaltung").

LA SENTINELLE to VALENCIENNES (2nd Army). Control by the Civil Administration of the 2nd Army, control stamp "Geprüft Aushändigung genehmig. Civilverwaltung 2." (Examined routing approved Civil Administration 2.). Postage stamps are cancelled by a mark "Inhalt Geprüft" (contents checked). The postage at 1 Fr corresponds to a weight of 120 g (rates of 20/03/1917).