Postal History Miscellanea

Postal prosecution files

Since the creation of the postage stamp and throughout the 19th century, the Post Office has always been concerned about seeing postage stamps reused.

Chargé letters

Charging a letter provided the sender with proof of deposit and the assurance of special treatment by the post office until the mail was delivered to the addressee.

France-Belgium border postage

The entire eastern boundary of the Nord department runs along the Belgian border. Long before the introduction of the postage stamp, there was a preferential postal rate known as the border rate.

Via Alsace

Between 1872 and 1874 (the last known date), letters to Switzerland were sometimes stamped VIA ALSACE.

French-Prussian mixed postage 1870-1872

Between 1870 and 1872, as a result of the Franco-Prussian war, the postal convention between France and Prussia became ineffective. Letters between Free France and the occupied territories were subject to a special franking/taxation system.

"Après le Départ" stamp

The function of this postmark was to indicate that a letter had been mailed at the post office after the last mail collection.

Censorship of Alsace-Lorraine soldiers mail in 1917.

Since the start of the 1st World War, and German mobilisation in August 1914, the mail of soldiers from the imperial territory of Alsace-Lorraine (Reichsland Elsass-Lothringen) has been subject to more restrictive rules. In March 1917, these rules were tightened even further.

Feldartillerie-Übungsplatz-Sebourg

This field artillery training camp was set up in mid-December 1916 in the 1st Army's rear area. It was located not only in the commune of SEBOURG, but also extended over several communes across the Franco-Belgian border.

Militär Eisenbahn-Direktion 1

During the First World War, the railways played an important role in the rapid deployment of troops, the transport of equipment and munitions and the evacuation of the wounded.

Ukrainians in the mines of the Nord 1942-1945

As early as 1942, the Germans supplied workers from Ukraine to mining companies in northern France.