POSTER STAMPS AND LABELS OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES

      INTRODUCTION

      STATISTICS

      UNSOLVED MYSTERIES

        SUMMER GAMES
1894 - Modern Games Founded
1896 - I Olympiad - Athens
1900 - II Olympiad - Paris
      - Vignettes of the 1900 Paris Expo
1904 - III Olympiad - St. Louis
1906 - Intercalated Games - Athens
1908 - IV Olympiad - London
1912 - V Olympiad - Stockholm
1913 - Berlin prepares for 1916 games
1914 - 20th Anniversary of Rebirth of Games
1916 - VI Olympiad - Berlin
1920 - VII Olympiad - Antwerp
1924 - VIII Olympiad - Paris
      - Post Cards
1928 - IX Olympiad - Amsterdam
1932 - X Olympiad - Los Angeles
1936 - XI Olympiad - Berlin
1940 - XII Olympiad - Tokyo
      - XII Olympiad - Helsinki
      - New Zealand Centennial Games
1944 - XIII Olympiad - London
      - German POW Games
1948 - XIV Olympiad - London
1952 - XV Olympiad - Helsinki
1956 - XVI Olympiad - Melbourne
      - XVI Olympiad - Stockholm
1960 - XVII Olympiad - Rome

1936 - XI Olympiad - Berlin

Aug. 1-16

Official poster and emblem for the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin

Nazi Germany viewed the Olympics as an important propaganda tool, a way to prove their theories of Aryan superiority and Teutonic destiny. But it's not visible in the poster stamps issued for the Games - neither the number nor the variety of the labels for the event is noteworthy. Getting a complete set of the red oval bells can be a challenge, though.

CLICK HERE for a pdf of DuBois' introduction to the 1936-Berlin section.

OLYMPIA HEFTE

Germany produced a set of 26 booklets for these Games, to educate their populace on the Olympics and to provide a nice set of souvenirs. All text is in German, and I don't have the energy to translate them all right now - maybe later - but I bought a set on eBay and decided to scan them to pdfs. There are lots of interesting photos. Click on the cover image below to download a pdf of volume 1. CLICK HERE to access a separate page with links to pdfs of all 26.

   

Click on image below to open an enlarged version in a separate window/tab
Click on the DuBois number beneath the image to display technical data about that label.

      SOLVED MYSTERIES!

      STILL MISSING

      ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

      UPDATE HISTORY

       SUMMER GAMES
1964 - XVIII Olympiad - Tokyo
1968 - XIX Olympiad - Mexico City
1972 - XX Olympiad - Munich

       WINTER GAMES
1924 - I Winter Games - Chamonix
1928 - II Winter Games - St Moritz
1932 - III Winter Games - Lake Placid
1936 - IV Winter Games - Garmisch-Partenkirchen
1940 - V Winter Games - Sapporo
      - V Winter Games - St Moritz
      - V Winter Games - Garmisch-Partenkirchen
1944 - V Winter Games - Cortina d'Ampezzo
1948 - V Winter Games - St Moritz
1952 - VI Winter Games - Oslo
1956 - VII Winter Games - Cortina d'Ampezzo
1960 - VIII Winter Games - Squaw Valley
1964 - IX Winter Games - Innsbruck
1968 - X Winter Games - Grenoble
1972 - XI Winter Games - Sapporo

       OTHER TOPICS
      - U.S. OLYMPIC SHIELD DECALS
      - Workers' Olympics


Official Poster Stamps and Labels

   
#1936-01 a and b, 1936-02 and 1936-02x

DuBois listing:

1. "BERLIN - 1936 1.-16. AUG. OLYMPISCHE SPIELE" below. Vignette: a yellow-bronze colored upper torso of an athlete crowned with a green laurel wreath; Brandenburg Gate horses in foreground, colored black with blue highlights; behind athlete's head are the Olympic rings in their usual multicolors(interlaced as on the official Olympic flag).
a) 33x52mm, imperforate ... 5.00
b) 38x60mm, imperforate, two imprints below design, "Imprime en Allemagne" on left, and "Printed in Germany" on right(black text) ... $4.00

2. Design, size & lower imprints same as No.1b), above, main text as follows: "GERMANY BERLIN 1936 1st-16th AUG. OLYMPIC GAMES" below. ... $4.00

Note: The vignette portion of labels 1 & 2 is based on the official 1936-Berlin Games poster designed by Frantz Wurbel. 63x101 cm - 243,000 copies, in 19 languages, were distributed in 34 countries. A 29x44cm poster also exists

12/20/16 - Philippe Pavard acquired 1936-02x, above, a new find! English text, NO imprints at bottom, and large size: 56x91mm


CLICK HERE for a nice multiple of 02, including the glassine envelope used to distribute them!

#1936-03 and 1936-04

DuBois listing:

3. "SPORT IN DEUTSCHLAND" in a black panel across bottom. Vignette: a half-figure of an athlete with a spear to his left and holding a victory-trophy in his right hand; in background, just above text panel, a stadium. Black imprints below design: "PRINTED IN GERMANY" on left, and "IMPRIME EN ALLEMAGNE" 38x62mm, imperforate; colors: athlete & spear are bronze-green, victory-trophy & stadium are green. ... $5.00

4. Design, size & lower imprints same as No.3 but English text in black panel: "SPORT IN GERMANY" ... 7.50

It has always puzzled me that this label has no mention of the Olympics, and no rings. I even wondered if it was really Olympic at all - but the image below, showing the cover of a guidebook for these Games, resolves that doubt.

 

And just as a bonus for our viewers, the stamp on the right has an overprint dated 1937,
with the name of a poster stamp dealer in Munich.



#1936-05 thru 24
DuBois listing:

AN OFFICIAL SERIES OF OVAL-SHAPED PUBLICITY LABELS

These depict the Olympic Bell, which is considered on the opening pages of this "1936 - BERLIN" section. There are 20 different labels in 17 different languages. All have red backgrounds with designs and texts embossed in white. The bell has the inscription, usually in German script-text, at the outer edge "Ich rufe die Jugend der Welt" (I call the Youth of the World). The various texts are around the label's edge, inside the border. There is an allegorical eagle above Olympic rings on the side of the bell, a bell-head above and a clapper below. All labels are die cut. Texts & other variants follow:

5. "XI.Olympische Spiele 1936 1.-16.August" in German script; a white-line border around edge of label & a thin white-line border around the bell. 31.5x34mm (overall), bell completely white ... $4.00 (Issued in 1933)

6. Same text as No.5 but bell is now in outline form & larger (no longer solid white), outer border is thinner. 27x34mm (overall), issued in 1934 ... $8.00

Nos.7 to 24 are very similar to No.6 but the bell's outline details are 33% thicker. Roman lettering is used on all except No.7 (German script) and No.24 (Japanese characters). The lower part of the texts have the date, 1st to 16th of August, in the same language as that used in the following "upper-text" portions: (Issued in 1935)

7. German: "XI. Olympische Spiele Berlin 1936" ... $2.50

8. English: "OLYMPIC GAMES BERLIN (5 rings) 1936" ... $3.00

9. English (USA edition): same text as #8 but the imprint "PRINTED IN GERMANY" below date ... $2.00

10. Danish: "XI OLYMPISKE LEGE BERLIN 1936" - inscription on outer edge of bell is also Danish "Jeg Kalder paa Verdens Ungdom" (I call on the world's youth) ... $3.50

11. French: "JEUX OLYMPIQUES DE BERLIN 1936" ... $2.00

12. Netherlandish: "OLYMPISCHE SPELEN BERLIJN (5 rings) 1936" ... $3.50

13. Italian: "GIOCHI OLIMPICI BERLINO 1936" ... $2.00

14. Estonian: "XI OLYMPIAD OYUN LARI BERLIN 1936" ... $4.00

15. Croatian: "XI OLIMPIJSKE IGRE BERLIN 1936" inscription on outer edge of bell is also Croatian "Zovem omladinu sveta" ... $8.00

16. Norwegian: "OLYMPISKE LEKER BERLIN (5 rings) l936" ... $4.00

17. Polish: "IGRZYSKA OLIMP. BERLIN (5 rings) 1936" ... $3.50

18. Portuguese: "JOGOS OLIMPICOS BERLIN (5R) 1936" ... $5.00

19. Swedish: "OLYMPISKA SPELEN BERLIN (5R) 1936" ... $3.50

20. Spanish: "XI (5R) JUEGOS OLIMPICOS BERLIN" ... $3.50

21. Czechoslovakian: "XI OLYMPIJSKE HRY BERLIN 1936" ... $3.50

22. Finnish: "XI OLYMPIALAISET KISAT BERLIN 1936" ... $3.50

23. Hungarian: "OLYMPIAI JATEKOK BERLINBEN 1936" ... $3.00

24. Japanese: text,including bell, is Japanese ... $8.00

Total ... $68.00


1936-08x


1936-09x

NEW DISCOVERIES

12/20/2016 - I found an auction lot on the Feldman site in which the former owner identified a third English variety of the bell stamps above. At top left are the examples he provided, saying they used different fonts. It took me a while - I was skeptical - but I DO see differences. Compare the "O" of OLYMPIC and the "6" of 1936 and they are different. Once you see that, other differences emerge. Look at the word AUGUST. The text on the stamp at right is slightly bolder.

I have looked at twenty or so other examples, and it seems to me the two types occur with about equal frequency.

9/26/17 - Philippe Pavard sent the scan at bottom left, showing that the "USA edition" version of the bell stamp (#9 above) has the same two versions. Thanks, Phil.


1936-20 imprint on envelope

11/10/17
I found the image above on the www - the envelope, from El Salvador, has the Spanish-language version of the 1936 bell label imprinted on it!

UNOFFICIAL LABELS


#1936-25

DuBois listing:

A rectangular label, with inscription on bell only. 39x45mm, imperforate, white design on red ... Rare

DuBois' description of this label leaves a lot to be desired. I assume from its position following the red die-cut oval bells that it resembles them somehow, it's a bell, but is it embossed? And what is the inscription? etc.



#1936-26 a thru x

Missing grey variety
DuBois listing:

26. "OLYMPISCHE SPIELE BERLIN 1936" - same text is on all 24 different designs except for noted omissions; first color is that of frame & design, second color is background. 23x32mm, imperforate ... $10.00ea

a) boxer - brown & yellow
b) pole vaulter - maroon & gray
c) shotputter - maroon & green
d) javelin thrower - maroon & green
e) discus thrower - blue & green
f) hurdler - green & rose
g) high jumper - blue & yellow
h) horizontal bars - brown & rose
i) runner before tape - brown & green
j) sprinter - blue & rose
k) fencer - maroon & rose

1) weight lifter - brown & yellow
m) bicyclist - brown a gray
m) bicyclist - brown a gray
n) yacht - blue & light blue
o) hockey player - green & light green
p) diving swimmer - blue & gray
q) diver - red & blue
r) rower - green & light blue
s) figure skaters - dark green & gray(w/o BERLIN 1936)
t) football players - blue & green
u) ski jumper - brown & blue
v) wrestlers - green & yellow(w/o BERLIN 1936)
w) horseman hurdling - brown & ereen
x) glider - blue & light blue(w/o BERLIN)

Complete set ... $250.00
(Individual copies also come perforated ... Rare)

{These are matchbox labels)


#1936-27



#1936-27a




#1936-27b


Nice use on cover - October 24, 1935 - TIED!

DuBois listing:

27. Argentina Fund: "XI OLIMPIADA" at top; "COMITE OLIMPICO ARGENTINO" in black panel at bottom; "10 Ctvs" at lower left; "BERLIN" down right side; "1936" at lower right. Vignette: a runner, with half-sun in upper background. 26x50mm, perf 11, blue & black ... $12.00

Issued as two different pane-booklets, as follows:
27a. Containing two strips of five (5x1)labels, 4SP
27b. Containing five panes of ten (5x2)labels, 4SP

Each booklet cover has the following text: "CONFEDERACION ARGENTINA DE DEPORTES COMITE OLIMPICO ARGENTINO - ESTAMPILLAS DE CONTRIBUCION JUEGOS OLIMPICOS DE 1936"

Contribution prices at lower right corner of booklet covers are "$1.-" on 27a & "$5.-" on 27b.

Note: Booklet cover No.27a is illustrated at left. Booklet cover No.27b is of similar length but twice the height of booklet No.27a.

No.27 of Argentina has been seen as an apparent imperf single; margins were wide enough to indicate it was not a cut-down perforated single. Genuine imperf copies, if they exist, are evaluated ... Rare

(Information is solicited from the reader on this subject, especially if any imperf multiples or imperf-between copies have been seen, of No.27, or other normally perf-only labels.)



#1936-28

DuBois listing:

28. Chile Fund: "20 CENTAVOS 20 COMITE OLIMPICO" above; "OLIMPIADA BERLIN 1936" below. Vignette: a condor above rings containing "CHILE" - Printer's imprint "LITO. LEBLANC" at lower right corner, outside label's lined border. 25x35mm, perf 1l.5, multicolored ... $20.00


#1936-29

DuBois listing:

29. Norway Fund: "NORGE OLYMPIADEN 1936" as gold text in white panel at bottom. Vignette: an athlete with Norwegian flag and wreath; flag is correctly colored, blue & white cross on a red field; flagpole, athlete, wreath & outer border are outlined in blue; figure & main background are gold. 14.5x22mm, perf 1l.5 ... $6.00

Note: Same design as No.25 of 1932 - Los Angeles.


#1936-30

DuBois listing:

30. Austria Fund Label:
"FÜR DEN" above;
"ÖSTERREICHISCHEN
OLYMPIA-FONDS" in lower part of a half-oval. Vignette: a double-eagle above Olympic rings, in white. A white outer frame. 29x32mm, embossed, die-cut, background & text are red, shape: lower half of a half-oval ... $4.00


#1936-31-32

DuBois listing:

31. Poland Fund Label: "POLACY NA XI OLIMPIADE" in panel across bottom; "10 GR" in upper left corner; "1936" in upper right corner. Vignette: an athlete with a palm in his left hand, leading a horse with his right hand. 34x27mm (overall), perf 11.5, yellow & green ... $10.00

32. Like 31 but "20 GR" and different color(s): listed variously as red & rose, maroon & tan, and yellow & red ... Rare

32a. Like 31 but "50 GR" and color is pink & dark violet ... Rare

** Painting depicts the "Horse of Glory," by Z. Kaminski **

(See Nos.14 & 15 of "1928 - Amsterdam" and Nos.27 to 29 of "1932 - Los Angeles" for the same vignette)

3/31/19 - new find! 1936-31 tied to a contemporary cover!

Cancels dated October 8, 1935.
Thanks to Roman Babut for this gem.


#1936-33

DuBois listing:

33. "OLYMPIA 1936 BERLIN" above; "SCHWEIZ RUDERVERBAND - FEDERATION SUISSE DES SOCIETES D'AVIRON" below. Vignette: a four-oared shell with coxswain. 36x49mm, perf ll.5, yellow & blue ... Rare

Text:
Swiss Rowing Association



#1936-34

DuBois listing:

34. "CESKOSLOVENSKY" across top; "OLYMPIJSKY VYBOR" across bottom. Vignette: flags of Czechoslovakia and the Olympics on a blue background. 32x37mm, perf 10.5, multicolored ... $4.00

Text:
Czechoslovak Olympic Committee

IMAGE OF FULL SHEET


#1936-35

DuBois listing:

35. A Round, Embossed Label: "OLYMPIA" above; "BERLIN" below. Vignette: a runner carrying a torch; Brandenburg Gate on left and Acropolis on right. A decorative border. 60mm diameter, die cut, brown on gold ... Rare


#1936-36

DuBois listing:

36. A Round, Embossed Label: "Gegossen vom Bochumer Verein" above; "lautet sie die Olympiade ein" below; "fast 200" on left; "Ztr.schwer" on right. Vignette: the Olympic bell(like that of label No.5). 44mm diameter, die cut, white on blue field ... Rare

Text: Cast by the Bochumer Association; almost 200 hundred-weights heavy; ring in the Olympiad


#1936-37

DuBois listing:

37. "OLYMPIC GAMES 1936 THE CAST STEEL OLYMPIA BELL" across top; "10 TONS - MANUFACTURED BY BOCHUMER VEREIN" across bottom. Vignette: the Olympic bell. 28x38mm, 31x42mm (overall), imperf, rotogravure, black & gray on white, texts are white ... $12.00


#1936-38

DuBois listing:

38. "La Cloche des Olympiades 1936 ACIER MOULE 10 TONNES" across top; "LES CREATEURS DE L'ACIER MOULE BOCHUMER VEREIN M'ONT COULEE" across bottom. Vignette: the Olympic bell. 28x38mm, 32x42.5mm (overall), imperf, rotogravure, gray & black on white, texts are white ... $12.00

Translation: The bell of the 1936 Olympiad, 10 tons of moulded steel; the creators of moulded steel, Bochumer Association, have cast me


#1936-39

DuBois listing:

39. "Bochumer Stahlguss" above; "Gegossen vom Bochumer Verein lautet sie die Olympiade ein" across bottom. Vignette: the Olympic bell. 28x38mm, 32x42.5mm (overall), imperf, gray & black on white, texts are white ... $15.00

Translation: Bochumer Steel Castings; cast by Bochumer Association; ring in the Olympiad



#1936-40

DuBois listing:

40. An Advertising Label: "FROM OVERSEAS VIA" above; "BREMEN" across middle; "TO THE OLYMPIC GAMES" below. Vignette: communication lines to a stadium. 42x67mm (overall design), perf 14, light blue, dark blue, red, gray & white ... $6.00



#1936-41

DuBois listing:

41. A Round Label: "BESUCHT DIE KRIEGSMARINESTADT KIEL IM OLYMPIAJAHR 1936" around circular margin. Vignette: a sail-yacht in foreground and a warship in background, both above Olympic rings (interlaced as on official Olympic flag). 47mm diameter, die cut, red, blue & black ... $12.00

Text: Visit the naval city, Kiel, during the Olympic year 1936

1936-41 (continued)

According to a recent auction by eBay seller postal-pastimes:

1936-41 was the only Vignette issued in Germany specifically for the Yachting Events in Kiel. The Label was intended for pre-Olympic publicity; and 50,000 were printed on behalf of the Harbour, Traffic, and Exhibition Offices in Kiel. The Label was distributed to all Kiel Post Offices for free issue from 7th July 1936. This Vignette was not available through Post Offices in other parts of Germany. The Labels are generally found on the reverse of an envelope, and used as a seal.

9/26/17 - NEW VERSIONS
These showed up in a recent eBay auction:


#1936-x30
Italian text:
VISITATE LA CITTA MARINARA DI KIEL - 1936
(vignette is same size as 1936-41)


#1936-x31
Same text as 1936-41, in German, rectangular format
vignette = 71x52mm
(BIG! Almost 3" wide.)


#1936-42

DuBois listing:

42. An Advertising Label: "OLYMPIA 1936 Segelflüge auf der Wasserkuppe" at upper right; "über Fulda in die Rhön." across bottom. Vignette, across the middle, from upper left to lower right: a wavy ribbon with the inscription "Wandert uber das grune Band der Rhön" a glider is to left of ribbon. A double-lined border around label. 80x37mm, imperf, green & red ... Rare

Text: Glide above the water; above the Fulda River in the Rhön Mountains: hike over the green ribbon of the Rhön Mountains


Gliding was a demonstration sport at the 1936 Olympics, with plans to make it an official sport in 1940, but by 1948 when the next Games were actually held, interest had died.


#1936-43

DuBois listing:

43. "SET SAIL FOR SAYVILLE JULY 6-12 1936" above; "STAR CLASS YACHTS OLYMPIC ELIMINATIONS FOR UNITED STATES AND POSSESSIONS SAYVILLE L.I. N.Y. CENTER OF SUMMER SPORTS AND SOCIAL LIFE" below. Vignette: two sailing yachts on stylized, wavy water. 38x54mm (overall), rouletted 65 horizontally, black, red, blue & white ... Rare

 
#1936-44
#1936-44 and similar postcard

DuBois listing:

44. A Multi-Purpose Advertising Label: "MÜNCHEN OLYMPIA SOMMER 1936" above; "500 JAHRE DEUTSCHE PFERDERENNEN IN MÜNCHEN AUSSTELLUNGEN FESTSPIELE SPORTBUNTE NÄCHTE SCHACH-OLYMPIA" in lower panel. Vignette: a light olive-brown ribbon stating "Das Braune Band von Deutschland - 26.Juli 1936" - a lady in gala, evening dress standing in front of ribbon, holding a bow (to a bow & arrow) and a wreath; a horse-race, fireworks, and a few, distant city buildings in background. 47x67mm, imperf, silver vignette & white text on a deep ultramarine-blue background ... $10.00


#1936-45

DuBois listing:

45. "DAS BRAUNE BAND VON DEUTSCHLAND IM OLYMPIA-JAHR MUENCHEN RIEM 1936" in central part of label; INTER-NATIONALE RIEMER WOCHE 19. 26. 29. JULI" at bottom. Vignette above: two horsemen. 40x52mm, perf 11, red-brown ... $7.00



#1936-46

DuBois listing:

46. Private Advertising. Oval-Shaped Label: "OLYMPIA BERLIN 1936" in center; "KAISER'S KAFFEE-GESCHAFT" (Kaiser's Coffee Business) below, around lower margin. Vignette: an athlete's head with laurel wreath, above. 36x44mm, imperf, die cut, black, gold & pale blue. ... Rare


#1936-47

DuBois listing:

47. Private Advertising, Round Label: "H. BAHLSENS KEKSFABRIK A.-G. HANNOVER" around upper half of circular margin; "SPORT-GRÜSSE BERLIN 1.-16. AUG. 1936" around lower half of circular margin. Vignette: upper view of Brandenburg Gate. 63mm diameter (overall), imperf, die cut, text is red, vignette is black ... Rare

H. Bahlsens Biscuit Factory ... Sport Greetings

 
#1936-48

DuBois listing:

48. A Round Advertising Label: "Függetlenség" above; "BERLIN 1936" below. Vignette: Olympic rings, in middle. 81mm diameter, die cut, white on blue background, white margin ... $25.00

"Függetlenség" is Hungarian for "Independence" - There was a Hungarian newspaper of that name in Subotica from 1906 to 1913, but I can find no record of anything of that name in Berlin in 1936.


#1936-49
German text

DuBois listing:

49. "XI.OLYMPIADE 1936" across top; "OFFIZIELLER ZEITMESSER across bottom. Vignette: a runner in front of a large stopwatch; "OMEGA" below. 36x62mm, perf 11.5 blue, orange & brown ... Rare

Text: OMEGA - Official Timepieces


 
#1936-50 and 50a
French text - two colors
New variety on right - not in DuBois - red & Blue

DuBois listing:

50. Like No.49 but text across bottom: "COMPTEUR OFFIZIEL" 36x52mm, perf 11.5, blue, orange & green ... Rare


5/21/2016 - New find! (not in DuBois)

 
#1936-50x1 a&b
Polish text - two colors

XI OLYMPJADA 1936 - OMEGA - I TYM RAZEM OFICJALNYM CZASOMIERZEM

12/02/2017 - second variety - green background.

8/20/19 - new find! Spanish text:

   
#1936-50x2

XI. OLIMPIADA 1936 - OMEGA - CRONOMETRO OFICIAL


6/16/2020 - new find! Italian text:

 
#1936-50x2

XI. OLIMPIADE 1936 - OMEGA - CRONOMETRO UFFICIALE

Nos. 51 & 51a, which follow, are two similar advertising labels produced by Loden-Frey, a firm in Munich:

 
#1936-51 & 51a

DuBois listing:

51. "Im Jahre der Olympiade 1936" in a decorative panel above; "L F" (initials of "Loden-Frey") in script letters below; all text in lower half of label. Vignette, in upper half of label: two lions, one on each side of a pair of scissors; border, around vignette, consists of simulated perforations (perf 17) 39x48mm (overall design), imperf, die cut, embossed white on dark blue, white margins ... Rare

51a. Same vignette as No.51 but larger size & word "year" spelled without an "e" - "Im Jahr der Olympiade 1936" 39x58mm (overall design), imperf, die cut, embossed white on dark blue, white margins ... $22.00


"Jahre" is plural, and incorrect in the context. Did heads roll?

 
#1936-52

DuBois listing:

52. Vignette: a torch-bearer, a stadium in background & Olympic rings at lower right. Four different texts: a) "DENKT AN" above; "OLYMPIA" below (blue) b) "VERGESST NICHT" above; "BERLIN 1936" below (blue) c) "FACKELSTAFFELLAUF" above; "ATHEN - BERLIN" below (brown) d) "40 JAHRE" above; "OLYMPIADE below (brown) 47x64mm, perf 11.5, colors: a) & b) are blue, c) & d) are brown, all texts are black. each ... $4.00

Translations as follows: a) Think upon - Olympia; b) Forget not - Berlin 1936; c) Torch relay course - Athens to Berlin; d) 40 years - Olympiad (1936 was the 40th anniversary of the modern Olympic Games)

Sheet format: The above four different labels come as a sheet of four, PM4S, se-tenant & tete beche. (Two labels on right side, blue above a brown below, are "right side up" and the two labels on left, brown above & blue below, are "upside down") ... $20.00 sheet



#1936-53,a,b
CLICK HERE for more detailed listing of these OLYMPIA swimmer matchbox labels on the 1948-London page.


#1936-54,a,b,c,d


#1936-54,a thru j

DuBois listings for 1936-53,53a,53b and 1936-54 thru 54j:

Several varieties of matchbox labels have been issued in Germany that are of uncertain issuance-date. Many are said to have been issued at the time of the 1936 Olympics. The following note is quoted from Ernest Trory's "Philatelic History of the Olympic Games, Part Six"

There were also a number of matchbox labels showing a swimmer poised for the start of the race with the word "Olympia" at the top and either "Solo - K.S.I." or "Solo - B.F.I." at the bottom. Many varieties exist. Rampacher lists these as having been produced in 1948 but Pourrat says they are 1936.

The "1948 - LONDON" section of this catalog (label nos. 9, 10, & 11) presents such labels as they appear in the Rampacher catalog.
Label series 53 & 54, are now presented:
53. "OLYMPIA" above; "SOLO B.F.I." below. Vignette: a female swimmer about to dive; Olympic rings are below her feet. 30x46.5mm; figure is tan & shaded brown, bathing suit & cap white and shaded light blue, texts are white, background and rings are blue
53a. Same as 53 but no lower text; "57" at upper left corner
53b. Same as 53a but "250" at upper left corner
Another similar, sport-related series, was issued at the time of the Olympics in Germany, just pre-war.
These labels have no readily-apparent relationship to Olympic games, but are presented for information purposes:
54. "SPORTZÜNDER" at upper left; "SOLO U.A.I" at lower right. Vignette: a female gymnast on parallel bars. 50.5x31mm (design portion); colors are light & dark blue, tan and brown, border is dark blue
54a. "SPORTZÜNDER" at upper left; "SOLO" at lower left; "U.A.I" at lower right. Vignette: water-polo players, in pool. 51x31 mm; colors like those of 54 (as are those below)
54b. "SPORTZÜNDER" across top; "U.A.I" at lower left; "SOLO" at lower right. Vignette: a tennis player. 31x51mm
54c. Same text locations as 54b; Vignette: a soccer player
54d. "SPORTZÜNDER" across top; "SOLO" at lower left; "U.A.I" at lower right. Vignette: a boxer in boxing ring.
(54b, c & d are same sizes; a foot extends into lower border of nos. 54b & d; hands of no. 54c extend into side borders)
A set of labels in which "U.A.I" is replaced with the factory designation of "F.P.I"
54e. "SPORTZÜNDER" across top; "SOLO" at lower left; "F.P.I" at lower right. Vignette: a swimmer about to dive. 31.5x51.5mm, (design portion, including feet extending into lower border) Swimsuit, texts & outer borders are dark blue, swim-cap is striped ble & white, figure is tan with brown shading, background is light blue & white. (It is likely that this vignette exists with "U.A.I" but has not been seen)
54f thru 54j: Same as No.54 thru 54d, but with factory designation "F.P.I"
Note: The reader is reminded that the above "54 series" of matchbox labels are not Olympic-related and are presented for information purposes, They are said to have been "used at the time of the Olympics in Germany, just pre-war." The exact date (s) of issue of both series 53 & 54 are not certain.
"U.A.I" means Union Augsburg factory, size "I"
"B.F.I" means Bernard Furth factory, size "1"
"ZÜNDER" is match-manufacturer's name and means Zünder-matches or "fuse-matches."

(Note: DuBois thought ZÜNDER was a brand or company name. It's not, it's just a German word for "matches" - so SPORTS MATCHES. The manufacturer of these matches was SOLO, a Czech-Austrian company.)



#1936-54k

DuBois listing:

54k. "OLYMPIA" above; "ZÜNDER" below; "SOLO" as small text, at lower left side of white, central panel; "U.A.I." at lower right side of white central panel. Vignette, in middle of white, central panel: Olympic rings (interlaced as on original Olympic flag). 50x30.5mm; larger texts are white, outlined in black; smaller texts and rings are black; double-lined border around vignette portion is black; outer margins - white.



#1936-54l

DuBois listing:

54l. Presented for information only (not Olympic-related). Illustrates a Czechoslovakian version of a "ZÜNDER" - "ZÜNDER" across lower half; "ZAPALKY" (matches in Czech) inverted, across upper half. Corner decorations are blue; side and across-middle decorations are red. 45x29mm, texts are blue.

(Note: DuBois thought ZÜNDER was a trade name, for some reason. It's just a German word for "matches." So we have "Matches" in both German and Czech.)



#1936-55

DuBois listing:

55. A protest Label: "WHILE NAZI HITLERISM LASTS" in lower left part of vignette; "BANISH OLYMPICS from GERMANY" in panel at bottom. Vignette: depicts an athlete bending Olympic rings. 25x35mm, rouletted 12.5, dark blue on pale blue paper. ... Rare

   
#1936-56 to 67

DuBois listing:
1936-56 to 67

A Series of 12 Labels Issued for the "Album Nestle, Peter Cailler, Kohler, a propos des Jeux Olympiques."

56. No text. Vignette depicts a reconstruction of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia; Olympic rings above. A thin-lined border and a white margin. 34x51mm, multicolored

57. Like 56 but horizontal and depicts ancient Greek runners.

58 to 67 are similar to Nos. 56 & 57 and depict:

58. The stadium in Athens.
59. The start of the marathon at Stockholm.
60. The opening ceremony at Antwerp.
61. Taking the Olympic oath at Paris.
62. The ski jump at St.Moritz.
63. Hoisting the Olympic flag at Amsterdam.
64. The Olympic Village at Los Angeles.
65. Releasing the doves of peace in Berlin.
66. Ceremony for winners in Berlin.
67. The Olympic fire in Berlin.
Each ... Rare

Note: The above information on Nos.56 to 67 is quoted from Ernest Trory's "Philatelic History of the Olympic Games, Part Six."

Milan Vujovic of www.probaj-stamps.com says these were issued in 1938. They are "from an album with poster stamps issued by Nestle company. Whole album contains 12 sets all related to various sports."

BELOW, another Olympics set, probably issued in 1938, showing historic events of Olympics Games from 1920 through 1936.

 
1936-x24

2/6/17 - Philippe Pavard confirms that these were issued at the same time as the previous set, 1956-56 to 67, and were in the same album shown above, available in both French and German.

12/31/17 - eBay seller meogeo69 tells us:
This marvelous set of 12 stamps was edited by Chocolats Nestlé in 1938 and relates to the extraordinary sportive career of Paul Martin, at that time Swiss recordman in 800m. The stamps relate to his participation in five Olympic games: Antwerp (1920), Paris (1924), Amsterdam (1928), Los Angeles (1932) and Berlin (1936). The stamps were inserted inside the chocolate plates between the wrapper and the aluminium foil for children to collect them.



#1936-68

68. "Besuchen sie die Olympischen Spiele - Berlin 1936 -1.-16 August und die Berliner Innenstadt" Vignette: the Olympic rings. 41x46mm, red & white ... Rare

Visit the Olympic Games in Berlin during the 1st to 16th of August, and the Berlin inner-city

 
#1936-70

DuBois listing:

70. A Street Tag, Die Cut to a Shield Shape: Back side (text only): "HELP AMERICA WIN c 1936" as blue text, printed diagonally from lower left to upper right.

Vignette: A United States shield, rings in a white panel, on a blue field, at top; thirteen alternating red & white stripes at main, lower portion; upper rings are red and lower rings are blue(same shield design as on labels 6, 7 & 8 of the Garmisch-Partenkirchen section), 64x71 mm, heavy cardboard, a string through hole at top ... 35.00


#1936-69

XI. OLIMPIJSKE IGRE 1936 - #61
(Croatian text) - Vignette: a picture of Vodenicar Stjepan - 50x40mm, purple & white.   
Note: No.69 is numbered "61" and may be one of a series.

DuBois was correct - the stamp is part of a series - TWENTY-THREE more from the set below -
If the numbers represent sequence in the set, then there are at least 90 stamps (!) Or were those jersey numbers? Can anyone supply images and/or the story of the set?

These all seem to be Serbian/Croatian footballers, but Wikipedia says Yugoslavia (of which Croatia was a part at the time) did not field a soccer team at the 1936 Games. ???

1-Ćulić, Bartul; 3-Spasić, Jovan; 4-Mrkušić Serda; 5-Logar, Petar; 6-Plac, Eduard; 7-Bratulić, Dragutin; 12-Radovanović, Predrag; 24-Zagorac Slavko; 38-Slamić, Herman; 41-Kunst, Branko; 42-Klisarić, Dragoslav; 65-Sarić, Mladen; 68-Tomašević Aleksander; 69-Medarić, Ivan; 74-Sekulić, Branislav; 84-Kodrnja Slavko; 87-Doberlet Miodrag; 89-Fink Milivoj; 90-Kokotović, Mirko; 91-Korošec Leo; 92-Žulj, Berislav; 93-Nemet Pavle; 107-Milošević Slavko;

Images courtesy of Philippe Pavard, WorthPoint, Heiko Volk, and eBay.

11/01/2021 - TWO MORE! - 74&92 - Images courtesy of Ricky Verra at Feldman Auctions - THANKS!

02/15/2022 - FOUR MORE! - 1,24,84,107 - Images courtesy of collector/dealer Milan Vujovic - THANKS!

09/25/2022 - FIVE MORE! - 68,87,89,91,93 - Images courtesy of collector Nick Dandoulakis, from a Feldman auction - THANKS!

                                             

NOT IN DUBOIS

 
#1936-70x
Street tag - US Olympic shield with text across it, CONTRIBUTOR, U.S. OLYMPIC FUND, reverse side blank

1/18/17 - I put this here originally because of its similarity to 1936-70, but now think it belongs on the 1956 Melbourne page, so I have added it there as 1956-x25.

 
#1936-70z
Street tag - US Olympic shield on one side, HELP AMERICA WIN 1936 on reverse side

Same as 1936-70 except for shape, which is taller.


#1936-x1
foil, 35mm x 75mm
"OLIMPIADA 1936 RELOJ OFICIAL OMEGA" (Spanish)
"1936 Olympics Official Watch Omega"

#1936-x2
23mm x 60mm
OLYMPIA 1936 BERLIN DEUTCSHE FÜLLHALTER WERKE MÜNCHEN 25
Gold foil
"German Fountain Pen Works"

#1936-x3
75mm x 133mm
XI.OLYMPISCHE SPIELE 1936
Bücher gehören dazu
"Books belong at the XI Olympic Games 1936"

02/15/2022 - SEE BELOW - NEW VERSION OF THIS DESIGN, 1936-x43!


 

#1936-x4a, b, & c
Български олимпийски комитет
Bulgarski Olimpiiski Komitet
Bulgarian Olympic Committee
1 lev & 2 leva
24x37mm
7/28/15 - The plain brown 1 lev version of 1936-x4 is listed in the 1928 section of the DuBois catalog. Putting it there made sense, as its design is based on the poster for the 1928 games. Nikolay Penev of Bulgaria (via Peter C.A. de Jong) says this stamp was issued in 1933 without the overprint, and then overprinted in 1934. There are two face values:
a) 1 lev in brown
b) 2 leva in red
c) 1 lev in brown, "1934"
d) 2 leva in red, "1934"
Their purpose was to raise money for the Bulgarian Olympic Committee for the 1936 Olympics, so I am adding them here.

I need an image of the 2 leva stamp with the overprint.


#1936-x5
JEUX DE LA XIme OLYMPIADE, BERLIN 1936, DÉLÉGATION FRANÇAISE
140x70mm
French Delegation luggage tag.

1936-x14
FSSR 2 lei TIMBRU OLYMPIC
19x26mm (vignette)
Fund-raising label,
Romanian Olympics team
perf 11.5
design 19x25mm

FSSR = Federatia Societatilor Sportive din Romania = Sport Societies Federation of Romania,
TIMBRU OLYMPIC = Olympic Stamp

The note beside my copy of 1936-x14 said "Assumed to be 1948" but eBay seller "sova" from Romania says this was issued for the 1936 Olympics, and romaniastamps.com agrees!

1/19/15 - eBay seller maerkat sent scans of the relevant pages from the 2000 "Catalogul Timbrelor Fiscale Romanesti" by Mihai Cojocar and John Barefoot's 2003 "Bulgaria & Romania Revenues." Both list this stamp as dating from 1936. Barefoot adds that the stamp was compulsory on some documents as a tax to aid the Romanian Olympic team.

 

NOT IN DUBOIS

Registration labels from Olympic venues

Many would say that Registration labels are outside the scope of this catalog, since they are postal in origin, and available ONLY on Registered mail. DuBois excluded them.

But I like them, so have added them to these pages as optional items. Each collector must choose what to collect.

All of the ones below are from Olympic venues.

#1936-x6a thru c


a. Olympia-Stadion
Olympic Stadium (public)


b. Olympisches Dorf
Olympic Village


c. Grünau Regattabahn
Grünau Regatta Course

#1936-x6d thru f


d. Olympialager Heerstrasse
Heerstrasse Olympic Camp


e. Olympia-Postbüro-Charlottenburg 9
Olympic Post Office Charlottenburg 9


f. Olympia-Schwimmstadion
Olympic Swimming Stadium

#1936-x6g thru i


g. Deutschlandhalle
Germany Hall


h. Internationales Sportstudenten-Lager
International Athletic Students Camp


i. Olympia-Stadion (Presse)
Olympic Stadium (Press)

#1936-x6j thru l


j. Olympia-Pressehauptquartier
Olympic Press Headquarters


K.d.F.- Stadt
"Strength through Joy" City


l. Ausstellung Deutschland
"Germany" Exhibition

#1936-x6m thru o


m. Olympia-Reiterplatz
Olympic Riding Field


n. Internationales Kanulager Müggelsee
International Canoe Camp Müggel Lake


o. Fahrbares Postamt
Mobile Post Office (7 of them)

#1936-x6p thru r


p. Köpenick 1 (rowing events)
Köpenick


q. Kiel 1 (sailing events)
Kiel


r. Stralauer Fischzug Treptow
Stralauer Fischzug

These are intended to be special Registration labels available ONLY during the Olympics. I have found three sources that say what the special post offices were. First, this table in English from the 1936 Olympic Report, which lists sixteen special postal venues in Berlin.

All of those are represented above, except Rangsdorf Aerodrome. The fact that I have never seen an example persuades me that label does not exist on an Olympic cover. I do have THIS IMAGE of a 1934 cover with a Rangsdorf Registration label, so the post office did exist.

(I have seen no evidence that the sub-offices, such as 5a and 5b, had separate Registration labels, and can be told apart based on those.)

The following post offices are NOT in that table:

- Olympia-Postbüro Charlottenburg 9
- Köpenick 1 (rowing events)
- Kiel 1 (sailing events)

The first says "Olympia" so we know it was specific to the Games, but the other two do not, and while they were Olympic venues, their post offices may have been pre-existing.

There was also a special press post office at Kiel, the "Kiel Pressepostamt" for which I have seen cancels, but no Registration label.
IMAGE HERE

The second source for special postal venues is the souvenir page above, which shows up in auctions from time to time, and contains sample cancels from 14 of the special post offices, though they must have been applied after the Games (or even printed on the page as part of the design), since the text says how many medals German athletes won(!) At any rate, all of these are in the table mentioned at left, and are represented with Registration labels above. The ones NOT on that souvenir page are Olympia-Postbüro-Charlottenburg 9, Köpenick, Kiel, and Stralauer Fischzug.

11/10/17 - Canadian collector Rick Sommer wrote to point out that the Canadian flag on that souvenir page was not adopted until 1965(!), so the page must date from then - or later. Can anyone explain its origin?

11/30/17 - German collector Frank Weber, on THIS PAGE tells us the following:

The following special and press post offices were set up to cope with the tremendous number of visitors:

Olympia-Stadion, Olympia-Schwimmstadion, Olympia-Reiterplatz, Deutschlandhalle, Wandelgang Deutschlandhalle, Reithalle Olympialager, Heerstraße, Olympisches Dorf, Internationales Sportstudenten-Lager, Kraft-durch-Freude, Ausstellung Deutschland, Grünau Regattabahn, Internationales Kanulager Müggelsee, Fahrbares Postamt (7), Stralauer Fischzug Treptow, Rangsdorf Flugplatz.

This list adds the following two post offices:

- Wandelgang Deutschlandhalle (Germany Hall Walkway)
- Reithalle Olympialager (Olympic camp Riding School)

BUT he does NOT show an example of a cancellation or Registration label from either of those, nor from Rangsdorf.

Herr Weber DOES show the three V-labels below, which were used to designate mail with valuable content.

   
"Wertsendungen Zetteln "


NOT IN DUBOIS


#1936-x15
Circular label
diam=123mm

1936 DRAKE RELAYS
OLYMPIC REGIONAL TRYOUTS
APRIL 24 25



#1936-x16
Rectangular label
45x85mm (vignette)

Spare schon jetzt
zum Besuch ins
Olympiade 1936
in Berlin
Stadtsparkasse Augsburg

(German text)

Save now to visit the 1936 Olympics in Berlin - Augsberg Savings Bank


#1936-x17
37x54mm (vignette)

OLIMPIADE 1936
RELOJ OFICIAL
OMEGA

(Spanish text)

1936 Olympics
Official Watch
Omega


#1936-x18a,b,c,d,e
Luggage labels
diam. 4 inches = 100mm

OLYMPISCHES JAHR 1936
DAS SCHÖNE DEUTSCHLAND
a. Charlottenburg Schloss, b. Reichstag,
c. (no caption - Berliner Dom),
d. Reichssportfeld, e. Reichssportfeld
BERLIN

OLYMPIC YEAR 1936
BEAUTIFUL GERMANY
a. Charlottenburg Palace, b. Reichstag,
c. Berlin Cathedral, d.Reich sports field, e. Reich sports field
BERLIN

6/15/2020 - added d and e.
Presumably there are other views in this series


#1936-x19
45mm total width

Gruss aus Olympisches Dorf Berlin

Greetings from the Olympic Village, Berlin

Clearly a tag, not a label, but DuBois lists other tags - close enough for me.


 
#1936-x23
decal - 1936 Olympics
ΕΛΛΑΣ
HELLAS - GREECE
Up the right edge:
JACO - SALONIKI - GERMANY
Greek flag, torch, shield, crown, phoenix, etc. with Olympic rings.
On the back: RUDOLF KÖHLER QUALITÄTS ABZIEHBILDER TÜBINGEN
(Rudolf Koehler, quality decals)

6/1/16 - I had seen only a poor quality scan of this until today, when it showed up on eBay in an auction from Greek seller t.ziakas81 with the title "Greek paper emblem (decal) from the 1936 Berlin Olympics." I emailed him and asked how he knew it dated from 1936, and he replied "Simply because the senior man that gave it to me said that his father had preserved it from that Olympics period."

That's good enough for me!


       
#1936-x21
set of 48 rectanular labels
each 1.56 x 2.26 inches
Lindt & Sprüngli
eBay lots from seller meogeo69:

REKLAMEMARKE/POSTER STAMPS OLYMPICS JEUX BERLIN 1936 SET B LINDT SPRUNGLI

SELLER TEXT:

This is a marvellous set of 48 stamps (n. 2140 thru n. 2196) edited in the late 1930s by Swiss firm Chocolats Lindt & Sprüngli and concerns the 11th Olympic games of the modern times.

The stamps were inserted inside the chocolate plates between the wrapper and the aluminium foil for children to collect them.

The collection is complete which add to the extreme difficulty of having all of them stay together after almost a century of age. The stamps are made of thin paper with dimension 1.56 x 2.26 inches. Traces of difficult readable text on the back of the stamps.

All the athletes pictured were medalists at the 1936-Berlin Games.


#1936-x22a
147mm x 96mm

 
#1936-x22b
151m x 105mm
Luggage label?

MAGYAROK A XI. OLIMPIÁN
BERLIN 1936
UNGARN AUF DER XI. OLIMPIADE

 
#1936-x25
50 Pfg / OLYMPIADE / BERLIN 1936 / E.G.H.
Size: 20x28mm
Charity label? Who/what was E.G.H.?

I asked the eBay seller:
Can you tell me more about this item? For example, what is EGH? Why did it issue a stamp for the Olympics?
He replied:
I'm sorry, but I don't have an idea.

I asked all the experts I know, none could identify this item!


 
#1936-x26
Baggage label
XI.OLYMPIADE BERLIN 1936
OLYMPISCHES DORF
140 x 80mm

Orange text on yellow background surrounds box with grey text on pale background.

According to auction listing: 1936 Berlin Summer Olympic Official Luggage Label For Residents Of The Olympic Village. Official luggage label issued to athletes and officials staying in the Berlin Olympic Village. Gummed on back.


 
#1936-x27
Gummed Baggage label
XI.OLYMPIADE BERLIN 1936
KÖPENICK
140 x 80mm

Green text on yellow background surrounds box with grey text on pale background.

KÖPENICK (a Berlin suburb) was the site of the Olympic rowing events for the 1936 Games.

6/5/2019 - I was reading the English version of the Official Report for the 1936 Summer Games (available free for download at the LA84 Foundation Digital Library), and found the following:

To facilitate the housing question, the Organizing Committee had sent out to the National Olympic Committees a supply of labels to be fixed on the trunks and bags of the respective teams prior to their departure. The colour of these labels were red for the Olympic village, violet for the women's home, green for the quarters of the rowing and canoeing crews, blue for the lodgings of the yachtsmen at Kiel, and brown for the parties connected with the various displays. Such marking of the luggage by colours enabled the Sporting Department to take the teams to their respective lodgings in the quickest possible way.

SO, that means there are THREE MORE versions of the labels above - violet, blue, and brown. ANYONE?


#1936-x28
Estonian Lottery ticket:
ASJADE LOTERII
EESTI KÄSIPALLI LIIT
Eesti Korvpall Berliini Olümpiamängudele
HIND 25 SNT.
----------
THINGS LOTTERY (?)
Estonia Handball Association
Estonia's Basketball Olympics in Berlin
PRICE 25 SNT.

131x81mm

1936 was the first year that basketball was an Olympic sport - Estonia sent a team, but was eliminated in the first round.

NOTE: As I say elsewhere, in my opinion, lottery tickets do NOT belong in this catalog, they are not gummed labels or stamps, they are at best peripheral items, but DuBois included some, so I am putting this one here, in case YOU choose to add items like this to your collection.


#1936-x29
Circular German label
Sammel-Verbot/Organisations-Komitee f.d. XI.Olympiade und das IV.Oly.Winterspiele
---------
Collection Prohibition/Organization - Committee for the XI Olympiad and IV Winter Olympic Games - From June 1, 1935 to May 31, 1936

116 mm diam.

I found this in an October, 2016 Heiko Volk auction, and all he said about it is what is printed on the label, which is a mystery to me. SO, I emailed Herr Volk and asked if he could explain the label. He replied as follows:

"Sammel-Verbot" means that it was not allowed in a special Time-period to go from "House to house" and "collect" money/funds for Olympic Games Organisation

OK, but why would anyone forbid solicitation of funds for the Olympics?

Here's my guess about this label: It was given to people who donated a certain amount to the 1936 Olympic fund. They could stick the label in their window, or on their door, as a way of saying "I already gave" and solicitors would then leave them alone. OR, it was a way to brag that they had given. Your choice.

Can anyone solve this riddle?

5/11/18 - This very similar label turned up on eBay, "Sammel-Verbot" for 1939-1940.

CLICK HERE for details about each label (full text and translation) plus my interpretation of their meaning.


2/9/18 - Australian National Games 1936


#1936-x32
Australian National Games 1936
Jan 25 - Feb 1
CALL TO THE GAMES OF THE AUSTRALIAN NATION
ADELAIDE AUSTRALIA

SIZE: 44x68mm

According to THIS WEB PAGE

Conducted as a miniature Olympiad, with opening ceremony, Olympic hymn, torch relay from Melbourne to Adelaide, etc., the National Games were the final tests for athletes seeking to represent Australia at the Eleventh Olympiad at Berlin in August 1936 and an event in the South Australian centenary celebrations.

So I think this has a legitimate place in this collection.

Also, note that the design echoes that of the poster for the 1932 Los Angeles Games, a nice touch!

(I show this on the 1932 page as well - it is 1932-x14)

One reason I am showing the label above both here and on the 1932 page is to raise the question of where it belongs. One way to look at it is that all activities between two Games belong to the one that follows, since they are presumably competition to prepare for those next Games. BUT, the official definition of an Olympiad is that it spans the four years starting January 1 of the year when the Summer Games are held. So if these Australian Games had been held a month earlier, this item would belong to the preceding Olympiad, but because they were held in 1936, it belongs here!


2/17/18 - American Olympic Team Decal


#1936-x33

American Olympic shield in center, rings red and blue, AMERICAN OLYMPIC TEAM at top in red; all remaining text in blue - BERLIN down left, GERMANY down right; at bottom left: Name....... and Sport......; at bottom 1936.

Size: 5.1 x 6.2"

This label is very similar to US labels for 1924, 1928, and 1932. See my page listing all the US Olypic shield labels HERE.


2/20/18 - Luggage tag


#1936-x34
Size: 5.5 x 3.25"

S.S.>>MANHATTAN<<
UNITED STATES LINES
No. 2347
OLYMPIC GAMES
BERLIN 1936

It's not a stamp, it's not a sticker, it's not a label, so this is an optional entry in this collection. Still a nice item.
(Harold Manning was an American long distance runner. He placed fifth in the steeplechase at the Berlin Games.)

The two items below, a luggage tag and label, have no rings, and make no mention of the Olympics, but they were used by the owner of the preceding item, on the same voyage, so....


3.75" diam.


6.75 x 3.25"


6/19/19 - LUGGAGE TAG - LUFTHANSA airline, 1936


1936-x35

DEUTSCHE LUFTHANSA FLUGGASTGEPÄCK
Fliegt nach Deutschland dem Lande der Olympischen Spiele 1936

size approx. 15 x 11 cm
6" X 4"

This is not a label/sticker, but I have become interested in luggage tags and labels lately - official luggage markers were issued for many of the Games, and seem very scarce. A nice specialty area.


12/30/2019 - SMALL GUMMED LABEL WITH 1936 POSTER


1936-x36

Size 3.4 x 4.7cm
Rectangular label, gummed

This label has the same format and size as two others, 1912-x10 and 1920-x13, so it seems likely it is part of a set of labels, one for each of the summer Games from 1912 through 1936 - or later.

Can anyone out there tell us more?

6/15/2020 - the labels below showed up on eBay, all with the tab on the right edge, which explains that they are part of a Dutch set of 18, and that the Melbourne 1956 label is number 13. So number 18 would be Montreal 1976, and that puts them outside the current scope of this collection :-)

HAAL VOOR ALLE 18 OLYMPISCHE STICKERS GRATIS VERSAMELSPEL BIJ UW WINKELIER

GET ALL 18 OLYMPIC STICKERS FOR FREE FROM YOUR RETAILER

Can anyone supply scans of the entire set AND their story?


06/16/2020 -


1936-x37

Size of circle is 115 x 110mm
Round label with tab, ungummed

The very obvious scissor marks around the edges of this suggest it was cut from something larger - but what? Its shape is that of a car badge such as the one at right.

Metal car badge, 1940 - size = 115mm x 87mm


06/16/2020 -


1936-x38

Size - about 4" x 8"


Rectangular labels, gummed?

Two Original Luggage Labels Berlin Olympic 1936 GB Team Very Rare
Two rare paper luggage labels for Great Britain team member. One is unused , the other is a bit manky.

Ended: Apr 24, 2020 , 5:10AM Winning bid: GBP 27.00 [ 2 bids ] Approximately US $33.86


06/16/2020 -


1936-x39

Size 11" x 14" - ungummed "scraps"

1936 OLYMPICS LARGE COLORFUL SHEET OF ATHLETES SUPER COLORFUL NOT GUMMED

1936 OLYMPICS LARGE SHEET ( PICTURED AS TWO) OF CHILDREN'S CUTOUTS FEATURING OLYMPIC ATHLETES. MEASURES 11" X 14". NOT GUMMED. VERY COLORFUL CUTOUTS FEATURE SUMMER AS WELL AS WINTER GAMES ATHLETES.

These are called "scraps," and used to be quite popular. You can still find them on eBay with many themes.

Published by German firm E. A. Schwerdtfeger (EAS).

"Established in Berlin, Germany in the 1880's, E.A. Schwerdtfeger published picture postcards and calendars in addition to their popular line of "Glanzbilder" scrap reliefs. In business for more than 100 years, this German firm closed its doors in the 1980's."

These have nothing on them to connect them with any specific Olympics, but they do have Olympic rings, twice, plus a torch-bearer, and since the torch relay was initiated in 1936, they must date from that year or later. Most sources I could find date the EAS scraps as 1950 to 1980. So these are cute, but not labels, and not specific to any Games, therefore quite peripheral to this collection.


06/16/2020 -


1936-x40

Size = 50 x 30 mm
Rectangular label, gummed?

2. OLYMPIA-SONDERHEFT
Die sechzehn olympishen Tage
1 MARK
Berliner Illustrirte Zeitung


2. OLYMPIA SPECIAL ISSUE
The Sixteen Olympic Days
1 MARK
Berlin Illustrated newspaper

This looks like a matchbox label

06/16/2020 -


1936-x41

Size = matchbox label
Rectangular label, ungummed

ベルリンに輝く
スタンダード靴
--------------------
Shining in Berlin
Standard shoes

06/16/2020 -


1936-x42

Size = matchbox label
Rectangular label, ungummed

オリムピック博覧会
上野不忍池畔
10月15日→11月30日
"主催
時事新報社"

Olympic exposition
Shinobazu-ike pond , Ueno
from Oct.15 to Nov.30
"Sponsored by
Jiji-Shinpou-sha"

Ueno is place name in Tokyo.
"Jiji-Shinpou-sha" is a newspaper company.

I thought this was a 1940 label, but when I sent it to Akihiko, he suggested it might be from 1936, and once I looked at the image, I saw he was right - those towers with the Olympic rings strung between them were part of the Berlin Olympic Stadium!

02/15/2022 - NEW FIND!


1936-x43 a thru l

12 labels in different colors, same design as 1936-x3, above. That one has a shiny surface, is a bit larger, and is imperforate. These have a dull surface, and are perforate. A fantastic find! Thanks, Milan. (Visit his web site at www.probaj-stamps.com)

Size = each ca. 63 x 105 mm.
Rectangular labels, gummed

02/15/2022 - NEW DISCOVERY
(1948 matchbox label issued in 1936)


1948-06

1936 was the first year of the modern Olympics in which the now-famous and eagerly followed torch relay was held, and the photo below is famous as depicting it. A visitor here proved that this label was issued in 1936, and depicts that famous first torch relay. So all the matchbox labels shown on our 1948 page belong here, but I will content myself with this reference, and let you decide how to organize your collection.

Constantin Kondylis


09/26/2022 - NEW FIND


1936-x44
ungummed label, unperforated, 42x68mm

DAS NEUE BERLIN OLYMPIADE 1936
Im Einvernehmen mit dem Staatskommissar der hauptstadt Berlin Dr. Lippert

THE NEW BERLIN OLYMPICS 1936
In harmony with the State Commissioner of the capital Berlin Dr. Lippert

From Heiko Volk auction closing 7/3/22

Julius Lippert was a German journalist and Nazi politician. From 1933 to 1940, Lippert was the head of Berlin's local government.

Could be a matchbox label - someone sucking up to Lippert?

FAKES

05/10/2022

FAKES

I found this image on the www, listed as 1936 Olympic poster stamps.

CAUTION - These are some modern creation, and have been selling for ridiculous prices - do not be fooled!

See also my 1924, 1928, and 1940 pages for more of the same.

CAVEAT EMPTOR

If you can tell me the source of these, please email me at the feedback link at bottom of this page. I do not think they were created to deceive, and assume they were souvenirs of a stamp show - but where and when?

02/12/2023 - NEW FIND


1936-x45
large package label, unperforated, 180x130mm

The delcampe seller titles this JAPAN - OLYMPIC BELL - KUREHA COTTON MILLS - TEXTILE LABEL - COMMEMORATIVE OLYMPIC GAMES - 1930.

Clearly it cannot be from 1930, as the 1936 Berlin Olympic Bell was not created until 1935. Nor is this a poster stamp - it is large - 18x13 cm - about 7x5 inches. And its price - 60 Euros - scarce or not - puts it out of range for all but the richest and most obsessed collectors - as demonstrated by the fact that it has been on sale since July, 2021.

Still, it is dramatic and attractive, so I am displaying it here. Thanks to Phil Pavard for pointing it out.

02/12/2023 - NEW FIND


1936-x46
Souvenir stamps depicting Dutch female swimmers

Collector (and frequent contributor to these pages) Nick Dandoulakis sent these images, and wrote:

These images are from a collection offered by David Feldman. They show female swimmers from Holland. They competed in 1936 olympics except P. OVERSLOOT who competed in 1932.

Thanks, Nick.

02/12/2023 - NEW FIND

 
1936-x47

Olympische Spiele / Berlin 1-16 August / 1936
with Olympic rings and Branderbuger Tor.
German matchbox with Olympic themed label.

From a recent eBay auction - Philippe asks whether it is a "skillet" - a wraparound matchbox cover - rather than a label, per se. I see edges, and think it is a label - besides, I think skillets came later.

08/09/2023 - BELOW, from an eBay auction, a wrapped package of 10 or 15 of these. AND a postal cancel with a very similar design.

 
1936-x47


JAPANESE MATCHBOX LABELS

Philippe Pavard sent most of these images - the rest I found on eBay, Worthpoint, etc. on the www.

All of these are probably related to the 1936 Games - the first reproduces part of the official poster, and seven of the others have both the Olympic Bell, a concept invented by the Germans for those Games, and the German eagle; the rest have the bell and rings, except for the square ones, which have no bells, but say Bank of Tokyo like several others, so I am including them here. Note that the square ones have a crease near one side, which suggests to me they are matchbook covers, not labels.

8/19/19 - Akihiko Kenda of Tokyo sent translations of the text on all these labels
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THAT INFORMATION

Akihiko points out that Bank of Tokyo (since 1996 MUFG, Co. Ltd), was not founded until 1946, so the five BANK OF TOKYO labels below probably belong on the 1964 page.


#1936-x20a


#1936-x20b


#1936-x20c


#1936-x20f


#1936-x20d


#1936-x20g


#1936-x20e


#1936-x20i


#1936-x20k


#1936-x20j


#1936-x20h
Matchbook cover?


#1936-x20l (?)
Looks like the cover of a matchbook
note fold and tear at top


#1936-x20m


NEW FIND - 4/10/18

#1936-x20n


NEW FIND - 6/13/18

#1936-x20q


NEW FIND - 8/10/18

#1936-x20r

Sold for $60

Philippe found one Japanese label for the 1936 Winter Games - see bottom of that page.

There were many matchbox labels created for the (canceled) 1940 Tokyo and Sapporo Games, of course - see the 1940 pages for those.


MYSTERIES

These are images I found floating around the www, and wanted to know more about.
Steve Payne of the UK identified the first two, Volk Auctions identified the third, and French collector Philippe Pavard identified the fourth. Can you identify the fifth?

3/24/16 - MYSTERY SOLVED


#1936-z1
Berlin 1936 Olympischesdorf
Map of Olympic village, green and red on white paper

3-24-16 - Steve Payne says this is the logo from Olympic Village
stationery, and supplied these scans of examples:

3/24/16 - MYSTERY SOLVED


#1936-z2
XI. / Olympia / Berlin 1936 Aug 1-16
Runner bearing torch and branch, colors unknown

3-24-16 - Steve Payne says this is a postcard,
and supplied these scans of an example:

 

Steve added the following:

The card is printed in Hungary by Alkalmi Grafika (Occasional Graphics) The designer is Louis Marton (Translation of writing at the top says Louis Marton ink drawings) I found this on the web about him

Márton Lajos (Louis Márton) was a Hungarian Scout artist who is known for his artwork on Scout post cards of the 1920s and 30s. His postcards came to worldwide attention during the Fourth World Jamboree, which was held in Hungary in 1933. It has been estimated that he produced over 200 different designs for Scout postcards. However almost no other information is known about him.
The card itself is posted from Germany to Hungary, which appears a bit odd - The writing in the middle just says Dr Laszlo Illyes edition, so as it is posted to a doctor could it be that he commissioned a number of these to send out to colleagues? The design is almost certainly to commemorate the passing of the Olympic Torch through Budapest on its way to Berlin


11/2/16 - MYSTERY SOLVED


#1936-z3
DIE / XI.OLYMPISCHEN / SPIELE / ZU BERLIN / 1-16 AUGUST 1936
Image of runner with torch, light brown and black on tan stock.

Probably a postcard, but the online Olympic Games Museum calls it a vignette, so...???

11/02/16 - The latest Heiko Volk auction shows this design as the cover of a 48-page souvenir booklet of photos of these Games.

I found another copy of that booklet for sale on AbeBooks.

I consider this mystery solved. Not a stamp or vignette.

1/26/17 - I found an example of the booklet for sale on eBay, and learned that it was published in 1937 by a school for stenographers(!) and most of the explanatory text inside was in shorthand. TITLE PAGE HERE.
And HERE is a spread inside, with (German) shorthand text.
I can't tell - is that text preprinted, or was it added by the owner?

4/25/16 - MYSTERY SOLVED


#1936-z4
DEUTSCHLAND / XI. OLYMPIADE / BERLIN / 1936
Vignette: Winged Charioteer

This one's a shocker. It looks like a mass-produced, high-quality label that should have been used everywhere, but this is the first example I've seen, and DuBois does not mention it! I have seen the image as a poster, but never as a label. Is it a cutout from some larger piece? Please send email to address at bottom of page if you own this as a label.

4/25/16 - Philippe Pavard writes
I think that is a (cutout from) a cigarette card by SALEM CIGARETTEN FABRIK GMBH DRESDEN. I also have such a coutout (see pictures below - vignette 55x35).

 

ANOTHER MYSTERY


#1936-z5
OLYMPISCHES DORF BERLIN 1936
Vignette: Olympic tower with bells
bronze foil?

Found on the www. It looks like a foil seal, not an imprint. Has anyone seen it elsewhere?

HERE IT IS
used on a cover.


Germany issued 8 semi-postal stamps, 2 Souvenir Sheets, and two postal cards for the 1936 Olympics.


TOP

I am indebted to Robert J DuBois for allowing me to use images and information from his Catalog of Olympic Labels on these web pages.

All text and images are the property of the author. Any errors are his.
REWARD! If you have better or additional information about anything shown or discussed here, please email the author.
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All text Copyright © 2013, William M. Senkus

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Created -- 07/27/2013
Revised -- 08/10/2023