Berlin 95 stamps

Instant Collection –
Stamps from Occupied Berlin

Now you can get a glimpse of life in a city ruled by five different nations – at the same time.  Stamps from the occupied city of Berlin help tell the tale of the Cold War, when the German city was split apart and ruled by factions on both sides of the Cold War – the Soviet Union-led Eastern Bloc, and the U.S.-led Allies.  Stamps are modern - mostly from 1970s and newer. 

When the Berlin Blockade began in 1948, the Western sectors (U.S., Britain, France) introduced their own postal system.

In 1948, “BERLIN” was overprinted on the Bizone issues of West Germany.  1949–1990, West Berlin issued its own designs, often similar in style to West German stamps but inscribed “Berlin” or “Deutsche Bundespost Berlin”.

Topics included city landmarks (Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, Charlottenburg Palace), famous Berliners (e.g., Max Planck, Heinrich von Stephan), and cultural & international events.

These stamps were valid only in West Berlin (and, later, also in West Germany from 1961 onward), but West Berlin retained its separate issues until reunification.