LOCAL ISSUES  1915-1918 (Occupation) and 1918-1919 (Republic)

During the German/Austrian occupation of the First World War, several cities used local postage, intended for use within a given city.  After Poland declared it's Independence, Postmasters in various cities used whatever stamps that were available.  Some were overprinted exclusively for collectors and were not intended to be used.  The stamps were overprinted in some way to identify them as Polish postage (usually Poczta Polska).  Many forgeries exist of these overprints.

For details on local stamps and their values, see: Katalog Znaczow i Calostek Ziem Polskich, Poczty okupcyjne, lokalne, wojskowe obozowe... Tom II (1997 edition) by Michal Jankowski and Zbigniew Korszen.  Polski Przedsiebiorstwo Filatelistyczne Spolka Akcyjna Warsaw 1996.

 
Grodzisk local issue.

German stamps with "General Gouvernment Warschau" overprint were the basis of many local issues.  Each of the following cities had an additional unique overprint usually involving the words Poczta Polska (not to be confused with the national issues), and some cities with an Eagle and some with the name of the city on the stamps:

Alexanderow Kujawski.  1918.  11 stamps overprinted "Poczta Polska".
Blonie.  1918.  11 stamps overprinted "Poczta Polska Blonie".  1 postcard.
Brzeziny.  1918.  14 stamps and 1 postcard overprinted "Poczta Polska" with an Eagle.
Ciechocinek. 1918.  6 stamps and 1 postcard overprinted "PoczTa PoLska"
Grodzisk.  1918.  10 stamps and 3 postcards overprinted "Poczta Polska".
Izbica.  1918.  4 stamps with "Poczta Polska" overprint.
Kalisz.  1918.  5 sets of stamps with "Poczta Polska" and Eagle overprint or "Poczta Polska Kalisz" overprint.  6 postcards.
Kolo.  1918.  1 set of 9 stamps and 1 set of 10 stamps and 2 postcards. Either an illegible overprint or an overprint resembling 2 fig leaves.
Konin.  1918.  3 sets of stamps, most with Eagle and "Poczta Polska" overprint.  3 postcards.
Leczyca.  1918.  14 stamps and 3 postcards with "Poczta Polska Leczyca" overprint.
Lowicz.  1918.  12 stamps and 1 postcard with "Poczta Polska" and big "X" overprint.
Lukow.  1918.  11 stamps and 1 postcard with "Poczta Polska" overprint.
Makow.  1918.  10 stamps and 2 postcards with "Poczta Polska" overprint with 2 thick bars.
Ostrolenka. 1918.  8 stamps and 2 postcards with "Poczta Polska Ostrolenka" overprint with 2 thick bars.
Ostrow.  1918.  9 stamps and 2 postcards with "Poczta Polska Ostrow" overprint with 2 thick bars.
Otwock.  1918.  10 stamps with Eagle "Poczta Polska" overprint.
Ozorkow.  1918.  10 stamps and 2 postcards with "Poczta Polska Ozorkow" overprint.
Plonsk.  1918.  10 stamps with "POCZTA POLSKA" overprint.
Poddebice.  1918.  10 stamps and 3 postcards with "POCZTA POLSKA" overprint.
Pultusk.  1918.  10 stamps and 3 postcards with "Poczta Polska" overprint with 2 thick bars.
Sieradz.  1918.  10 stamps and 3 postcards with "Poczta Polska" overprint.
Skierniewice.  1918.  10 stamps and 3 postcards with a diagonal "Polska" overprint.
Wloclawek.  1918.  3 set of stamps and 4 postcards. With "Poczta Polska" or "Na Skarb Narodowy" overprint.
Zdunska Wola.  1918.  2 sets of stamps and 2 postcards with "Poczta Polska" overprint.

Overprinted German stamps were also issued for national (northern Poland) usage from Warsaw in late 1918-early 1919.  Please refer to the Early issues of the 2nd Republic page for details.


Austrian Stamps Overprinted
 
Austrian stamps, with unique overprints for each city (with the words Poczta Polska and/or an Eagle or the value in the Halerzy denomination, and some with the name of the city) were issued in the following cities:
Baranow.  1918.  14 stamps overprinted "Poczta Polska".
Bielsko.  1918.  2 postcards overprinted "P O C Z T A  P O L S K A".
Bochnia.  1918.  3 stamps overprinted "Bochnia Poczta Polska *"
Czermin.  1918.  2 stamps overprinted in red "Polska Poczta".
Dziedzice.  1918.  2 "halerzy" overprints on bisected stamps.
Jedrzejow.  1918.  25 stamps and 1 postcard (2 from Bosnia-Hercegovina) "Poczta Polska Jedrzejow" overprint.
Klimkowka.  1919.  2 stamps overprinted "Poczta Polska".
Krosno.  1918.  1 postcard.
Mielec.  1918. 27 postage due and most regular and newspaper Austrian stamps overprinted "Poczta Polska." in 2 variations, and 2 reply cards and 3 postcards overprinted.  Also an Eagle overprint on most Austrian stamps.
Myslenice.  1918.  Eagle overprint (2 versions) on most Austrian stamps.  Also "Poczta Polska" overprint (3 versions) on most Austrian stamps.  1 reply card and 2 postcards.
Olkusz.  1918.  13 stamps and 1 postcard.  "Poczta Polska Olkusz" overprint.
Oswiecim.  1918.  1 stamp with Eagle of the Krolestwo Polskie overprint.
Przemysl.  1918.  Most Austrian stamps with "Poczta Polska" and Eagle overprint, 1 reply card and 2 postcards.
Rozwadow.  1918.  Most Austrian stamps with "Poczta Polska Rozwadow" and Eagle overprint.  Another set without "Rozwadow" in the overprint.  1 postcard.
Swiatniki Gorne.  1919.  40 Austrian stamps with one of 5 "Poczta Polska" overprints.
Tarnow.  1918.  Eagle overprint (2 types) and many Austrian stamps with "Rzp. Polska" overprint.  1 postcard.
Wegierska Gorka.  1919.  1 stamps overprinted with red Eagle.
Zwierzyniec.  3 stamps, with Eagle of the Krolestwo Polskie overprint.
Overprinted Austrian stamps were also issued for national (southern Poland) usage out of Krakow.  Please refer to the Early Issues of the 2nd Republic page for details.

In 1919, Ukrainian Stamps were used in Grodno (diagonal Poczta Polska overprint) and Wolyn (Kowel) with "Poczta Polska" overprint and a value in fenig.

Unique Local Issues (identifiable by the name of the city on the stamp) were issued in the following cities during and after WW I:
Bialystock.  1916.  4 stamps.
Checiny.  1919.  8 stamps*.
Luboml.  1918.  5 stamps*.
Otwock.  1916.  1 stamp.
Przedborz.  1917.  2 stamps.  1918.  16 stamps (4 sets of 4)*.
Sosnowice.  1916.  5 stamps, 2 postcards.
Warschau (Warszawa).  1915 2 basic stamps with many overprints into 1916.  1916. 4 stamps.
Zarki.  1918.  9 stamps, 3 stamps, same 3 stamps with overprints and 3 stamps with higher values.
Zawiercie.  1916.  2 stamps (3 variations of each).
(* found both perf and imperf.)


Warsaw Local issue, 1915.   Many variations of surcharges exist on these issues.


Zarki
Originals are rare with only 5000 printed of each value in the set.  Forgeries are plentiful.
1st series 3, 5, and 12 halerzy.
2nd series  6 halerzy surcharge on 3 halerzy, 10 halerzy surcharge on 5 halerzy  and
24 halerzy surcharge on 12 halerzy.
3rd series 6, 12 and 24 halerzy.

Note the numbers on this image.
These are 8 ways in which forgeries of Zarki stamps differ from the genuine stamps:
1.  Forgery has 2 rows of white bricks; Genuine has 3 rows.
2.  Forgery has crescent in window @ 9 o'clock position; Genuine closer to 8 o'clock.
3.  Forgery  has the left person in the  "group of 3" appearing shorter than the other 2;
     Genuine- all in the group are roughly the same height.
4.  Forgery has the r & k in "Zarkach" touching; Genuine does not have the  r & k touching.
5.  Forgery has the tree tops appearing heavy; Genuine has tree tops appearing light & whispy.
6.  Forgeries come perf and imperf; Genuine exist only perf 111/2.
7.  Forgeries are mainly uncancelled;  Genuine exist cancelled and uncancelled.
8.  Forgeries usually have paper that does not fluoresce under black light; Genuine paper fluoresces.

Sources:
Linn's,  Focus on Forgeries.
Thanks to Lawrence Weisz for all the extra info on Zarki.


POSTAGE DUE
Some local issues of Postage Due stamps were made in the early months of the Second Republic.  They were made by overprinting on existing stamps.

These examples were issued for Galicia in the Halerzy denomination.  Large numbers of variations of the "PORTO" overprint exist.


2 stamps were issued for Pilsudski's Legions in 1914.  They have a Polish Eagle with the letters "KNN" around it.  Illustrated are Pilsudski Legion fundraising labels.  Also issued perforated.

Russian Stamps of 1917 were overprinted for use by General Dowbor-Musnicki's Polish Corps.  They have an Eagle with "Poczta Pol. Korp." or "Pol. Korp." kop/R denomination overprint.  15 stamps and 14 postcards in the series.

3 stamps were issued by General Haller in 1920.  They are German stamps with "Nad Polskim..." overprint.


WW II Local Provisional Issues overprinted on German Occupation stamps 1944-45.

Issued in:
Brwinow,  Bystrzyca Klodzka, Konskie, Krakow, Legnica, Lezajsk, Leki Szlacheckie, Niezabitow, Rudnik, Siedlce, Warsawa, Wawolnica, Wegrow, Zamosc.

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