Legion of French Volunteers Against Bolshevism

[Moderator Note: This thread was created by combining posts from two different threads.]


not sure where to post.... WWI or WWII

actual stamp or cinderella's?


Thanks for any light anyone can shed on these. they were on a page of "occupation" stamps in a accumulation/collection lot I recently acquired.

These appear to be "labels" produced by Germany...... "French Legion des Volontaires Francais contre la Russie" - set of 5....1 million were apparently produced to fund the Eastern front fight with volunteers from France. The original full set of 5 does present with a se-tenant label each showing on the side the Legion's insignia (which I do not have)
Any ideas ?? Thanks !

René

Thanks ROB for the reply - I am looking for a definite Cinderella on those labels - Interesting what you brought up
Once I am 100% certain they are Cinderellas I will offer them on this Forum like a giveaway

René

Thanks tomiseksj - was just having a discussion with Stan, stainlessb, in Sacramento - happy to be at the proper place (thread) and as mentioned, since I am worth "0" in Cinderellas - my 5 labels are offered to the first collector that sends me a PM - he has to be active and with full membership and able to prove he is a Cinderella collector   (free and shipping incl.)
René

renden The article Steve linked states that they had no postal value, thus to me they are Cinderellas.

Two threads have been combined under the more comprehensive title.
Both had similar images of the items in question.

Happy Collecting.

Hi Chris,

I feel partly responsible for this. I was going to make a post on this subject but found that there were 2 separate threads and I suggested that they be amalgamated. One was already in Cinderellas and the other under the stamps of France.

I have a booklet on these entitled 'The Legion of French Volunteers 1941-44' by R E Reader and published by The France & Colonies Philatelic Society of Great Britain in 1981. Let me give you some information from the booklet.

Firstly, regarding Legionnaires' Mail, it states that 'Cards and letters not exceeding 20 grammes sent to and from the Legionnaires, whether at home or abroad, were exempt from postage and therefore required no postage stamps.' 

The booklet calls the stamps 'Military Frank Issues' but highlights the debate at the time as to the true philatelic nature of these LVF stamps, the same debate that we are having now. They were certainly collectible from the outset. There were 4 issues, all seen above.

On 28th June 1942 the LVF, with German approval, became Legion Tricolore, 'a legion to be dependent on the French Government' but was dissolved on 28th December that year. However, 'On October 12, 1942, there appeared the first (and last!) stamp celebrating the Tricolour Legion. This stamp was truly official, being sold across the post office counter', actually 2 (or 3) stamps in blue and red plus an albino 'impression'. This is as opposed to the Military Frank Issues sold only by the Legion. 

There is one further note of interest, 'the Legion military frank stamps [were] immediately 'expurgated' from post Liberation catalogues by order of the Interunion Commission for the Purification of Philately set up at the end of 1944.'

Sure, there are examples of the LVF stamps on Feldpost covers but there was no postal requirement for them. I would say that they are more akin to Swiss Soldier Stamps which are also readily found on Feldpost covers there.

I don't see that Stanley Gibbons list the LVF stamps, not even under Military Frank Stamps, but they certainly list the Legion Tricolore stamps. I admire catalogues like Yvert et Tellier and Maury who do list them and realise their historical significance.

Daniel

daniel - what the heck was The Interunion Commission for the Purification of Philately?

daniel - Thanks, I was beginning to think I had fallen victim to a philatelic leg pull