Greek pre-war regular postal stationery envelope to Germany with 3Dr head of King George II and 50L Social Providence (Heads of Queens ms endorsed ‘mit Luftpost’ [by air post] in German, overprinted Olga and Sophia) imprinted stamps (domestic rate -1939), increased in 1942/43 with dark brown ‘TTT’ [PTT] ornament annulling them and new value ‘ΔΡ. 30 (30dr) in large numerals (invalid at that time). The cover received added 75Dr ‘Edessa’ + 15Dr ‘Heraklion Crete - Port’ + 100Dr ‘Mount Athos – Pantokrator Monastery’ (Landscapes issue, 1942) regular adhesives plus the 50Dr ‘Kaikias (North-east wind)’ airpost one (1942).
It should be pointed out that a 10Dr ‘Acheloos River - Katohi’ adhesive of the same regular issueis missing. The attentive way the stamp was taken off, plus some small pieces of unpeeled glued papers, rather show the German censor in Vienna.
Total franking is 250 dr., with 200 dr. for international surface mail rate (in effect from 1 February to 31 July 1943 [6/13 inflation period]) plus 50 dr. for the air post fee (effective from 1 April 1943).
Ms sender’s details on flap in German: ‘Dorf Gefyra [Gefyra Hamlet] (Topsin)/Saloniki’. Cover is addressed to a Greek worker ‘bei "Schoeller-Bleckmann Stahlwerke, Mürzzuschlag Kolonie 39, Steiermark, Ostmark [Austria] d R" [dritte Reich?].
Postmarked for departure with ‘ΓΕΦΥΡΑ (ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΗΣ) – 4 V 43’ [Gefyra village, NW of Thessaloniki on the eastern bank of Axios River, 4 May 1943] date stamp. Backstamped in transit 'ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΗ ΑΦΙΞΙΣ 7 V 1943’ [Thessaloniki Arrival, 7 May 1943.
Dispatched by air to Vienna, where it was opened and examined by the international letter inspection military service “g”, authorized to examine correspondence mainly to and from the Balkan States. The following markings were applied during the procedure: the six-figure entry registration number in green “051353” and pencil/stamp examiners’ numbers “143/V”, “6492” (front), “6215”, and “868” (reverse), while a “OKW / GEÖFFNET (g)” stamp in red was applied along the plain brown re-sealing tape.
Last, remnants of adherent indeterminable white label [38x17? mm] remain to be clarified.
Condition: Excellent; see scans.