Description: This is a definitive stamp from the German Democratic Republic (DDR) featuring the "German-Soviet Friendship" motif. The original violet base stamp was a 6 Pfennig value depicting a German worker (left) shaking hands with a Soviet worker (right) in front of a large waving flag, symbolizing the political bond between East Germany and the USSR. Due to postal rate changes or inventory surpluses, this stamp was reissued with a heavy black overprint. A thick "X" cancels out the original "6" value in the upper-left corner, and a large bold "5" is printed over the bottom center to establish the new 5 Pfennig denomination.
Circa: 1950s-1960s
Condition: Used
Notes:
The design was a core piece of state propaganda. The figure on the right represents the "Soviet Liberator" and mentor, while the figure on the left is the German worker accepting guidance. It was intended to visualize the slogan "Von der Sowjetunion lernen heißt siegen lernen" (To learn from the Soviet Union is to learn how to win).