History of Baden-Württemberg

They appeared to have become new national borders. Gates and border controls in the middle of the country were something unaccustomed. At first, at the border one could show a French Foreign Legionnaire who did not know the language an identity document of any kind instead of an official pass. He could not read it. Later, it was not so simple. Even in 1948 one had to have a six-page Interzonal Passport in order to be able to travel from the American Zone into the French Zone and back. The form, in English, French, Russian and German languages, reflected the situation of divided Germany after 1945.

Even within the Zones of Occupation there were boundaries. This could be seen in the postage stamps that were valid then. On a trip through the Upper Danube valley you needed to be careful. You were always in the French Zone of Occupation, but not always in the same state. A picture postcard purchased in Beuren (Württemberg-Hohenzollern), carrying a postage stamp of that state, but mailed a few kilometers away in Hausen im Tal (Baden), would not be considered to be carrying valid postage. At the destination in Stuttgart, a penalty charge would have to be paid.

While in the rest of Germany, from 1946 on, standard postage stamps with simple numbers were distributed, in the entire French Zone, special stamps with the coats of arms of the historical component parts were in use. From 1947 to 1949 there were even special series for the individual states: Baden, Württemberg (-Hohenzollern) and Rhineland-Palatinate.