10 Hitler stamps 0

[atomised]

So I just got my copy of Terrors of the Jungle #6 and was a bit startled to see this free Hitler stamp promotion on the back cover.  This book was published in 1953 and a good number of years after the war. I guess I was just surprised to see this promoted on a comic book.  Were these Hitler stamps a collectable item at this time?  I didn't think this kind of material would be on the back of a book so I'm curious to know any context.

[Pickie]

That's startling, indeed. Didn't know that (being from Germany). I'm no "stamp guy" , but there always have been masses of "Hitler" stamps around. The promotion calls the stamps in question "scarce", but that, if all, should only have matched for the distribution area of the promotion (USA etc.). Since they were free give-aways they obviously were rather worthless (and still should be by now). I think the main purpose of the "assortment" is the "eye catcher" effect?

Edited November 2, 2017 by Pickie
typo

[telerites]

I think I had posted this in the Gold Connections thread - I too was somewhat taken aback when I noticed it.  I forget which book it is from.

 

[Sqeggs]

When I was a kid, my older brother was a stamp collector.  He had a significant number of Hitler stamps, as well as stamps from other countries.  I don't recall all the stamps he had, but since he had some from most countries for different periods during the twentieth century, I would guess he also had stamps showing other dictators.  I don't think it would have occurred to most stamp collectors at the time to avoid those types of stamps.  The ones shown in the ad were probably from a cache of unused stamps seized by the Allies.  I assume they must have had a lot of them to be able to fill the orders from this ad.

Probably worth remembering that many GIs returned from Europe with Nazi memorabilia (although my father, who served in the infantry in Europe, didn't).  That stuff might have seemed marginal to some at the time, but I think most people just saw it as interesting war booty and didn't believe to own it was to glorify Hitler or the Nazis.  Opinions on that issue have changed, of course, but at the time it ran, that ad wouldn't have struck most people as shocking. 

[Sqeggs]

6 hours ago, Pickie said:

That's startling, indeed. Didn't know that (being from Germany). I'm no "stamp guy" , but there always have been masses of "Hitler" stamps around. The promotion calls the stamps in question "scarce", but that, if all, should only have matched for the distribution area of the promotion (USA etc.). Since they were free give-aways they obviously were rather worthless (and still should be by now). I think the main purpose of the "assortment" is the "eye catcher" effect?

I think that's it.  Ten free stamps showing, say, Queen Elizabeth wouldn't have made many kids stop and look. 

[aardvark88]

13 hours ago, Sqeggs said:

When I was a kid, my older brother was a stamp collector.  He had a significant number of Hitler stamps, as well as stamps from other countries. 

I almost tossed my stamp collection out in 2006 due to the deluge on eBay then I read the local newspaper:

[PopKulture]

14 hours ago, Sqeggs said:

When I was a kid, my older brother was a stamp collector.  He had a significant number of Hitler stamps, as well as stamps from other countries.  I don't recall all the stamps he had, but since he had some from most countries for different periods during the twentieth century, I would guess he also had stamps showing other dictators.  I don't think it would have occurred to most stamp collectors at the time to avoid those types of stamps.  The ones shown in the ad were probably from a cache of unused stamps seized by the Allies.  I assume they must have had a lot of them to be able to fill the orders from this ad.

Probably worth remembering that many GIs returned from Europe with Nazi memorabilia (although my father, who served in the infantry in Europe, didn't).  That stuff might have seemed marginal to some at the time, but I think most people just saw it as interesting war booty and didn't believe to own it was to glorify Hitler or the Nazis.  Opinions on that issue have changed, of course, but at the time it ran, that ad wouldn't have struck most people as shocking. 

Well stated.

And curiously enough, you could probably post the same ad today with ten Stalin stamps and it would receive little fanfare. The twentieth century featured a horribly prolific trio in Hitler, Stalin and Mao, but Hitler is by far the most infamous, even though the body counts are thought to be much higher for the other two.

[telerites]

11 hours ago, PopKulture said:

Well stated.

And curiously enough, you could probably post the same ad today with ten Stalin stamps and it would receive little fanfare. The twentieth century featured a horribly prolific trio in Hitler, Stalin and Mao, but Hitler is by far the most infamous, even though the body counts are thought to be much higher for the other two.

Is that true regarding the body counts?  I had always assumed with the Holocaust victims, Hitler/the Nazis would have been responsible for more deaths or is this for soldier numbers?   I honestly don't know so my assumption of total deaths with death camp numbers may not be on the right track.

[PopKulture]

6 hours ago, telerites said:

Is that true regarding the body counts?  I had always assumed with the Holocaust victims, Hitler/the Nazis would have been responsible for more deaths or is this for soldier numbers?   I honestly don't know so my assumption of total deaths with death camp numbers may not be on the right track.

It's all subject to some debate as to whom to attribute what deaths, but estimates for Mao put him near 40 million, nearly twice the range of estimates for Stalin or Hitler. Stalin by most attributions edges Hitler out even with the Holocaust estimates of nearly 6 million included. The Soviets were just brutal: history has been too kind to Stalin and communism in general.

Of course whether it's 1 million or 100 million, the magnitude is mind-numbing and comparisons become sort of a matter of pointless accounting.

Throw in what happened in the Congo, Armenia, Cambodia, etc. and you have a pretty sh*tty century for mass killings.

[Wayne-Tec]

What motivation did the publisher have for including this and how was this not met with objection? Or was it?

[telerites]

2 hours ago, PopKulture said:

It's all subject to some debate as to whom to attribute what deaths, but estimates for Mao put him near 40 million, nearly twice the range of estimates for Stalin or Hitler. Stalin by most attributions edges Hitler out even with the Holocaust estimates of nearly 6 million included. The Soviets were just brutal: history has been too kind to Stalin and communism in general.

Of course whether it's 1 million or 100 million, the magnitude is mind-numbing and comparisons become sort of a matter of pointless accounting.

Throw in what happened in the Congo, Armenia, Cambodia, etc. and you have a pretty sh*tty century for mass killings.

Thanks for the info.  It is sad indeed. 

[Sqeggs]

On 11/2/2017 at 11:56 PM, aardvark88 said:

I almost tossed my stamp collection out in 2006 due to the deluge on eBay then I read the local newspaper:

And I hope you took the proceeds from selling your 12-penny black and bought comics. 

[woowoo]

This is for my girl Sqeggs  The best girl these boards have ever had ( just having little fun Sqeggs ) Your a Kool dude

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Czechoslovakia-Stamps-Complete-Hitler-Set/162740901722?hash=item25e41d175a:g:-dwAAOSwxppZdk5N

 

Edited November 7, 2017 by woowoo