Official postcard distributed by the German authorities to mark the establishment of the General Government

Official postcard distributed by the German authorities to mark the establishment of the General Government

Official postcard distributed by the German administration to mark the establishment of the General Government (Generalgouvernement) in the occupied Polish territories. Krakow, November 7th 1939.

With the conquest of Poland and establishment of the General Government, the Nazis distributed this postcard to mark the imposition of "civil administration" in the occupied lands. At the top is the Reich eagle with swastika and German text: "Umtsantritt Generalgouverneurs fur die besetzten polnischen Gebiete" - "The Governor General of the Occupied Polish Territories took office", Imperial German postage stamp and special date stamp of November 7, 1939.

See also identical postcard on permanent display at Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum.

The General Government (German: Generalgouvernement, Abbreviation of: Generalgouvernement für die besetzten Polnischen Gebiete - "General Administration for the Occupied Territories in Poland") was the name given by the Nazis to the areas of occupied Poland that were not annexed directly to Germany after the invasion of Poland during World War II. In October 1939 Hitler proclaimed the administrative division of the occupied territories. Large areas were annexed by the "Reich" while four districts - Warsaw, Lublin, Radom, and Krakow - were declared the "General Government" with Krakow selected as the capital of the new administration. The GG population initially included 12 million people, later increased by 860,000 Poles and Jews expelled from areas annexed by the Reich. The tight German control in the GG was a first step towards deporting Jews to extermination.

Size: 15x10.5 cm. Very good condition.