Operation Bernhard Propaganda Stamps

Archive

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Spungen Family Foundation - Holocaust Postal Collection

1944 June 6, Front side - Stamp from Operation Bernhard at Sachsenhausen concentration camp.: White stamp with maroon ink present overall. A 1.5-pence stamp depicting King George VI facing to the left. One flower in each corner appears and a crown is above King George VI. Above the crown is the Star of David. A cancellation overtop dated June 6, 1944 is present.
1944 June 6, Front side - Stamp from Operation Bernhard at Sachsenhausen concentration camp.

White stamp with maroon ink present overall. A 1.5-pence stamp depicting King George VI facing to the left. One flower in each corner appears and a crown is above King George VI. Above the crown is the Star of David. A cancellation overtop dated June 6, 1944 is present.

Name/Title

Operation Bernhard Propaganda Stamps

Scope and Content

1944 June 6, stamp from Operation Bernhard at Sachsenhausen concentration camp.

Context

In addition to the famous counterfeit Bank of England notes made at Sachsenhausen concentration camp in Germany, the Jewish prisoners were ordered to make fake passports, legal documents and propaganda postage stamps of England. The stamps had a Jewish Star of David added on top of the Royal crown. The purpose was for the Nazis to show the world that England was run by and/or under rule of Jewish enemy.

Collection

Operation Bernhard

Category

Stamp
Philatelic Material

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Stamp, Postage

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Stamp

Nomenclature Class

Exchange Media

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

Archive Details

Date(s) of Creation

1944 - Jun 1944

Primary Language

English

Ethnography

Cultural Region

Region

Central Europe

Continent

Europe

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Measurement of the full length and width of the archive.

Width

1-3/16 in

Length

2-1/2 in

Relationships

Related Places

Place

Nazi Concentration Camp

Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp

State/Province

Brandenburg

Region

Central Europe

Continent

Europe

General Notes

Note Type

Cataloging Note

Note

Updated by C. Walrich (Feb 9 2026)