BISECT OF THE SECOND LUBLIN ISSUE – 1919

With the departure of the Austrian army and their administrators from Galicja at the end of WWI, the Polish employees of the post office continued to provide postal services. The earliest instruction we have regarding the post office is from November 5, 1918, which stated that existing stamps and postal forms were to be used. On November 7, 1918, a Provisional Government of the Polish People’s Republic was formed in Lublin.

Existing stocks of Austrian and Bosnia-Herzegovina stamps were available to be used. On December 5, 1918, three Austrian Field Post stamps were overprinted into Polish stamps and are known as the First Lublin Issue.  This issue was short-lived and letters with this issue are very difficult to find.  Beginning on December 19, 1918 to January 8, 1919, the Second Lublin issue was made by overprinting existing Austrian Field Post stamps into Polish stamps.

The Austrian and Bosnia-Herzegovina stamps continued to be used due to the shortage of overprinted Polish stamps. Because of the shortage of stamps that conformed with existing rates, one finds letters that are either overfranked or underfranked by some small amounts.  This was allowed by the postal authorities. However, the most difficult examples occured when existing stamps were bisected or even quadrasected to meet or approximate the existing rates. While more common on Austrian stamps, these fractionals are very difficult to find on Polish stamps.

Shown above is a letter from Ożarów sent on February 11, 1919 to Kraków with a bisected 45/60 haller “Second Lublin” issue stamp. The stamp underpays the 25 haller rate by 2½ hallers. The stamp is canceled by the provisional circular date stamp which has the Austrian “K.u.K. Etappenpostamt” removed. This is the only recorded fractional usage from Ożarów and a rarity of this issue.