Date of use : 1934, Germany

Die Kamera Exhibition 1934 Postcard

This postal envelope represents an intriguing example of ephemera documenting communication between a photographic exhibition held in Germany and a recipient in Austria. The printed inscription on the envelope indicates that the item is connected to an event titled "Ausstellung Die Kamera – Stuttgart 24 March–22 April 1934." The German word Ausstellung means "exhibition," while Die Kamera directly refers to the camera or to photography as a theme. It is therefore highly likely that the envelope was sent as part of the promotional or organizational correspondence related to a photographic or camera exhibition held in Stuttgart.

In the upper left corner of the envelope appears the printed designation "Drucksache," indicating that the item was sent through the postal system under the category of printed matter. In Germany, as well as in many other European countries, printed promotional materials, catalogues, or invitations were commonly mailed under this classification. Such mailings were usually subject to reduced postal rates and were widely used for the dissemination of commercial or cultural announcements. This suggests that the envelope most likely contained a printed brochure, invitation, or informational document associated with the exhibition.

The postal cancellation on the envelope shows that it was processed through the Stuttgart postal center, with the postmark dating to the year 1934. The stamp bears the inscription "Deutsches Reich," identifying it as part of the standard postage issues used in the German postal system during that period. The combination of this stamp and the postmark confirms that the item was dispatched from Germany through the international postal network.

Record Information

Title: Die Kamera Exhibition 1934 Postal Envelope (Stuttgart to Austria)

Category: Photographic Exhibitions / Postal History

Subcategory: German Photography Events / Printed Matter Mail

Country: Germany (Sender: Stuttgart) → Austria (Recipient)

City: Stuttgart (Sender: Exhibition Organizers) → [Austrian Recipient]

Date of use: 1934

Event: "Ausstellung Die Kamera" (The Camera Exhibition), Stuttgart, Germany, 24 March – 22 April 1934.

Object Type: Printed matter envelope (Drucksache)

Postal Features: German "Deutsches Reich" postage stamp; Stuttgart postal cancellation (1934); "Drucksache" printed matter classification marking.

Language: German

Material: Paper envelope

Dimensions: Standard commercial envelope format

Collection Theme: Die Kamera exhibition, Stuttgart photographic events, German camera exhibitions, 1930s photography culture, Drucksache postal rate, printed matter mail, Deutsches Reich stamps, Germany-Austria postal communication, exhibition ephemera.

Archival Significance: This 1934 printed matter envelope documents promotional correspondence for the "Die Kamera" exhibition in Stuttgart, illustrating the use of postal communication to publicize photographic events in Germany during the 1930s and the cross-border reach of such exhibitions to Austria.

Research Note:

This article is based on historical research and independent analysis of the material in the author's collection. The text has been prepared as an original interpretative study and does not reproduce copyrighted material.

This item is documented as part of the Photography in Postal History research project.
For research context, see the Research Methodology.
For academic reference, please refer to How to Cite This Archive.