Date of use : 1923 Germany

Contessa-Nettel Cover with Hyperinflation German Stamps - Deutsche Bank

This envelope is addressed to the Contessa-Nettel company. Founded in 1919 in Stuttgart, Germany, Contessa-Nettel AG was formed through the merger of Contessa Camerawerke Drexler & Nagel and Nettel Camerawerk. The company was particularly known for producing stereoscopic cameras and focal plane shutter models. In 1926, it merged with ICA, Ernemann, and Goerz to become part of Zeiss Ikon. The company's headquarters were located at Dornhaldenstraße 5 in Stuttgart, a location it moved to in 1913 during Contessa Camerawerke's expansion. Contessa-Nettel AG gained recognition for its large-format cameras, particularly the Deckrullo-Nettel, which was highly popular among both professional photographers and advanced amateurs.

Additionally, this envelope features two postage stamps, each valued at two million marks. These stamps were issued during the peak of hyperinflation in Germany in 1923. During this period, the German currency had significantly depreciated, and monetary values had reached astronomical levels. Even daily necessities required millions of marks. Banks and companies had to use stamps with extremely high nominal values for commercial transactions. This envelope serves as a remarkable historical artifact, documenting the economic turmoil and financial inflation of that era.

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.