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German Federal Republic

FIRST STAMPS ISSUED 7 September 1949.

CURRENCY
1949, 100 pfennig = 1 West German mark.

Created by the Western Allies early in 1949, the Federal Republic came into formal existence on 21 September 1949. Pending the actual date, stamps for the new combined territory first appeared on 7 September to commemorate the opening of the new West German parliament at Bonn. For details of the reunion of West and East Germany see under the German Democratic Republic.

Berlin
During this complex period Berlin, which lay within the Russian zone, had gone through a number of similar changes. On 1 July 1948 the Russians withdrew from four-power control of the city as a result of the Berlin blockade and airlift, which had began on 22 June 1948. This continued until 12 May 1949.

Stamps of the Allied occupation were issued on 1 September 1948 overprinted for use in the Western zone of Berlin. In January 1949 a further overprinted set was issued in the revised currency; these can be distinguished by the red overprint in place of the black which had appeared earlier. The need of issues for West Berlin ceased. with the amalgamation of the two Germanys and no further issues were released after 3 October 1990, when the first issues of the new country appeared.