Civil Censorship Study Group

Hi
I have a question
How come this letter posted in 1943 (?), in Brazil, for Portugal, is censored at Paris, by the german ? As far as I know, there was an air mail route from USA to Portugal
Thank you for your help

olivierlafarge wrote:Hi
I have a question
How come this letter posted in 1943 (?), in Brazil, for Portugal, is censored at Paris, by the german ? As far as I know, there was an air mail route from USA to Portugal
Thank you for your help

Good evening.
Dear olivierlafarge,

Seeing your question and pictures let's try to see and analise all the data of this cover (datestamp, stamps, postage rates, forwardings, timetables, censor annotations, censor tapes, etc).

It seems we are facing with a Brazilian datestamp of April ??, so... could it be possible to see, exactly, the date of departure?

I tried to see exactly the date/place of the datestamp with modifications of the luminosity/saturation/etc... just have a look at the attached picture and let us know your opinion.

Hello

I don't have more information. I am not sure of the year. In can be April 43 or 44. Before, the german ware not using X censor in Paris, after, they weer not in Paris anymore ! I don't have information on brazilian censorship. Obligado

olivierlafarge wrote:Hello

I don't have more information. I am not sure of the year. In can be April 43 or 44. Before, the german ware not using X censor in Paris, after, they weer not in Paris anymore ! I don't have information on brazilian censorship. Obligado

Good evening.

As far as we can see in Landsman (2019:321;327) the "x" tapes were used in Paris from May 1942 to July 1944 (1). Have also a look at the TOWNSHEND (2021:79). (2)

This means that it can be 1943 or 1944 (also because the allies arrived in Paris in August 1944).

Now... let's take three steps forward:

1st - Brazilian censorship - D.F. 195 - Districto Federal (Rio de Janeiro) (3)

2nd - 5400 reis each 5g - Brazilian airmail rate to Europe - during some time it was the airmail rate Via Lati, however in 1943 and 1944 this route did not exist and the airmail company was the PAA. (4)

3rd - EXAMINED BY 2839 - San Juan (5)

(1) - LANDSMANN, Horst (2019). Die Zensur von Zivilpost in Deutschland im 2. Weltkrieg [...] 2. Auflage.
(2) - TOWNSHEND, Philip (2021). German Censorship of International Mail during World War II [...]
(3) - MEIFFERT, Jürgen (2012). Zensurpost in Brasilen Katalog der Zensur- und Prüferstempel, Verschlusszttel [...]
(4) - WILSON, John (2020). Pan American Airways Wartime Transatlantic Air Mail [...] and PROUD, Edward (2008), Intercontinental Airmails Volume One Transatlantic and Beyond [...].
(5) - BRODERICK; MAYO (1980). Civil Censorship in the United States During World War II [...]

Yes, Olivier, it must be 1943, and yes, there was an air route direct to Lisbon, so this cover is just an oddity, a stray that got mixed up with other mail to e.g. Switzerland. Very collectable, but not significant in terms of air-routes or censorship.
Philip Townshend