Our neighbours
Germany issue a lot of special cancellations each year. There are also some,
although few, permanent postmarks. On 8 April 2017 a permanent pictorial
postmark was issued for the Zugspitze. The postmark will be put on mail that is
put into the mailbox on the mountain. Apparently it is not possible to send
requests for a postmark to the Zugspitze. At the Sonderstempelstelle in Weiden
collectors could get their mail postmarked for 28 days, but only with the first
day of use.
The Zugspitze at
2.962 m above sea level, is the highest peak of the Wetterstein Mountains as
well as the highest mountain in Germany. It lies south of the town of
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and the border between Germany and Austria runs over
its western summit. South of the mountain is the Zugspitzplatt, a high karst
plateau with numerous caves. On the flanks of the Zugspitze are three glaciers,
including the two largest in Germany: the Northern Schneeferner with an area of
30,7 hectares and the Höllentalferner with an area of 24,7 hectares. The third
is the Southern Schneeferner which covers 8,4 hectares.
Since 1851 there
has been a summit cross on the top of Zugspitze. The driving force behind the
erection of a cross on the summit was the priest, Christoph Ott. This cross is
featured prominently in the postmark.
For this
postmark I used the normal 90 cent definitive from the flower series.
The website of
Zugspitze with information about holidays, accommodations, sports (choose from
twenty languages): zugspitze.de. To get the postmark, send an addressed card or envelope with appropriate postage to the post office at 82475 Zugspitze.
Date sent: 18
April 2017
Date postmark: 8
April 2017
Date received: 4
May 2017
Number of days:
16
Envelope in
collection: 29
