This is my diabetic cat OBI! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
18 Oct 2022
02:22:01pm

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re: Ohrdruf, never knew it existed until...

Not really into basic German stamps, but I would think if anyone tried to form a mini collection of a postmark from every concentration camp it would form a rather interesting collection - albeit a bit morbid. Has anyone tried to set up a collection like that? I know it would be a very unpleasant (to put it very lightly) collection to try to put together but it would be interesting in a historical sense. Just curious.

Edit: I just did a little research and found that there were about 33 major sites and a huge number of auxiliary sites. If you looked for each postmark it would be a lifetime amount of searching for things that might not even exist. I doubt if every camp or auxiliary camp had it's own post mark. I've always thought that even "bad history" has to be studied so we have less of a chance of re-making the same mistakes. It might be a worthwhile collection for someone to try to put together. I hope I haven't insulted anyone out there. I'll tell you a very short story. I knew a high school English teacher who used to go through all the novels she taught blacking out every word that she thought was objectionable, rather than using these words as a possible learning experience. Ignoring something that happened is not right, we have to understand it, if possible - just me humble opinion!!

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re: Ohrdruf, never knew it existed until...

During 1933 till 1945 Ohrdruf was a German forced labor and concentration camp located near Ohrdruf, south of Gotha, in Thuringia, Germany.
It was part of the Buchenwald concentration camp network.

But your stamp was issued at 1877 and the cancellation is from DECEMBER 11th, 1886
The concentration camp did not exist then.

Medieval Settling
Ohrdruf was founded in 724-726 by Saint Boniface, as the site of the first monastery in Thuringia, dedicated to Saint Michael.
In 777 Bishop Lullus consecrated St. Peter’s Church on the right bank of the River Ohra.
Several more religious foundations in the town followed, the latest of which is the Carmelite monastery Karmel St. Elija (founded 1991)

Ohrdruf porcelin and toy manufacture
19th century leading manufacturers of porcelein, dolls and toys made Ohrdruf a centre of the toy industry.
The Kewpie doll was produced here from 1913. You can still find some of the old molds included in the facades of Ohrdruf buildings.

Ohrdurf nowadays has many popular attractions, including Tobiashammer Ohrdruf, Schloss Ehrenstein, making it well worth a visit.