Immelmann Memorial Postcard with Handwritten Wartime Message, c. 1916–1917

This original Imperial German memorial postcard depicts Leutnant Max Immelmann, one of the most celebrated aviators of the First World War and among Germany’s earliest air combat heroes. The image shows Immelmann in officer’s uniform, wearing the Pour le Mérite at the neck and the Iron Cross prominently displayed on the chest, surrounded by additional decorations earned during his brief but highly influential career. The portrait is printed in rich monochrome tones with a decorative border and is accompanied below by a lengthy patriotic poem honoring his courage, sacrifice, and symbolic elevation as a national figure. The typography and layout are characteristic of mid-war German commemorative printing, intended both as remembrance and morale material.

The lower margin identifies the publisher as W. Sanke of Berlin, a prolific and well-known producer of high-quality military postcards during the war. Sanke’s Immelmann cards were issued shortly after the aviator’s death in June 1916 and circulated widely throughout Germany, making them some of the most iconic aviation-related postcards of the conflict. The printing quality, paper stock, and composition align with known period examples, and the card format is standard for the era.

The reverse of the postcard retains its original handwritten message in period German cursive, postmarked and mailed during the war. The address is to a civilian recipient in Lindau in Bavaria, clearly identifying the home-front nature of the correspondence. The message itself reads, in translation:

Postmark (Aufgabeort / Cancellation)
German (as stamped): LEUTENBACH a. d. MURR (Württemberg)
English: Leutenbach on the Murr River (Württemberg)
Notes: The blue handwritten “a. d. Murr” is the standard locality qualifier (“an der Murr”) matching the cancellation. This confirms the mailing origin area; it is not the destination.

Handwritten Routing / Locality Notation
German (as written, blue ink): a. d. Murr
English: on the Murr River
Notes: Common geographic qualifier used with towns along the Murr; consistent with the postmark.

Address (Empfänger / Recipient)
German (best-faith reading): Frau [C./E.] Lenz, Lindau i. B.
English: Mrs. [C./E.] Lenz, Lindau i. B.
Notes on abbreviation: “i. B.” in this context is most plausibly “im Bodensee” (Lindau on Lake Constance). The initial before “Lenz” is not fully secure due to pen angle/overstroke; it reads as C or E depending on stroke interpretation. Destination is Lindau; origin is Leutenbach a. d. Murr.

Message Text (Nachricht / Inscription) – Transcription
Hand: German cursive (Kurrent/Sütterlin-influenced Latin script), blue/black ink; moderate stroke overlap with light surface wear.
Legibility: Partial; several words are clear, several remain uncertain. Uncertain readings are bracketed.

German (transcription, line sense preserved, uncertain in brackets):
Sehr geehrte Frau [Eschmann/Elsmann]!
Einen herzlichen Gruß sende ich
Ihnen [—]
[Ihren] und meinen Freunden [—]
[—] Sind Sie [—]
[—] Ich hoffe [—]
Mit besten Weihnachtsgrüßen!
Ihre Theo. Murr.

Message Text – English Translation (Literal, Non-Interpretive)
Dear Mrs. [Eschmann/Elsmann],
I send you warm greetings
to you [—]
to [your] and my friends [—]
[—] Are you [—]
[—] I hope [—]
With best Christmas greetings!
Yours, Theo. Murr.

Name/Signature (Absender / Sender)
German (as signed): Ihre Theo. Murr.
English: Yours, Theo. Murr.
Notes: Surname “Murr” aligns plausibly with the locality “a. d. Murr,” but this is not treated as proof of identity—only an observation consistent with the geography.

Collector-Grade Notes on Uncertainty

1. The salutation surname appears as [Eschmann/Elsmann], not “Lenz,” while the address reads “Lenz.” This discrepancy can occur in period correspondence (married/maiden name, household addressee vs. personal salutation, or later-added address), but it may also reflect an uncertain read of the salutation line.

2. The destination line “Lindau i. B.” is the most secure portion of the address; the recipient initial is the least secure.

3. Full certainty would require a raking-light, angled close-up of (a) the salutation surname and (b) the diagonal “Frau [ ] Lenz” line to confirm letter-forms.

The tone of the message is gentle, respectful, and personal, with no overt military language. Its content reflects the everyday emotional realities of wartime Germany: concern for health, acknowledgment of hardship, and a sense of shared uncertainty. This quiet civilian message, written on a postcard glorifying one of Germany’s greatest war heroes, creates a striking and historically meaningful contrast. It underscores how such commemorative items functioned not only as patriotic imagery but also as ordinary vehicles of human connection during the war.

Historically, Max Immelmann served in the Imperial German Army’s Fliegertruppen, the precursor to the later Luftstreitkräfte. He became famous in 1915 as one of the first true fighter aces, credited with pioneering tactics that shaped early aerial combat. His death in 1916 elevated him immediately to mythic status within Germany, and his name was used extensively in propaganda, memorial culture, and morale-building material such as this card. Items bearing his likeness are foundational pieces in any serious collection of early military aviation or Imperial German propaganda ephemera.

Condition is consistent with a genuinely used wartime postcard. The image side shows even toning, surface wear, and edge softness from handling and age. The reverse exhibits postal wear, light staining, and ink fading typical of cards that passed through the mail during the period. All text remains legible, and the overall integrity of the card is intact, with no modern alterations or repairs. These signs of use are not detriments but rather confirm the card’s authenticity and lived history.

From a collector’s standpoint, this piece offers multiple layers of appeal: a major named aviation figure, a known wartime publisher, original postal use, and a complete handwritten message that humanizes the object beyond its propaganda function. Such combinations are increasingly difficult to find, particularly with legible, emotionally resonant text and clear attribution.