Imperial German WWI 1915 Feldpost Postcard Kaiser Wilhelm II and Handwritten Letter

An original First World War Imperial German Feldpostkarte (field-post postcard), dated February 17, 1915, featuring a printed military portrait, handwritten sender and recipient information, and an extensive personal message in German. This period correspondence offers a tangible connection to the German Army's wartime postal system and the personal experiences of soldiers serving during the opening months of the Great War.

The postcard is of standard German postal size, measuring approximately 5 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches. Printed on lightweight buff-colored cardstock, it features a portrait of a decorated German military figure, apparently Kaiser Wilhelm II, wearing a dark military uniform with shoulder insignia and decorations. The portrait is incorporated into the address side of the card, alongside printed spaces for military identification and the recipient's address.

The German heading "Feld-Postkarte" translates to "Field-Post Postcard," identifying the card as correspondence intended for transmission through the German military postal service.

Additional printed inscriptions include "Absender" (Sender), "Truppenteil" (Military Unit), "Regiment Nr." (Regiment Number), "Division" (Division), "Armeekorps" (Army Corps), and "Kompagnie, Batterie, Eskadron, Bataillon" (Company, Battery, Squadron, Battalion). The card also provides a space for an "Aufgabestempel" (Posting Cancellation).

The sender completed portions of the military identification section in handwritten German script. The regiment-number field appears to contain the number 18, while an army-corps designation is also entered. The remaining handwritten unit information is not sufficiently distinct for a definitive transcription.

The card is addressed to a young woman identified as "Fräulein Maria," followed by a surname that cannot presently be established with certainty. The destination is Cöln a/Rh., the contemporary spelling of Cologne on the Rhine, together with a handwritten street address.

The correspondence side contains a lengthy personal message written in cursive German handwriting, characteristic of the period. It is dated "St. Michel 17/2 15," indicating February 17, 1915, at a location identified as St. Michel.

The opening includes a familiar personal salutation, and the surviving text conveys the character of private correspondence between a serviceman and someone at home. Portions of the message are difficult to decipher because of the flowing handwriting, faded ink, and age-related discoloration. A complete verbatim translation cannot be established confidently without further examination of the original script.

Historical Background

The German Feldpost, or military field-post system, was an essential institution of the Imperial German Army during the First World War. Following the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, the military postal service expanded to accommodate enormous quantities of correspondence exchanged between soldiers and their families.

Letters and postcards were transported between frontline formations, military hospitals, supply installations, and civilian addresses throughout Germany. These communications provided reassurance, maintained family relationships, and helped sustain morale during prolonged periods of military service.

Field-post postcards were especially practical because they were inexpensive, lightweight, and easily carried by soldiers. Standardized military forms provided spaces for identification of the sender's regiment and larger formation, assisting postal authorities in routing correspondence through the military network.

The inclusion of patriotic military portraits on these cards reflected the importance of imperial identity and loyalty during the conflict. Images of Kaiser Wilhelm II and prominent military commanders were widely reproduced on postcards and other printed ephemera.

The date of February 17, 1915, places this correspondence during the first winter of the First World War, following Germany's initial campaigns of 1914 and the establishment of increasingly entrenched positions along the Western Front.

By this period, the conflict had developed into a prolonged struggle, with soldiers enduring difficult winter conditions while maintaining contact with their families through the field-post system.

This example is particularly interesting because it retains both military identification information and a substantial handwritten message. Unlike unused patriotic postcards, personally addressed wartime correspondence preserves an individual connection to the broader military history of Imperial Germany.

Inscription and Provenance

The postcard retains its original handwritten correspondence, dated February 17, 1915.

The recipient's address identifies Cologne, Germany, and the military identification section appears to include a reference to Regiment No. 18.

The handwritten message provides evidence of the card's contemporary use during the First World War, although the sender's full name, precise military assignment, and complete message cannot presently be confirmed.

There is no clearly legible postal cancellation or military censorship marking on the card. The handwritten date establishes the period of composition but does not independently confirm when or whether the postcard passed through the postal system.

No additional ownership history accompanies the postcard.

Condition

The postcard remains in good antique condition, displaying honest age and handling characteristics consistent with a paper artifact dating from 1915.

Both sides exhibit pronounced, relatively even yellow-brown toning, with scattered discoloration and minor surface marks. The printed military portrait remains recognizable, while the original handwriting is retained across both sides.

The corners and edges show modest handling wear, without obvious substantial paper loss. The cardstock remains intact, and the handwritten correspondence has not been erased or deliberately altered.

Collector Significance

Original First World War German field-post correspondence is valued for its direct relationship to the men and families who experienced the conflict.

The combination of a military portrait, completed unit-identification fields, named civilian recipient, handwritten correspondence, and a precise February 1915 date makes this a representative example of Imperial German wartime communication.

Suitable for collections devoted to Imperial German military postal history, Kaiser Wilhelm II, First World War documents, German Army ephemera, and the social history of the Great War.