TYPES OF SOVIET CIRCULAR HAND-DATE-STAMPS
In an article -in German- F. Löhrich gives a schematic division of the Soviet hand-date-stamps in six types. An article of Aivars Cimermanis gives another division for the Latvian Soviet postmarks: this division we try to use as foundation of a classification of the Lithuanian postmarks.
| Type 1 Provisional postmarks
Not yet recorded, but possible: Type 1a: handwriting 'postmark' Type 1b: rubber-hand date=stamp Type 1c: old -interbellum period- postmarks of the Lithuanian Republic | |
 | Type 2 (Postmarks of the second generation Cimermanis type PL-3) According Ričardas Vainora there were used only two types Soviet-Lithuanian date-stamps durung the period 1940-1941, this type 2 and next type 3. This postmarks were made 1940-1941. |
 | Subtype 2a : Left Russian and right Lithanian indication According R. Vainora is this type used after World War II and many postmarks were private property: so used for production of falsifications. This is the postmark of СКАЙСТГИРИС (SKAISTGIRIS), the Lithuanian Skaistgiris. |
 | Subtype 2b Postmarks of the first generation (Cimermanis type PL-1 and PL-2) Main distinguishing mark: no indication of the Lithuanian Socialistic Soviet Republic. The postmarks are used between 1945-1972. The 5-ray Soviet-star is black (negativ), and here we see a clear example: the hammer and sickle within the star are white. The date is placed in a box with left and right sides rounded. This postmark of Vilnius: 29 mm in diameter. |
 | Subtype 2c : only with Russian text. This postmark of Vilnius: 25 mm in diameter. |
  | Type 3 Another type (Cimermanis type PL-4), also used in Lithuania in the period 1940-1941 The most important difference with the type 2 above is the white (positive) star, so the hammer and sickle within the star are in black, and the date is in a box with the left and right side rounded. Lines, date, and CCCP are normal thin letters. . Here a postmark of Kaunas, 1941, from a card sent to Germany. And under it a more clear illustration from the book of W. Fugalewitsch. The postmark is according the article of Aivars Cimermanis made end of the forties. But we find in the handbook of F. Fugalewitsch some examples (edition 1990, page 294) from 1941. The handbook of F. Fugalewitsch: subtype: Russian left side, Lithuanian right side, without ЛИТ ССР, 18 mm in diameter: Kaunas C. (21-VI-41), serial f Kaunas C. (24-II-41), serial B Kaunas C. (27-II-41), serial J Subtype: Lithuanian left side, Russian right side, without ЛИТ ССР, 22 mm in diameter: Kaunas s (13 2 41), serial russian little letter a |
 | Subtype 3a Postmarks with date in rectangular box This postmarks were made 1941. The Lithuanian name on the left side, the Russian indication at the bottom. Also in these postmarks the abbreviation ЛИТ ССР (LIT. SSR) but on the right side. The 5-ray Soviet-star is white (positive) star, so the hammer and sickle within the star are in black. Serial in little latin letter. Left and right of CCCP at the top: a little star In the handbook of F. Fugalewitsch we see some examples (edition 1990, page 294): Kaunas C. (22 6 41), rectangular box, white star, ЛИТ ССР (LIT. SSR), serial m Kaunas C. (12 4 41), rectangular box, white star, ЛИТ ССР (LIT. SSR), serial n Babtai (-9 3 41), rectangular box, white star, ЛИТ ССР (LIT. SSR), serial a Karmelava (22 6 41), rectangular box, white star, ЛИТ ССР (LIT. SSR), serial b Plunge (-3 6 41), rectangular box, white star, ЛИТ ССР (LIT. SSR), serial e Žemkalvarija (18 3 41), rectangular box, white star, ЛИТ ССР (LIT. SSR), serial b Žemaitiškiai (31 5 41), rectangular box, white star, ЛИТ ССР (LIT. SSR), serial b |
Type 4 Postmark in another outlook (Cimermanis type PL-5) This type, one-ring, has the date free-standing in the center. The star is black (negative). Not reported for Lithuania, but in the article of Cimermanis we see: name of place in Latvian on the right side, at the bottom the abbreviation ЛАТ ССР (LAT. SSR) and 25 mm in diameter. | |
 | Type 5 Postmark in another outlook (Cimermanis type PL-6). This type, one-ring, has also the date in the center without box. The star is black (negative). Main difference: the text is in two rows. Name of place in Lithuanian in the first row, under it the Russian indication.. At the right side we see the abbreviation ЛИТ ССР (LIT. SSR). 33-35 mm in diameter. Here a postmark of Kaunas on the backside of a cover returned to sender. From Estonia is this type known with the date in a box with the left and right side rounded and also with date between two parallel lines. |
 | Type 6 Postmarks of the third generation (Cimermanis type PL-7) This type we see at first about the end of the sixties. The star is more under the indication CCCP (in type 2 one ray of the is more between CC and CP. Also there is used another letter-type. With the date is also now the time (hour) indicated. The date is placed in a box with left and right sides rounded. There are used more serial-letters: for identification of the post-officials. |
 | Type 7 Postmarks of the fourth generation (Cimermanis type PL-8) Main distinguishing mark: date between two parallel lines. An new type, first used middle of the sixties together with the postmarks of the third generation. The greatest difference: a one circle-postmark without datum-box, but the date between two parallel lines. Soviet indication is placed left, Lithuanian indication on the right side. The serial-letter is placed under the date as small letter of the Russian alphabet. This postmark is used till 1990. 30 mm in diameter In the article of F. Löhrich also are mentioned a type with one line above the date and a type with one line under the date: I think these are rather unclear postmarks. Possible subtypes: |
Literature about this subject:
In: 2. Symposium zur Postgeschichte Lettlands Tuckum 9. August 2003. - p. 51-72. - [About: the Latvian Soviet postmarks]
MACHINE-CANCELS
| Further we have of course the machine-cancellations.Here the postmark of Zarasai. The machine-postmarks of the Soviet period are to divide in types like the handstamps above, but the top is rotated 90 degrees. This postmark with three wave-lines is a table-cancelationmachine. This kind of machines is in order about the beginning of 1976. The type SchMN-2 can be an indication that it is maybe the second Soviet-made cancellationmachine. |
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About the Soviet Machine-cancellations:
FRANKING-MACHINE CANCELS (METER POSTAGE STAMPS)
See: Franking-machine postmarks
RAILWAY POSTMARKS OF THE SOVIET PERIOD
Article about this subject:
COMMEMORATIVE CANCELS
At least we find of course many commemorative cancels used in Lithuania during the Soviet period. An overview:
ALANTA
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Original print size of this image: 16,493 x 11,642 cm (is something more as the postal item) This picture and all pictures below on this page, if not mentioned otherwise: scanned about 300 dpi. Then set right and cut out - noted the actual print size-, resized 25 % of this image and saved as jpg Resized 50%: АЛАНТА = Alanta (district Moletai) The postmark you see not so often: according the census of 2001 - see Wikipedia- Alanta had 464 residents. |
ALYTUS
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Original print size of this image: 15,934 x 11,108 cm (is something more as the postal item) Resized 50%:  АЛИТУС = Alytus |
ARIOGALA
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Original print size of this image: 16,087 x 11,743 cm (is something more as the postal item) Resized 50%:  |
АРИОГАЛА = Ariogala (district Raseiniai)
Ariogala can also written as АРËГАЛА ; early in the fifties the description of the Lithuanian names in Cyrillic characters was uniformed.
Here we see a machine-postmark.
DAUKŠIAI
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Cover, send from ДАУКШЯЙ (DAUKSHYAI), the Lithuanian Daukšiai, to Baltimore. When a cover is registered and send to a foreign country, yoy see in the registering-stamp (or label) used a 'R' , short for Recommandé, instead of a З, short for ' ЗАКАЗНОЕ (ZAKAZNOE), registered. Original print size of this image: 16,010 x 11,337 cm (is something more as the postal item) Resized 50%: 
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| On the cover you see also the handstamp 'МЕЖД�АРОДНОЕ (MEZADUNARODNOE), that means 'International '(mail). David Skipton has written an article about this and means that is was used as control-mark for mail to foreigh countries. In his theory is proposed that the damages and nicks of the postmark was used to identify the censor. P.J. Campbell goes further on this way. Olav Petri gives some indications (in HBG, article in Dutch) to support the theory: the handstamp is also used for mail coming into the Sovjet Union and it is not used after 1998. The last is an indication that the handstamp had not a postal meaning and from this time not was needed for controlling the mail. |  |
DEBEIKIAI
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Original print size of this image: 16,391 x 11,718 cm (is something more as the postal item) Resized 50%:  ДЕБЕЙКЯЙ = Debeikiai (district Anykščiai). |
The envelope is send from Kavarskas (see further).
DRUSKININKAI
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Original print size of this image: 16,315 x 11,641 cm (is something more as the postal item) Resized 50%:  ДРУСКИКИКАЙ = Druskininkai (district Varea, in the south of Lithuania). |
ELEKTRĖNAI
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Elektrėnai, in Russian ЭЛЕКТРЕНАЙ (EHLEKTRENAI), is situated between Vilnius and Kaunas. This new city is established during the Soviet period for the people working in the nearby power plant. So it get also his name. More about Elektrėnai: see Wikipedia.Wikipedia Original print size of this image: 16,442 x 11,616 cm (is something more as the postal item) The postmark resized 50%:  |
postmarks continued
LITERATURE
[About: all periods (so also 1944-1990, sometimes different from before 1918), also reversed order]