It took some time after WW II until the first view cards were issued in 1950. There had been other priorities before. The first post-war cards were issued by the GDR, which –until the peaceful revolution in 1989 – issued seven cards only. This is almost nothing compared with thousands of cards issued in the Federal Republic with their first cards in 1952. Until the middle of the sixties, the FRG cards followed the 3rd Reich cards' design. Then the design was modernized and colour printing was introduced.
Especially the time when the first GDR cards were issued is full of history and stories. The fact that the GDR were first, accelerated the process in the West, where the postal authorities formerly obstructed all attempts to continue the pre-war tradition of view cards. Over the following decades, the cards demonstrate the change in the zeitgeist and are mirroring our society.
The different types of the cards of the Federal Post Office remained mainly undetected respectively did not attend any attention. The differences of these types are described in the book and are also illustrated in detail. A chapter on errors and mistakes rounds off. A list with the regions and local communities which are shown on the cards is added together with a list of the handbook-numbers of those cards with have identical views.
The new tools of communication on the horizon made view cards loose their purpose. Tourist offices found new ways of advertising their regions and cities. That made the era of view cards in Germany obsolete and their life-cicle ended in 1999.
The DVD which is added to the handbook holds the views of all view cards that were issued in Germany after 1945. Also it has a catalogue and lists with topical cards.
Please find below sample pages for a free download: (Attention! Files may be big!)