German East-Asian Line Singapore to Zeulenroda Chinesse Prisoners Feldpost Card

Item Specifics

Country

Singapore

Condition

Unused

Stamp Format

Single

Item Description

Grade: Ungraded
Side 1: Text:o Addressee:§ "Fräulein" (Miss) - A German title for an unmarried woman.§ "Hedwig Lemner" - The recipient's name.§ "Zeulenroda (Thüringen)" - The town and region (Thuringia) where the recipient lived.§ "Pamsaerstr. N 4" - The street name (Pamsaerstr.) and house number (4).o Postmark: A postmark in the top right corner, it reads "DEUTSCHE OST-ASIATISCHE LINIE" - which means "German East-Asian Line."o The second postmark in the top left corner is a circular postmark dated "August 9, 1901, with "Zeulenroda" place of origin.Side 2: Image Side· Image: The image depicts four Chinese men in stocks, or "kangs", which are a type of wooden restraint that immobilizes the head and neck. Two men in traditional clothing stand behind the prisoners, possibly guards or officials. The overall scene suggests an image of public punishment or confinement from the early 20th Century.· Text (printed):o "Den „Kang“ tragende chinesische Gefangene" - This is the German caption, translating to "Chinese prisoners wearing the 'Kang'"· Text (handwritten):o "Singapore, 15/VII 1901 indicate the date, July 15, 1901 and the location of where the writer was when writing the card, Singapore.o "Liebe Schwester!" - "Dear Sister!" This is the salutation to Hedwig.o "Dir um Lieben Grus ist dies einige Trösten. und hoffentlikch wird es zu freudigen wieder sein." - This translates to: "For your dear greetings this is some comfort. and hopefully it will be again more joyful."o Written down the right side: "Gefangene sind immer unglücklich" - this translates to "Prisoners are always unhappy".Summary:This postcard is a message sent from Singapore to a young German woman named Hedwig Lemner, living in Zeulenroda, Thuringia. It appears the sender is Hedwig's brother or sibling, and likely in the military and is communicating from an overseas posting in Singapore. The card has traveled via the German East-Asian Line as indicated by the postmark. The image is a rather grim photo of prisoners in stocks. The handwritten message is fairly personal and expresses a hopeful tone despite the depressing picture.Route and Distance (Approximation):· Origin: Singapore.· Destination: Zeulenroda, Thuringia, Germany.· Route: The actual route would have involved a combination of sea and land travel. Ships of the "German East-Asian Line" would have sailed from Singapore through the Indian Ocean, around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, up the Atlantic Ocean, and then into European ports. From there, the card would have traveled by train or other land transport into Germany, and finally, to Zeulenroda.· Distance: The distance between Singapore and Zeulenroda, Germany is roughly about 11,000 to 12,000 kilometers (approximately 6,800 to 7,500 miles), and would have taken weeks to travel, even with faster steamers and trains.

Seller Information

Seller

plat4ma (328)

Registered Since

05/18/2022

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Store

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Item Location

Florida, United States

Ships To

Worldwide

Returns Accepted

No