door The cover shown here World War II, posted on December 2, 1942, from ‘s Gravenhage (The Hague) in the Netherlands to Stuttgart, Germany. This item features a striking block of four stamps, each depicting a soldier and the text “Legioen Nederland,” representing the Dutch Legion during the Nazi occupation. These stamps, catalogued as V402/V403, are part of a set issued to raise funds for the Dutch Legion, a military unit aligned with Nazi Germany.
The Dutch Legion (Legioen Nederland)
The “Legioen Nederland” was a voluntary paramilitary organization formed during World War II by Dutch nationals sympathetic to the Nazi cause. Officially established in 1941, the Dutch Legion was primarily composed of men who joined under the promise of supporting the German campaign against Soviet communism. It was initially intended to be a symbolic force that embodied the shared values of national socialism between Nazi Germany and the Netherlands, an ideology promoted heavily by the Dutch National Socialist Movement (NSB).
The Legion was deployed to the Eastern Front, where its members served alongside the German Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS against Soviet forces. Many members joined under the belief that their service would prevent communism from reaching their homeland. However, as the war progressed, it became evident that these volunteers were being used as cannon fodder in the brutal conditions of the Eastern Front. The Dutch Legion never grew to become a large military unit and eventually was integrated into the German military machine.
The stamps featured on this cover were issued specifically to promote the Dutch Legion and raise funds for their activities. The text at the bottom of the sheet, “Zegel uitgegeven ten bate van het voorzieningsfonds van het Nederlandsch Legioen 1942,” translates to “Stamp issued for the benefit of the welfare fund of the Dutch Legion, 1942.” These stamps were an important propaganda tool, as they helped normalize the Legion’s activities and involvement in the war. An extra fee of 87½ cent had to be paid on behalf of the Legioen, on the top of the 12½ cent postage.
The Cover and Its Journey
This cover was mailed from ‘s Gravenhage, or The Hague, which was the center of the Dutch civil government under German occupation. The recipient, Herr Erwin Ruoff, resided at Augustenstr. 38 in Stuttgart, a city in Germany that played an essential role in war production. The use of registered mail (as indicated by the red “R” label) suggests that the contents were of importance, possibly official correspondence or documents related to administrative matters.
The cover also bears clear evidence of wartime censorship. The label on the right-hand side, marked “Geöffnet” (meaning “Opened” in German), shows that it was inspected by German authorities, a common practice during the war to control the flow of information. Censorship was enforced both to prevent sensitive information from being leaked and to monitor the attitudes of occupied territories. In this case, the letter traveling between the occupied Netherlands and Germany would have been scrutinized to ensure compliance with the strict rules governing communication during wartime.
The block of four stamps is cancelled with postmarks from ‘s Gravenhage, dated 2-XII-42, confirming the date of mailing. The presence of multiple cancellations indicates the legitimacy of postage and ensures that the stamps could not be reused—a practice often followed for registered or valuable mail.
The franking with a total postage of 50 cent is overfranked and certainly philatelic made up. The Legioen stamps were normally used by NSB sympathisers and some philatelists. At that time, the standard postage for a registered letter to Germany was 20 cent.
Historical Significance
This cover is significant for several reasons. It provides insight into the postal history of the Netherlands under German occupation, highlighting the use of propaganda stamps and the control mechanisms like censorship that were in place during the war. The stamps themselves are a stark reminder of how propaganda permeated everyday life, with even postal items being used to support the war effort and the ideology of the occupying forces.
Furthermore, the cover speaks to the complex nature of collaboration in occupied countries. The Dutch Legion was a controversial entity, seen by some as a misguided group of idealists and by others as traitors to their country. The stamps and covers related to this period serve as powerful reminders of the choices individuals made and the broader impact of occupation on Dutch society.
(This item was part of “Nederlandsche Postzegel- en Muntenveiling BV“, Postzegelveiling 1e helft 2020, item 2111.)
