Saipan
Following Spain’s 1898 defeat in the Spanish-American War, it sold its remaining Pacific possessions, including the Mariana Islands, to Germany.
On 18 June 1899, the German government declared Marianen to be a German colony, with its headquarters at Garapan on the island of Saipan. A post office was opened there on 18 November 1899.
With the outbreak of World War I, steamship traffic to and from Saipan was significantly disrupted. The last known mail departure from Saipan was in early September 1914. Saipan was occupied by Japanese forces on 14 October 1914, forcing the closure of the German post office.
12 June 1902
27 January 1911
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann 1
- ArGe Kolonien SAIPAN MARIANEN
Dates of Use:
- 18 November 1899 to 3 September 1914
Notes:
- Violet ink, 1899-1900
- Year date ‘99’ hand-changed to ‘00’, 1 January to 11 January 1900
- Year date ‘99’ used without change, 9 January to 27 January 1900
- Year date ‘99’ cut down to ‘00’, late January to 21 August 1900
- Year date ‘1911’ handwritten, known only on 27 January 1911; likely philatelic
Saipan
PO Information
Opened: 18 November 1899
Closed: 14 October 1914
Following Spain’s 1898 defeat in the Spanish-American War, it sold its remaining Pacific possessions, including the Mariana Islands, to Germany.
On 18 June 1899, the German government declared Marianen to be a German colony, with its headquarters at Garapan on the island of Saipan. A post office was opened there on 18 November 1899.
With the outbreak of World War I, steamship traffic to and from Saipan was significantly disrupted. The last known mail departure from Saipan was in early September 1914. Saipan was occupied by Japanese forces on 14 October 1914, forcing the closure of the German post office.
12 June 1902
27 January 1911
Postmark Information
Catalog:
- Friedemann 1
- ArGe Kolonien SAIPAN MARIANEN
Dates of Use:
- 18 November 1899 to 3 September 1914
Notes:
- Violet ink, 1899-1900
- Year date ‘99’ hand-changed to ‘00’, 1 January to 11 January 1900
- Year date ‘99’ used without change, 9 January to 27 January 1900
- Year date ‘99’ cut down to ‘00’, late January to 21 August 1900
- Year date ‘1911’ handwritten, known only on 27 January 1911; likely philatelic
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