128 pp. - colour ill. - softbound - printed 1999
Italian and German text

ALSO AS FREE BOOK (class C)

PROVISIONAL POSTAGE DUE LABELS OF BOLZANO AND UPPER ADIGE at the end of the first world war

The first world war is at its end. On 3/11/1918 Italy and Austria subscribe a Peace Treaty, which will be signed only on 10/9/1919. In Bolzano and Upper Adige reigns a situation of uncertainty about the destiny of the occupied territory, which influences also the postal service.
The forwarding of mail during these months is really difficult for the authorities in charge, above all when letters are not franked or only partly franked. On the one hand, the territory is under Italian occupation – therefore forced to use Italian postage due labels; on the other hand, these labels, even overprinted, are completely lacking, at least up to the first days of March 1919. This situation compels the Main Post Office in Trent to authorize, with two circulars, Upper Adige post offices to transform, whenever necessary, the postage stamps into provisional postage due labels through hand-stamp or overprint. Each office has the possibility to take its own measures.