Page 9 - Prepaid Reply Cards

2.2 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT: FIRST «REPLY CARDS» AND «THE GERMAN AGREEMENT»

1872: INTRODUCTION OF THE DOUBLE CARD WITH PAID REPLY IN THE GERMAN EMPIRE & ITS RAPID SPREAD
THROUGHOUT EUROPE
Subsequently to the rapid increase of popularity of the postcard, the postal administration in the German Empire
introduced on 01.01.1872 the «double card» consisting of an adjacent question and reply. The new mailing
format was announced with very short notice in the official journal (Amtsblatt Nr. 178) of 23.12.1871. Double
cards were simultaneously introduced in the area of the «Reichspost», as well as in Bavaria and Württemberg,
which maintained independent postal administrations at that time. Many other postal administrations in Europe
followed the German leadership and introduced double cards with paid reply.

German reply card dated 04.07.1872
While Bavaria and Württemberg issued postal stationery,
the German Imperial Post issued forms to be used with adhesive stamps

Early Spanish reply card 1873
The card has text imprints reading «Tarjeta Postal» (postcard) , «Tarjeta de Vuelta» (reply card) and
«Contestacion pagada» (Postage paid)

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