Not an address I would like to have.

[Adrian]

Gertrud Heise otherwise know as the Bitch of Buchenwald.

Ilse Koch was the 'Bitch of Buchenwald', I'm not sure Gertrud Heise served at Buchenwald.

[operaman]

When I goggled her name she came in the same article on female camp guards. Madame Heise was at Obernheide camp from Sept.44 to apr.45 Thanks for the correction but I think we can both agree that they were bitches!!

[Adrian]

When I goggled her name she came in the same article on female camp guards. Madame Heise was at Obernheide camp from Sept.44 to apr.45 Thanks for the correction but I think we can both agree that they were bitches!!

Undoubtedly.

I didn't mean it as a correction, more an enquiring statement (should've ended it with a ?).
Anyway, not to digress from the subject of the thread as that is a whole other topic.
I'm reading the first name as Gustav?

[Adrian Stevenson]

I too read the first name as Gustav. Like I say, this name needs to be checked. But even if he did exist, does not automatically make it right.

Cheers, Ade.

[operaman]

Adrian,I really appreciate you knowledge and interest in this card maybe together we can figure the truth about this item.There are a lot of oddities.

[alpenfestung]

On the image side of the postcard just above where you can see the lamp shade you can see the trace of a franking stamp this suggests to me some one sat at a table with a pile of postcards they have written on and affixed avaiable stamps to and stamped / cancelled them one by one and stacked them in a pile before the ink has dried.
Also no feldpost number in the address? so we all know of Buchenwald now but in 1940 do you think this would of found its way to the addressee just because of thatlocation being written as part of the address?
To me this looks like a true very obtainable postcard that has been jazzed up a little at a later period so as to increase its value and interest.
Kris..
(Just what I see, remember dont be blinded by the light!)

[operaman]

I agree with you.I have heard of such things.Stamp dealers dressing up original war time postcards.I know the card is original because I have others from the same series.I only paid 2.00 for the card so if it was dressed up it's still a real card(seems like a lot of trouble to go through) Anyway it will go into my collection and every time I see it I will think of my knowledgeable friend in London.Oh by the way did you see the other post I made about the other cards I found this weekend? Look it up very interesting. Cheers operaman

[jacques4u]

Since the postcard is is entitled "Weihnachten in einem Fliegerhorst im Westen" and bears the Hoffmann Nr. W 43, one assumes it is "Christmas 1940" in France. That means probaly taken 23-25 December of 1940. The Postmark is 01.10.1940. A bit early ?
I have not seen any of the Hoffmann W series Postally used before 1941.

[CARL]

Interestingly, although the name above appears to read Heise, there was a Gustav Heigel present. He was a labour detachment officer (rank SS-Hauptscharfuhrer) at KZ Buchenwald. One possibility, although not good news for the owner of the card, is that somebody has misread the name and attempted to mislead with a forgery. I also find that the lack of KZ or KL as a prefix to Buchenwald very unusual. I have owned and handled countless camp related letters, postcards etc over the years, and don't remember ever seeing the address written without one or the other. Heigel was sentenced to death, later commuted to life.

Regards,

Carl