Description
TRANSMITTED & RETURNED wartime civilian mail to Third Reich: Sept-Oct 1939 commercial cover on Etz Hayim Yeshiva stationary (marked "return postage guaranteed") from JERUSALEM to SILUTE "Lithuania", missing frank (probably Ba108 15m for surface rate) which removed; as of 23-03-1939 locale part of German-annexed Memelland (not Lithuania), hence processed by Wehrmacht censor ("Auslandsbriefprüfstelle | Königsberg (Pr)") which approved it (straight line "Von der Wehrmacht zugelassen" instructional marking handstamp); backstamped 30.10.39 KONIGSBURG transit & next day HEYDEKRUG (Silute) arrival - but as address unknown, German/French 'Unknown' label applied on back, marked in German manuscript "return 31/10" in blue crayon on front & RETURNED TO SENDER in spite of WWII(!) - 2 months after the outbreak of the war: received at HAIFA (i.e. by sea, not rail) where opened/sealed by Sacher-unlisted H. No. 9 Q9a red/pink label, tied by double-framed rectangle H9 censor handstamp (Sach-Q21) known used April 1940 & marked by local instructional marking handstamps "Return To" & " Undelivered For the Reason Stated on the Cover" (Sach L10/L12). Ironically, no indication return-fee charged (or collected). Slit open at bottom; frayed edges. Rare - possibly unique - postal handling/routing: Palestine officially suspended all mail service to & from Germany on 6 Sept. 1939. Well documented postal history gem, highly ironic as from Jewish religious institute (with Hebrew and Torah-crown device on cover).