This is a First Day Cover issued by the West German Deutsche Bundespost on March 31, 1955, commemorating the re-establishment of Lufthansa and the resumption of German civil aviation services following World War II.
The set, titled "Luftpostmarken 1955" (Airmail Stamps 1955), features the iconic stylized crane logo.
There are four denominations: 5 Pf (purple), 10 Pf (green), 15 Pf (blue), and 20 Pf (red).
While the stamps were issued on March 31, Lufthansa's first official scheduled flights of the post-war era took place the following day, April 1, 1955, ten years after WWII, marking its official return.
Using Convair CV-340 aircraft, the first flights operated from Hamburg to Munich via Düsseldorf/Frankfurt, alongside a simultaneous, opposing route.
Post war Lufthansa was founded in 1953 as Aktiengesellschaft für Luftverkehrsbedarf (Luftag) before acquiring the name "Lufthansa ".
Initial operations began with four-engine Lockheed Super Constellations and two-engine Convair 340s.
Initial Route Network: Beyond domestic flights, early routes included Hamburg to London, Paris, and Madrid, quickly expanding, with the first transatlantic flight to New York occurring on June 8, 1955 from Hamburg.
These flights marked the end of the post-war ban on German aviation operated by German carriers.
The Postmark: The circular cancellation is from Frankfurt (Main) Flughafen (Frankfurt Airport), dated March 31, 1955. This confirms it is an "official" first-day cancellation from one of West Germany's primary aviation hubs.
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