Catalog
1 Mark Kriegs Gefangenen Lager
| Issuer | Kriegsgefangenenlager Lichtenhorst, Kantinenveraltung |
|---|---|
| Year | |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Mark |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | Log in to see details |
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| Printer | Log in to see details |
| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The reverse carries a vivid full-colour lithographed vignette of the interior of the Russian Orthodox chapel erected by prisoners within the camp, shown in a theatrical frontal elevation. The iconostasis is rendered in white and gold, crowned by a gilded onion dome with a radiant sunburst motif, and flanked by side altars bearing a large gilt processional cross and framed devotional images; several kneeling figures in blue uniform are depicted at prayer before the altar screen. A caption in the lower right corner identifies the scene in German. |
| Reverse lettering | Russische Kapelle Innenansicht |
| Signature(s) | Log in to see details |
| Protection type | Log in to see details |
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| Variants | Log in to see details |
| Comments |
Lichtenhorst was a German prisoner-of-war camp in Lower Saxony that operated during the First World War. Canteen currency of this type — issued by the Kantinenverwaltung, the camp's canteen administration — existed specifically to prevent prisoners from accumulating Reichsmark coinage that could theoretically be used to bribe guards or fund escape attempts. The notes were valid only within the camp's own controlled economy.
The DeNG reference places this within a well-documented taxonomy of German WWI camp issues, though survival rates vary considerably across the Lichtenhorst denominations, with the lower values seeing heavier use and correspondingly more wear.