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5 Pfennig Döberitz; PoW Camp
| Issuer | Gefangenen-Lager Döberitz (Prisoner of War Camp Döberitz) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1916-1918 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 5 Pfennigs (5 Pfennige) (0.05) |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| 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 |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Black letterpress on green guilloche underprint. Denomination numerals in each corner and along both vertical margins. Two paragraphs of restrictive usage text occupy the centre, with an oval handstamp applied over the text. Printer's imprint appears at the foot. |
| Reverse lettering | 5 PFENNIG Gutscheine, welche von andern Personen als Kriegsgefangenen zur Zahlung oder Umwechslung vorgelegt werden, werden nicht anerkannt. Es ist verboten, den Kriegsgefangenen für diesen Gutschein bares Geld oder deutsches Papiergeld einzuwechseln. BUCHDRUCKEREI OTTO LANGE, BERLIN S 42. (Translation: Vouchers presented for payment or exchange by persons other than prisoners of war will not be recognized. It is forbidden to exchange this voucher for cash or German paper money for the prisoners of war. Printed by Otto Lange, Berlin S 42.) |
| 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 |
Döberitz, west of Berlin, was one of Germany's largest POW installations during the First World War, holding tens of thousands of prisoners — predominantly Russian, French, and British. Camp scrip of this type was a deliberate administrative tool: by forcing prisoners to transact in a closed currency redeemable only within the wire, the military command could monitor purchasing activity and prevent accumulated Reichsmark savings from funding escape attempts.
Otto Lange's Berlin printshop produced the physical notes, with handstamping added to complicate forgery within the camp itself — a real concern when bored, resourceful prisoners had little else to occupy their time. The 5 Pfennig denomination is the lowest in the Döberitz series, which tells you something about the purchasing power the camp administration expected these men to have.