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5 Reichsmarks P.O.W. Camps
| Issuer | Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1939-1944 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Reichsmark (1924-1948) |
| 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 |
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| Obverse description | Black letterpress text on plain paper ground, with a large solid red triangle as the central underprint element, upon which the bold denomination numeral '5' is printed in black. The title 'Kriegsgefangenen-Lagergeld' and serial number appear across the top, below which the value legend 'Gutschein über 5 Reichsmark' is set in large Gothic blackletter type. A Wehrmacht eagle-and-swastika vignette occupies the lower left, flanked by the conditions-of-use regulations text; the issuing authority and a manuscript countersignature appear at the foot, all within a decorative dotted border. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Plain buff-yellow paper with no printed design. A diagonal blue-ink handstamp reading 'Wertlos' (meaning 'Worthless') is applied to the upper left area, indicating cancellation or demonetization of the voucher. |
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| Variants | Log in to see details |
| Comments |
The OKW issued a tiered system of camp currencies — denominated in Reichsmarks but entirely non-convertible — to control purchasing within prisoner of war camps while preventing any accumulation of real currency that might fund escape attempts. This series circulated across camps operated under the Geneva Convention framework, meaning Allied POWs theoretically had access to canteen goods, though what was actually available varied enormously by camp and by year.
By 1944, the practical distinction between denominations had largely collapsed as canteen supplies dried up. Higher values like this one became functionally inert — issued, held, but spent on nothing.