On the eve of unification, East Germany has issued two postage stamps in honor of the Jewish New Year, which was celebrated Sept. 20 and Sept. 21.
The stamps, which are of 50 and 30 pfennig denominations, will remain in use after Wednesday, when the German Democratic Republic and the Federal Republic of West Germany unite to become a single state.
One pictures the famous former synagogue on Oranienburgerstrasse in East Berlin, which is undergoing extensive renovation to become a Jewish administrative and cultural center. The other honors Louis Lewandowski (1821-1894), who served as the synagogue’s choral director.
Part of the revenue from the sale of the stamps has been earmarked for the foundation financing the renovation work. Purchasers who want to contribute add 15 pfennigs to the price of the stamps.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.