GPS June 2020

Images 9a & 9b. (9a). A photograph of the construction of a house was discovered in the
private album of Major Kost (left). The dark green 50 kopec value shows a very similar
picture (right). (9b). The red 1 rouble stamp illustrates a very common picture. Numerous
photographs and posters displayed ploughing farmers. The stamp designer certainly used
one of these sources. (9c). This photograph from Major Kost’s private photo album (left) is
proof that the stamps were designed in Sloboda. The design of the 2 rouble stamp (right)
is almost congruent. The picture illustrates the so-called “town hall” of Sloboda. (9d). The
4 rouble stamp illustrates the Uspenski cathedral and the massive city wall of Smolensk
(right). A very similar picture is shown on an old postcard (left). Illustrating a church might
refer to the freedom of worship promised by the Germans for the future Russia.
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German Postal Specialist