With the end of
World War II in 1945, the
Allied Control Commission replaced the German government. Germany was divided into
four occupation zones, and
Berlin into four sectors; the territories east of the
Oder-Neisse were placed under Polish authority. Initially Berlin and the provinces in the Soviet zone issued their own stamps (see Scott # 11N2), but by
1946 "Deutsche Post" stamps were authorized that were valid in the American, British, and Soviet zones. When the negotiations about a general German currency reform broke down, the western zones proceeded with the currency reform, and on June 21, 1948, the
Deutsche Mark was introduced. In response, the east German currency reform was set for June 24, 1948, the
East German Mark became the currency for the
Soviet occupation zone and
East Berlin, and its stamps were marked with overprints. West Berlin now started to issue its own stamps on September 3, 1948, initially "Berlin" overprinted common stamps of the "Deutsche Post". The Deutsche Mark (West) became the sole currency for West Berlin on March 21, 1949, and seven months later the stamps of the western
bizone as well as the French occupation zone became valid as well. The
Federal Republic of Germany was founded on May 23, 1949, and shortly thereafter, the formation of the
German Democratic Republic took place on October 7, 1949. In each republic the "Deutsche Post" now became the government agency to maintain postal and telecommunication services, in West Germany the "Deutsche Post" was renamed "
Deutsche Bundespost" in 1950, and in East Germany the term DP (of the GDR) was kept. West Berlin retained its special status as it remained under the authority of the American, British, and French occupation forces. Thus it continued to issue its own stamps, these stamps became also valid in West Germany on January 1, 1950. , mayor of West Berlin, Scott #9N150 ==Activity==