What is notgeld you ask? It is German emergency money that was issued between 1914 and 1923 when there was a shortage of small coinage. These depicted many subjects, such as local buildings, local scenery and folklore, as well as politics. Many were released in series of 6, 8, or more notes of the same denomination, and tell a short story, with often whimsical illustrations. The ones below are some from my collection. I particularly like the one with the guy with the turned out pockets! The above set is from the city of Lübeck, which is located east of Hamburg on the Baltic Sea. The script on these notes is not in standard German, but in the local language or old German. I had my cousin in Holland, who speaks several languages (including German) try translating these. Click on each one to see what they say. If you speak this language and can provide a better translation, please let me know at v a 3 n g c @ g m a i l . c o m. The two pieces of notgeld above are from the German city of Neustrelitz, approximately a 100 km north of Berlin. These pieces appear to be a commentary on the lack of real money.
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AuthorCharles Baetsen holds a Bachelor and a Master's degree in Engineering Physics from McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada. Archives
February 2024
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