Gallery

 

DIRSCHAU and KONIGSBERG and four distinct types of the 1768 obliteration are recorded. The rest of the marks on the item are standard for mail to France. The PR.3R. was applied at the exchange office at AACHEN=PRUSSE, 3rd RAYON to show the letter originated from the Prussian 3rd tax band (over 20 German miles, or 150 km from Aachen) . The PRUSSE-VALENCIENNES c.d.s. is the usual French entry mark for rail transit from Aachen through Belgium via Liege, Brussels and Mons. The n7 is seven decimes or 70 centimes for the final postage to be paid on arrival at Bordeaux. This charge was applied to mail weighing up to 7-1/2 grams from Danzig, between 1st July 1853 and 30th June 1858.

I do hope that this will be of some interest to you.
John Whiteside, 4 Moorfields, Scott Hall Road
Leeds LS17 6SJ, England

John - Thank you very much for your input. This will clear up severn/points in many readers’ minds. Be/ow is the list of High Commissioners that was sent in by Ernie So/if. This may be the definitive list, but we’ll see what else you historians can find.


HIGH COMMISSIONERS OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS

1. SIR REGINALD Town (British). January 1920 to November 1920 In the British diplomatic service since 1885, including assignments to Berlin and Bavaria. Minister to Mexico anti to the Argentine Republic. In Danzig he combined the functions of Allied High Commissioner, in which capacity he acted as the Temporary Administrator of the Free City, with those of High Commissioner of the League of Nations. In this latter role he took an import ant part in the making of the Free City’s Constitution.

2. LIEUTENANT COLONEL EDWARD LISLE Smurr (British), November 1920 to December 1920 A career officer in the British Army, participant in the Boer War and the European War of 1914—1918; in 1922 he was second in command of a Mount Everest expedition.

3. SIGNOR BERNARDO ATTOLICO (Italian). December 1920 to January 1921 A well-known professor of international law.

4. LIEUTENANT GENERAL SIR RICHARD HAKING (British), January 1921 to February 1923
An old Army officer. Chief of the British Section of the Armistice Commission, 1918—1919; in command of the British Military Missions to Russia and the Baltic Provinces, 1919 commander of the Allied troops in the East Prussian plebiscite area. As High Commissioner he handed down twenty-four Decisions, including some of the most important ones.

5. MR. MERVYN SORLEY MACDONNELL (British), February 1923 to February 1926 In the Sudan and Egyptian Civil Service for almost two decades: Governor of the Western Desert Province. Egypt. prior to his appointment as High Coin- missioner. Handed down over twenty Decisions, including the only one fully reversed by the League Council (Polish Postal Service in Danzig).

6. MR. J. A. VAN HAin1. (Netherlandislil. February 1926 to June 1929 A professor of law; publicist. Very unpopular in Danzig. He handed down seven Decisions: his term of office coincided with a period 0f good Danzig Polish relations.

7. COtINT MANFREDI GRAVINA (Italian). June 1929 to September 1932 In the Italian diplomatic and naval service since 1906. A grandson of Richard Wag,ier. Died in office, to the sincere regret of both Danzigers and Poles.

8. MR. HELMER ROSTIr. Danish), October 1t32 to October 1933 Former Chief of the Administrative Section of the League Secretariat and an expert on Danzig. He was appointed temporary High Commissioner and arrived at Danzig at a most difficult time in the relations between D?nzig and Poland wheti hiostde emotions were at their peak. I Ic e,crri%vI a strong and generally benelicial influence on relations between the two states. 1_iter he was ;eppoiiitvd Chief of the Minorities Section of the League of Nations

 

Danzig Report Vol. 1 - Nr. 84 - July - August - September - 1994, Page 21.