COVER N. 384 - GERMANY

Postmark: Garching B MÜNCHEN 85748 - 04.01.12.2024

Posted on the 1st January; received on the 9th January 2024 

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Fast as a bullet, the Phantom has again returned to his homebase, but this time it seems somehwere in the past, with a cover graced with stamps from a bygone currency.... Danke Sehr, Alex!

- Counting the time.... as simple as it may seem it is a fundamental tool for the organisation of human life and activity, especially when such activity implies a transnational dimension. 

Today most of the world follows what is known has the Gregorian calendar, so called because it was established by a Bull issued by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582, in itself a modification  of the Julian Calendar, established in 46 BC, by  emperor Julius Cesar, still followed by the Orthodox Church, what leads to the differences in the dates for the celebration of events such as Christmas and New Year.

in 1982, thus, the Gregorian calendar celebrated its 400th birthday, and the then named Deutsche Bundespost issued, on 14OCT1982 the 80 pfennig stamp on the  left upper corner of the cover, with the reproduction of a depiction of the calendar based on the work of Johann Rasch (1540 - 1612), an Austrian  clergyman who besides being a writer, a composer, an organist and a mathematician was also a calendar specialist.

- Deutsche Luft Hansa A.G., the flagcarrier airline of Germany, was established in 1926, in Berlin. The first passenger carrier aircraft of its fleet were the venerable Junkers F13, which is the subject of the stamp commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Airline, issue by Deutsche Bundespost on 05JAN1976.

The first all metal aircraft designed specifically for transport purposes, it could accommodate 4 passengers in its cabin, while pilot and co-pilot enjoyed the joys of an open cockpit, up front.

Its ruggedness and reliability dictated a success that saw it operating in all corners of the world both in military and civil versions, be it on wheels, skis or floats. 

The Postmark on the cover indicates that the letter was mailed from Garching bei München, a Bavarian city in the vicinity of Munich.