Odessa 1918: Changing the Rules

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This innocent little card was written on 30 January and posted in Odessa on 31 January 1918 - incidentally, the last day of the Old Style calendar in Russia which then jumped forward to 14 February. Addressed to Helsinki, it has been franked at 8 kopecks - the correct Provisional Government  tariff for a foreign postcard, applied since 1 September 1917 and continued in the RSFSR until replaced by the Tariff of 10 March 1918.

So why has it attracted an Odessa Postage Due cachet, claiming 4 kopecks - indicating a deficiency of 2 kopecks in the franking? The answer is very simple: the post office has (just) adopted the first Ukrainian National Republic Tariff of 28 January which prices postcards, wherever they are going, at 10 kopecks.

Less simple is the answer to the question, Did it reach Helsinki? Well, in favour of that is the fact that the card was in a collection formed in Finland. And it's true that at this early stage of Ukrainian independence some mail exchange with Russia seems to have continued and Russia definitely continued exchanging mail with Finland - though delayed at this period by Finland's own Civil War. On the other hand, Finnish mail whether Registered or not usually picks up a Helsinki roller cancel on arrival and this card has nothing at all to indicate arrival.

Added February 2020: Most of my Ukraine-related Blog posts are now available in full colour book form. To find out more follow the link:

http://www.armeniazemstvo.com/2020/02/just-published-trevor-pateman.html

Mail Between Russia and Ukraine 1918

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Relations between Bolshevik Russia and independent Ukraine were constantly changing during 1918 and this is reflected in the postal history. A period of stability was created by the March 1918 Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and associated agreements which provided for a German and Austrian Protectorate-like Occupation of independent Ukraine, administered by the subordinate regime of the Hetman Skoropadsky which was headquartered in Kiev/Kyiv. Russia accepted the occupation of Ukraine - for example, surrendering Bolshevik Kharkov / Kharkiv to German troops in April 1918.

Postal relations were resumed after Brest-Litovsk but my notes say not until July (I don't know where I got this information but probably from Alexander Epstein). As soon as Germany and Austria collapsed in November 1918, Russia moved to take the place of those powers in Ukraine.

For the period July - November it should be possible to find mail in both directions. Either I have not been looking carefully enough or such mail is very scarce. I can show only the one clear example illustrated above.

This is a double weight Registered letter, charged at the RSFSR inland rate of 35 kopecks for the letter + 70 Kopecks Registration + 35 kopecks for a second weight step = 1 rouble 40 kopecks. It was sent from PETROGRAD 1 EXSP 28 7 18 using an inland Registration label. It has KIEV 8 8 18 receiver cancellation on the reverse - and I assume both sides were using the New Style calendar. The cover was posted a couple of weeks after the assassination of Count Mirbach, the German Ambassador in Petrograd so at a time when Bolshevik - German relations were under renewed strain.

In the reverse direction, it should be possible to find mail franked with Imperial adhesives but also Ukraine General Issue and Trident stamps.