Stamp celebrates German architect’s remarkable achievements

New Stamps of the World – By Denise McCarty 

A new German commemorative has several images packed into its design.

Deutsche Post issued this 70¢ stamp April 12 to mark the 150th birth anniversary of German architect and industrial design pioneer Peter Behrens (1868-1940).

A photographic portrait of Behrens is shown in blue on the stamp (bottom center). Pictured on the left in green is the AEG turbine factory in Berlin, designed by Behrens and built in 1908-09, with an interior view of the factory in blue in the upper right.

The other building on the stamp, shown in pink on the right side of the design, is the Linz Tobacco Factory. Built between 1929-35, it was designed by Behrens and Austrian architect Alexander Popp.

The stamp also depicts four products designed by Behrens: a wine glass (1898), electric tea kettle (1909), electric clock (1910) and a table fan.

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Although they are not pictured on the stamp, Behrens also designed poster stamps (cinderellas) for AEG.

Daniela Haufe and Detlef Fiedler designed the new commemorative. Bundesdruckerei printed it by offset in sheets of 10.

At least two previous stamps feature Behrens’ designs. A 1987 West Berlin stamp commemorating the 750th anniversary of Berlin shows the AEG turbine factory (German Occupation/Berlin Scott 9N537c), and examples of his glassware are pictured on a 1998 stamp celebrating 20th-century design (2014a).