Newsletter for the P postal history of the Carpatho-Ukraine

1. The Sub-Carpathian Messenger – Number 36 (February 2016) Page 1
The Sub-Carpathian Messenger
Newsletter of the Study Circle
for the Postal History of the Carpatho-Ukraine
Number 36 – February 2016
Greek-Catholic Church in Munkács

2. The Sub-Carpathian Messenger – Number 36 (February 2016) Page 2
About us and the Newsletter
The Study Circle is a loose group of persons who are interested in the postal (and general)
history of the area known as Kárpátalja in Hungarian, as Podkarpatská Rus during the First
Czechoslovak Republic, which had a short day of independence as Carpatho Ukraine, and
later was integrated into the Ukrainian SSR in the Soviet Union as the ‘Zakarpatskaja Ob-
last’. Since 1991 it is ЗАКАРПАТТЯ, the westernmost administrative district in the now
independent Ukraine.
The Newsletter came out of a meeting of a few collectors during the PRAHA 2008, its first
number appeared in November 2008. In the last years we have always produced at least
four issues per year but may not be able to keep this high level due to a substantial lack of
contributions. On the other hand, as we can see from the access counts at the public web
site, this Newsletter is read by hundreds of people.
We sadly report that two of our U.S. members, Jay Thomas Carrigan and Savoy (Sam) Hor-
vath, have passed away. Their contributions to our common cause will be remembered.
We send our regards and best wishes to all members of the Study Circle.
Distribution method
All issues of the »Sub-Carpathian Messenger« can be browsed at and downloaded from the
Internet address
http://www.slideshare.net/subcarpathian
For those who have no Internet access and/or no e-mail, the distribution method is still
the same: you will receive a colour print-out by air/surface mail as you did in the past.
Everybody can freely access the uploaded numbers of the Newsletter but the notification
service for new numbers (including an easy download web datalink) is limited to the actual
members of the Study Circle.
Rules and Regulations
All articles in the Newsletter carrying the name of an author are the sole responsibility of
this author and should not be taken to represent the common opinion of the Study Circle.
Such articles are, if not marked otherwise, copyrighted by the respective author. Free use
within the Study Circle is granted. We thank our authors for their much appreciated work
and contribution.
Participation in the Study Circle is not bound to a formal membership and does not include
the duty to pay a membership fee. There is a moral obligation to support the Newsletter
from time to time by sending some article, some interesting piece of information, some
question, some answer or whatever.
We will “print” everything even only loosely connected with our subject of interest so any
contribution is certainly welcome. Please send it (as Word 2003 or 2007 document, graphi-
cal elements in JPEG, 300 dpi) to the editor’s e-mail address (kb@aatc.at). His postal
address, if you would need it, is:
Dr. Helmut Kobelbauer, Untergrossau 81, A-8261 Sinabelkirchen, Austria / Europe

3. The Sub-Carpathian Messenger – Number 36 (February 2016) Page 3
Helmut Kobelbauer
Auction News
The 154th
Felzmann auction (November 5th
to 6th
, 2015) in Germany offered as lot 4012
another “Ballonpost Przemysl” card found near Turja Remete and cancelled (in transit)
with the F.P.O. 47 of March 19th
, 1915. The call was 500 Euro but the item was not sold.
The Corinphila auctions 202 – 204 (November 18th
to 21st
, 2015) brought us as lot 1490 an-
other nice cancellation of the Austrian 1850 issue from Szerednye, this time a horizontal
strip of three 2 xr stamps with perfect borders:
The corresponding letter was written June 27th
, 1857, and on its reverse carries a transit
mark from “CASCHAU” (1/7) and the reception mark from “SZOMOLNOK” (2/7). It was sold
for CHF 600 (excluding buyer’s commission). The sender was “Antalotz Eisenwerk” !

4. The Sub-Carpathian Messenger – Number 36 (February 2016) Page 4
Another stamp from the Austrian first issue was offered as lot 1498 in the 265th
Darabanth
auction (January 8th
, 2016) for a call of 4.200 HUF:
e-Mail to the Editor
By Ron Lustig<ron@hjm.org.il>
Dear Dr. Kobelbauer,
I am writing to you at the suggestion of Mr. Paul Kraus who is a long-time friend of our
museum.
We at the Memorial Museum of Hungarian Speaking Jewry in Safed, Israel have been
collecting and putting on display artifacts and objects that reflect upon the history and the
heritage of the Jews who once lived throughout the Hungarian speaking territories. Most of
our collection has been donated to us by individuals and families from all over the world
and as of this date we are in possession of a most substantial archive that is readily
available for research and exploration.
I am writing to you to draw your attention to the fact that we have recently received a
most unique collection of old postcards from Carpatho-Russ that I assume you may have an
interest in. The collection includes around 2,800 postcards that have been collected over
the years by Mr. Yitzhak Livnat, born in Nagyszőlős in 1930. Mr. Livnat who lives in Israel
has been collecting postcards, mostly from the early years of the 20th
century, all of which
cover a wide variety of topics from all regions of this part of the world. The collection is in
a very good condition and it is currently awaiting a special cataloging process.
Please update your members of your association concerning our collection and hopefully
we could identify possible ways for cooperation in the future.
Best regards,
Ron Lustig

5. The Sub-Carpathian Messenger – Number 36 (February 2016) Page 5
Jan Verleg
Mail from Volosianka
[Jan sent us the following pages from his collection as sold to Mr. Jiří Majer from Prague: The editor]
88. VOLOSIANKA
The 2nd
date stamp of Volosianka is of the type “D”
and was used from 1929 until 1939. Exists with letters a, b and c.
Domestic registered cover sent from Volosiana to Prague on 09-06-1934
5th
Tariff period: 01-01-1922 until 28-02-1937
Domestic letter 1.00 Kčs
R-fee 2.00 “ (stamps for R-fee at the reverse)
Total postage 3.00 Kčs
PERIOD 7

6. The Sub-Carpathian Messenger – Number 36 (February 2016) Page 6
88. VOLOSIANKA
The 2nd
date stamp of Volosianka is of the type “D”
and was used from 1929 until 1939. Exists with letters a, b and c.
Domestic cover sent from Volosiana to Užhorod on 09-06-1934
5th
Tariff period: 01-01-1922 until 28-02-1937
Domestic letter 1.00 Kčs
2nd
Date stamp of Volosianka with distinguishing letter “b”
PERIOD 7

7. The Sub-Carpathian Messenger – Number 36 (February 2016) Page 7
88. VOLOSIANKA
Domestic picture postcard, note the marking of the famous hotel Sport in Užok
[Many thanks to Jan for this extension of our knowledge of postmarks from the Czech period.]
PERIOD 7
The 2nd
date stamp of Volosianka is of the type D
and was used from 1929 until 1939. It exists with letters a, b and c.

8. The Sub-Carpathian Messenger – Number 36 (February 2016) Page 8
Nagy Gábor
A Royal Visit to Kárpátalja during the Great War
The “War Archive” in Budapest amongst other documents holds the following telegram:

9. The Sub-Carpathian Messenger – Number 36 (February 2016) Page 9

10. The Sub-Carpathian Messenger – Number 36 (February 2016) Page 10
Translated to English:
K.u.k. Armeegruppenkommando Pflanzer
Res. Nr. 561
To His Excellence Lieutnant General Rónai-Horváth in his Command Post December 25th, 1914. Csontos
For your personal and confidential attention: His Serene Imperial and Royal Highness crown-prince Karl Franz
Josef will inspect the troops of the Army Group in Upper-Hungary between 27th and 30th of December [1914] .
On this occasion His Imperial and Royal Highness wishes to contact the troops, but jeopardizing his safety must
be excluded by utmost care.
One example of programm enclosed.
On the roads in the territory under your command all waggon and automobile traffic (private or baggage train)
must be banned on the mentioned day. The road surface must be cleaned from mud and if necessary sprinkled
with gravel. The train waggons must be queuing in order by the road-side and strictly scrutinized that no one
person belonging to combatting troops being stayed by the train. The crew of the baggage train may not leave
their position at any circumstances.
His Imperial and Royal Highness crown–prince Karl Franz Josef is to arrive on 30th December from Munkács to
Ungvár by automobil approx. around 8 a.m. and then continues his travel by special royal train to the Rónai-
Horváth Group.

11. The Sub-Carpathian Messenger – Number 36 (February 2016) Page 11
Field post card with “K. u. k. Telegraphenstation im Hofzuge” from the Royal Train.
A detailed sketch on the situation of the Rónai-Horváth Group will be submitted to the commander of the
armoured train lieutnant von Tarbuk, which will be delivered him at early morning on 30th at the railway station in
Ungvár by Army Group representative Major Redlich. The commander of the armoured train should be provided
by accurate information how far the train might run. The armoured train opens the procession, then follows an
empty train and after that the royal train.
At the scheduled terminal of the royal train - if it is allowed by the fighting conditions – Lieutnant General Rónai-
Horváth and his staff will report to His Imperial and Royal Highness. On the contrary a representative of his staff
to be delegated. If the travelling ahead of the group is possible 6 automobiles must be available at the Hajasd
railway station.
Armoured train
If the circumstances allow His Imperial and Royal Highness should be guided to non-combatting (reserve) troops.
It is desirable for His Imperial and Royal Highness to meet with officers and soldiers who are decorated or recom-
mended for decoration. At this occasion soldiers will be decorated by bravery medals.
The decorations will be brought by Major Redlich. These persons should be already available or presented by the
deliverer of this order.
To guarantee the personal safety of His Imperial and Royal Highness strict and energic measures must be taken.
A modest and field-like breakfest will be provided by Count Sztaray.
The leave of His Imperial and Royal Highness is scheduled about 2.30 p.m.

12. The Sub-Carpathian Messenger – Number 36 (February 2016) Page 12
The most intensive safety measures must be taken on the security of railway in the area under your command
and it must be satisfactory scrutinized.
Pflanzer-Baltin General of Cavalry
Helmut Kobelbauer
Another Royal Visit to Munkács
The following photograph was taken on the occasion of a visit of the German Emperor Wil-
helm II to the railway station in Munkács:

13. The Sub-Carpathian Messenger – Number 36 (February 2016) Page 13
Nagy Gábor
The History of Industry in Subcarpathia
„Subcarpathia” as a political name has come into being after the signing of the Trianon
Treaty on June 4th
, 1920, describing the region comprised of the Hungarian counties (Ung,
Bereg, Ugocsa and northern part of Máramaros) which were ceded to the First Czech Re-
public. In the Czech era the region was named Podkarpatská Rus.
The economy of the region from the very beginning was based mostly on the mining and
forestry industries.
Whatever state Subcarpathia belonged to, her economy always was determined by belong-
ing to outlying districts, far from capitals and great industrial centres.
Mining
Gold mining: The marks of gold mining can be found in Nagy– and Feketehegy (Big- and
Black hills) in the mountains near Beregszász, but these mines were abandoned centuries
ago.
Salt mining: The most significant branch of the mining industry was the salt mining and its
beginning goes back to the 13th century. The five communities i.e. Huszt, Visk, Hosszú-
mező, Sziget and Tétső had gained the privilege of royal / free / borough from Róbert
Károly in 1329 as belongings to the Castle of Huszt. The salt deposits are extended from
Aknaszlatina – where the top of the salt bed is only 30 m below the surface – towards
Huszt. At the step of the Talabor valley the deposits are sunk to 300 m depth. Salt mining
at Aknaszlatina has been stopped only in 2007.
1. Collapse of Kunigunda mine at Aknaszlatina.
Kunigunda was the daughter of Béla the IV Hungarian
king in 13th century, who visited the mine and named
after her as remembrance.

14. The Sub-Carpathian Messenger – Number 36 (February 2016) Page 14
2. Inside of Ferenc
mine at Aknaszlatina
in 1930-40 years
3. Inside of Lajos mine at
Aknaszlatina in the 1930-
40th years
4. Abandoned salt
mine's shaft tower
near Aknaszlatina in
2012

15. The Sub-Carpathian Messenger – Number 36 (February 2016) Page 15
Iron ore mining. The waste hills around Munkács are evidence that iron ore mining was
developed in the region / mainly in the neighbouring Zemplén county / and a vivid iron
casting industry was existing in the 17-19th centuries.
Coal mining. Cokable coal seams are available at Subcarpathia but coal mining never
existed. Brown coal and lignite deposites are present in the region of Ilonca and Huszt but
not in mineable quality or quantity. Some mercury deposits exist between Huszt and Visk.
Other minerals. Of higher significance are the deposits of minerals and raw materials for
the contruction industry / i.e. marble, basalt, perlit, zeolit, clay etc. / that occur in the
region.
5. Factory and sheep
Industry based on iron ore miningIndustry based on iron ore miningIndustry based on iron ore miningIndustry based on iron ore mining
It is estimated that the beginning of the iron casting has evolved in Europe in the 12th-13th
centuries.
In Hungarian Kingdom the first mention was made of casting iron cannon balls by pere-
grinating craftsmen.
Munkács and its environs was the domain of Rákóczi’s. The first smeltery was built in the
17th century at Selestó in the valley of the Viznice brook near Munkács. After the fall of II.
Rákóczi Ferenc / 1711 / a part of his domain was donated to the Schönborn family as
recompensation for their faith in the Habsburg Emperor.
In 1770 count Erwin Schönborn–Buchheim established a new blast furnace and foundry at
Selestó / Selesztove / where they produced tools, stoves, dishes. The level of the techno-
logy of casting corresponded to the level of the contemporary European technology. The
amount of production was 14 tons in 1780 and 274 tons in 1856.
In 1829-32 north from Selestó at Frigyesfalva / Klenovci / a new blast furnace was built
and attached a pattern maker workshop, raw and fine casting foundry. In the raw casting
foundry they produced tools and machine elements. In the fine casting workshops only
artifical castings were produced.
In 1834 a German origin sculptor Valentin Willasch arrived to Munkács and with his appear-
ance commenced production of artifical castings at European technological level.
In 1849 he was replaced by András Schlossel who learned at Pest, Vienna and Dresden at
the academy of fine arts.
In 1874 – after his death – artificial casting has declined.

16. The Sub-Carpathian Messenger – Number 36 (February 2016) Page 16
6. New factory at Szolyva
In the 19th century 79 foundries were in operation in Hungary, in 14 produced commercial
castings and four of them were located at Subcarpathia: Dolha-Rókamező / Dohve /
Munkács-Selestó /Szelestove, Munkács-Frigyesfalva / Klenovci / and Turjaremete / Turji
Remetei /.
Other industries
Chemical industry based on wood – distillation
7. Wood-distillery factory near
Nagybocskó
Glas industry
8. Glas factory at Trebusa

17. The Sub-Carpathian Messenger – Number 36 (February 2016) Page 17
Agriculture
Agriculture is limited mostly to the plain of the Tisza and its tributiaries. From industrial
plants the most important are sugar-beet, sun-flower, tobacco. Significant is the grape and
wine making.
Tobacco industry is limited solely to the plain of Tisza.
9. Tobacco factory at
Munkács
10. Industrial settlement at
Rosztoka

18. The Sub-Carpathian Messenger – Number 36 (February 2016) Page 18
Communication
Railway
The first railway line was the Budapest-Kassa-Lemberg line, opened in 1886 which boost-
ed the development of the industry in the region.
11. Railway line in the Ung valley. Viaduct at Csorbadomb
12. Reconstruction of Ung valley railway line at Csorbadomb in July 1915, destroyed in 1914 before
the Russian invasion.

19. The Sub-Carpathian Messenger – Number 36 (February 2016) Page 19
Construction of Munkács-Beszkid railway line at the beginning of 20th century
13. Construction of railway line in the Carpathians
14. Prislop railway towards Bukovina

20. The Sub-Carpathian Messenger – Number 36 (February 2016) Page 20
Helmut Kobelbauer
The Provisional Postmark of Dombó
Taking up the hint of Mervyn Benford (see SCM #035, page 15), I will try to document as
many of the provisional postmarks of the recovered Kárpátalja in 1939 as possible.
One of these is that of Dombó (Dubové in Czech, Dubove or Dubovoe in Ukrainian, 3984
inhabitants in 1910, of which 3072 Ruthenians and 831 Germans):
Picture postcard, Kalinfalva through MKP 116, July 15th
, 1939, to Budapest.
Please note the low-flying aircraft on the picture side, i. e., the view of Aknaszlatina. It
seems that in this period there existed a “local” airport in the vicinity of this important
mining town (possibly in Máramarossziget).

21. The Sub-Carpathian Messenger – Number 36 (February 2016) Page 21
According to Jan Verleg the metal number canceller “M. KIR. POSTA 116” was used in
Dombó from March 26th
, 1939, till July 28th
, 1939. The shown mark fits this date range.
The “DOMBÓ” provisional line postmark is not mentioned in Jan Verleg’s monograph (see
page 135). Its size is 28 x 8 mm and its strike is usually in darkish violet colour.
Registered letter, Dombó through MKP 116, June 30th
, 1939, to Huszt.
The above registered letter shows that the provisional line postmark was not always added
to mail cancelled by the metal MKP 116 mark. (The fee was 20f for domestic letter up to
20 grams plus 50f for domestic registration, in total 70f as applied.)
From items in my collection I can document:
Mark Earliest use Latest use
MKP 116 (metal) June 9th
, 1939 July 24th
, 1939
Provisional line mark
“DOMBÓ”
July 15th
, 1939 July 24th
, 1939
If you can extend the date range, please let us know, sending a proper scan to the editor.
As far as we know, a provisional rubber cancel was not used in Dombó.

22. The Sub-Carpathian Messenger – Number 36 (February 2016) Page 22
Map from 1910 (showing Dombó and Kalinfalu) and cut-out from GoogleMaps 2015 (for Dubove).
Lelkes (1998) has only a referential entry for Kálinfalva, pointing to Alsókálinfalva in the
Máramaros vm., 2039 Ukrainian and German inhabitants in 1910, now Kalini in the Ukraine,
and then to Felsőkálinfalva, also in the Máramaros vm., 1778 Romanian and German in-
habitants in 1910, now Călineşti in Romania. He has nothing on Kalinfalu.
From the maps and this information we conclude that “our” Kalinfalva (Kalinfalu) corres-
ponds to Alsókálinfalva, now Kalyny in Ukraine. In Jan Verleg’s list (p. ADD 6) of Ukrainian
zip codes for the Tyachev region we accordingly find:
UA-90531 Dubovoe Дубове
UA-90532 Kaliny Калини
Satellite view of Dubove and Kalyny in the Teresva valley (thanks to GoogleMaps).

23. The Sub-Carpathian Messenger – Number 36 (February 2016) Page 23
Filep László
Review of Horváth Lajos’ Book
[The Hungarian periodical “Bélyegvilág” in its issue of October 2015 brought a review of Horváth Lajos’ book »Postal History
of the Kárpátalja from the Beginnings until 2014«. Our colleague Manz János translated this review from Hungarian to Ger-
man and your editor has transformed it into English.]
From “Bélyegvilág”, October 2015, page 9.
[Translation:]
In this year Lajos Horváth has received the Gervay Mihály commemorative coin – the high-
est award of MABÉOSZ. This price is always awarded to a collector who has created signi-
ficant and lasting philatelic results during his life. The now published monography of the
Carpatho Ukraine is such an outstanding result.
The imprint mentions that the book was published on the 77th
birthday of the author (to
which we congratulate). The first booklet of the well-received series on the Carpatho
Ukraine was given into our hands just in 2005, followed by nine other such booklets
(treating one historical period each) and a final booklet with the theme of Hungarica. The
monography is, of course, based on these booklets but has been extended with additional
content. While the Carpatho Ukraine booklets contain (not counting the forewords and the

24. The Sub-Carpathian Messenger – Number 36 (February 2016) Page 24
tables of content) about 550 pages in A5, the monography is 443 pages in A4, so there are
about 170 pages (in A4) exceeding the sum size of the booklets. The author, a professional
historian and archivist working also for the state’s parliament, was not satisfied with the
content of the booklets but wanted to include all new information that had come to light
during the writing and publication of the booklets.
The foreword of the book first lists up the thanks for the sponsors of the Carpatho Ukraine
booklets: MABÉOSZ, the Mihály Gervay donation for Hungarian postal history, Csaba Kornél
Tóth and Dr. György Lővey; then follows the foreword of Péter Gidófalvy (editing assistant
of the book) and finally the author reminds us of Gábor Voloncs, the editor of the Carpatho
Ukraine booklets who has died just recently. Péter Gidófalvy and Lajos Horváth give their
views on the issue of publication. Here is a good place to include the ars poetica of the
author as published in the Carpatho Ukraine booklets:
„The postal history of the Kárpátalja has been published in a number of booklets in chronological order with the
aim to later combine them into a monograph. Even in self defense it is necessary to have such a book written by
a person fluent in Hungarian history and to have it served on the table of the nation. Especially because the rich
literature of the Carpatho Ukraine has mostly been written by foreigners who have at most a limited understand-
ing of the true Hungarian history. But without such full understanding it is impossible to have a correct perspective
on the history of the Kárpátalja.”
Here we have the work
with which Lajos Horváth
has reached – in my opini-
on – his planned goal and
also has reminded us of
the researches of Dr. Béla
Simády and László Hra-
bál.
Additional help is given
by numerous maps, notes
and references. The mo-
nograph was partially lec-
tored by Gábor Voloncs,
editor was Péter Gidó-
falvy. The book can be
bought from the author
and from the editorial
office of the »Szabolcs
Stamp News«. (Horváth
Lajos: Kárpátalja Posta-
története a kezdetektől
2014ig, Gidófaly Kiadás
2015. Nyírtelek. Price:
5000 HUF).