Karl-Marx-Stadt

Chemnitz, located in the German state of Saxony, was the largest city in the former German Democratic Republic after Leipzig and Dresden. From May 10, 1953, to May 31, 1990, the city's name was changed to Karl-Marx-Stadt. The city was named after this famous person pursuant to a 1952 law that abolished all former states. Karl Marx was born in Trier on May 5, 1818. He had a profound influence on political philosophy and was one of the founders of the labor movement. He was one of the central figures in the history of socialism and communism. He died in London on March 14, 1883, and is buried in Highgate Cemetery, England. In Karl-Marx-Stadt stands an enormous bust that was depicted on a postage stamp issued on October 5, 1971. Another stamp featuring the bust appeared on May 13, 1980. Chemnitz was an important railway junction and was heavily bombed on March 5, 1945. During the occupation by Russian troops, the German Democratic Republic was established on October 7, 1949. On October 3, 1990, the Democratic Republic was reunited with the Federal Republic, and during a referendum, the city's old name was restored. As a collector of postmark impressions, I noticed that the numbers and letters in the Karl-Marx-Stadt stamps corresponded with each other. As can be seen on the envelope from 1968 above: Karl-Marx-Stadt 23 stamp with registration slip 9023. The letter g at the bottom of the stamp had no relation to the slip. I did find another stamp, also from 1968, with serial number 1 in the border, the number 90 in the middle at the top, and the letter B at the bottom, with a note strip containing the number 901 and a letter b after the serial number. The same applied to stamp c with strip c. But then suddenly it didn't add up anymore. A stamp from 1969 without a serial number, but with the number 90 and the letters ab at the bottom. The registration slip had been altered with a blue pen, as the letters dn had been crossed out. However, the number 901 was included for the office name. And another puzzle, the Karl-Marx-Stadt stamp with serial number 1, also from 1969, with the number 90 in the middle at the top and the letter v at the bottom. But the slip? Only the number 901 and no letter after the number.What didn't add up at all was the 1969 stamp from Karl-Marx-Stadt 1 with the number 90 in the middle at the top and the letter m at the bottom. And the slip? A registration slip with the office name stamped and c 1 filled in with a pen. An emergency slip? It seems that the system of numbering and lettering the stamps in relation to the registration slips was abandoned at some point. But how this was arranged? I don't know! Inquiries with a German collector living in Chemnitz have yielded nothing so far. In any case, I examine every registered envelope I come across that originates from Karl-Marx-Stadt.