Temporary branch office no. 2

At a stamp dealer present at Postex 2012, I found an envelope that stood out because of the two Dutch stamps affixed featuring images of soldiers, issued during the Second World War. The stamps themselves were not particularly special, but the postmark impression was. The border of the stamp bore the text: ROTTERDAM TIJDELIJK BIJKT NO 2. The impression was dated February 27, 1943. Why this temporary branch office? And why a registration slip with the text Rotterdam v. Alkemadestraat? The temporary branch office was located on the Goudsche Singel following the destruction of the branch office on the Van Alkemadestraat by the German bombing on May 14, 1940. This branch office originally had (from its establishment on May 16, 1881) the serial number 2 and the name Goudschesingel. The branch office was moved to the Van Alkemadestraat on April 15, 1935. The five stamps with the text Goudschesingel were replaced by six stamps with the name Van Alkemadestraat, numbered from 1 to 6. The six stamps were lost due to the bombing, but the note strips were in the safe and could be saved. For the temporary branch office, located in an emergency shop, stamps were produced by De Munt bearing the text 'tijdelijk bijkantoor 2', thus using the old name of branch office 2. A total of five stamps were produced. The postal service of the original branch office was taken over by the temporary branch office in one of the emergency shops on the Goudsche Singel on February 10, 1941. Attention was paid to this temporary branch office in the April 1941 issue of the Nederlandsch Maandblad voor Philatelie. The stamps were sent to the temporary branch office in June 1940. They were used from June 9, 1940, through July 29, 1943. In the meantime, a new branch office had been built on the Goudschesingel, which was put into use on August 1, 1943. The stamps with the text Tijdelijk Bijkt. No 2 were taken out of service and replaced by new stamps with the text Goudschesingel. A total of five stamps. Back to the envelope. I took it with mixed feelings, after all. Because of the two Legion stamps, or 'Netherlands Volunteer Legion 1942 Charity Stamps', which are 'charged', certainly in combination with the destruction of the PTT branch office. There is no sender. But what would his or her feelings have been when affixing those stamps and presenting them at the counter of the temporary branch office? And the feelings of the addressee? I have removed the addressee's name and house number from the image for privacy reasons. It is history, more than sixty years ago, but still……