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1 Pfennig Zossen-Weinberge; PoW Camp
| Issuer | Gefangenen-Lager Zossen-Weinberge |
|---|---|
| Year | |
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| Size | 94 x 61 mm |
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| Obverse description | Plain cream paper voucher printed in black by letterpress, enclosed within a decorative scroll border. The camp name 'Gefangenen-Lager Zossen-Weinberge' and the word 'GUTSCHEIN' appear at top, with the large numeral '1' flanked by 'EINEN' and 'PFENNIG' in bold type at centre. Two Imperial German eagle vignettes flank the lower text panel, with the printer's imprint at foot. |
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| Obverse lettering | Gefangenen-Lager Zossen-Weinberge GUTSCHEIN über EINEN 1 PFENNIG Nur giltig im Gefangenen-Lager. Nachahmungen strafbar. BUCHDRUCKEREI OTTO LANGE, BERLIN S42. |
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| Comments |
Zossen-Weinberge was one of the large German prisoner-of-war camps established during the First World War, holding tens of thousands of men at its peak — Russian, French, and British prisoners among them. Camp scrip like this Pfennig note circulated internally as a controlled substitute for Reich currency, a deliberate policy to prevent prisoners from accumulating spendable money that might fund escape attempts or purchase contraband from guards.
Otto Lange's Berlin press produced scrip for multiple camp systems during the war, working to tight official specifications. The low denomination suggests a canteen economy where small transactions — tobacco, soap, minor foodstuffs — were the daily reality of captivity.