Introduction
The small stamp showing the number 78 seems to be a German Army Censor mark.
The reason that I was interested in this Carte Postal was initially, because it was send to camp of the 23 RMVE in Septfonds.
A légionnaire of Dutch origin Cornelis Koster ,assigned to the 23 RMVE had also been stationed in that camp.
Postal history
This Carte Postale, I found out somewhat later, was also interesting from a wider postal history point of view.
It is a so-called Interzone card, a type of official postcard used in Nazi-occupied France during WW2 to allow limited communication between different zones.
These cards had pre-printed messages and checkboxes.
Senders could only select from a fixed set of phrases like “am well,” restricting any personal or detailed information. This was a way for the occupying forces to control correspondence across the demarcation line that separated the “Occupied Zone” from the “Free Zone”.
The use of these cards was part of a larger system of restricting communication between the two zones of France after the armistice of 1940.
Iris Interzone cards were first offered for sale in Paris on the 26th of September 1940.
This card was cancelled at Nevilly sur Seine at 7:30 AM on the September 1940, one day later.
Georgette and Michel PROSORKEVITCH
The Carte Postal was sent by Madame (Georgette )PROSORKEVITCH which had as adres 31 Arr de la Defense Puteaux Seine.
On the back the message was:
Paris 26 Sept 1940
Je suis en bonne sante.
Je suis sans nouvelles de Michel.
J’ai besoin de provisions et de Vetements. Vous-Vous écrire mois est espéré t’il bientôt rentrer ?
The letter was sent to Michel PROSORKEVITCH, Depot du 23 RMVE, 2me bureau de passage.
Septfonds (Tarn et Garonne).
EVDG
Michel PROSORKEVITCH was a foreigner that is not of French Nationality who volunteered to serve in the French army for the duration of the war. His name appears in two lists of these volunteers.
Based on this we know he was born on the 10th of August 1906 in Rival Tallin (Russie) and was assigned to the RMVE and has had enlisted at Seine Central.
1958 NATURALISATION
Michel PROSORKEVITCH survived the war.
On the 24th of October 1958 he obtained the French Nationality by naturalization.
Michel PROSORKEVITCH
Birth The 10th of August 1906, Reval-Tatlin (Russie )
Numéro de décret: 381×37-75
Sources: Journal Officiel
Further research into the name PROSORKEVITCH yielded only a few results, such that I almost thought its spelling might be incorrect.
What I did find however was this photograph of a colonel PROSORKEVITCH, commandant of the brigade of Cossacks in garrison in 1916 in Teheran. Could this be his father?
Irrespective it is a great picture.
