1934 German Konditor Employment Certificate & RLB Luftschutz Propaganda Envelope-Original

Original 1934 German employment and apprenticeship reference certificate issued in Schwandorf, Bavaria, accompanied by its original period mailing envelope.

The handwritten document is dated January 5, 1934 and concerns Georg Lisl/Lissl of Schwandorf. It was written and signed by Josef Dobler, Konditormeister (Master Confectioner/Pastry Chef), and relates to the recipient’s training and employment in the German Konditorhandwerk, or confectionery and pastry-making trade.

The certificate records approximately three years of apprenticeship/training and provides a favorable assessment of the young man’s work, abilities, conduct and development within the trade. It closes with a strong recommendation from his master.

Of particular historical interest is the original envelope, which remains with the document and bears the period German postal propaganda slogan:

“Luftschutz ist nationale Pflicht – Werdet Mitglied im Reichsluftschutzbund.”

Translation:

“Air-raid protection is a national duty – Become a member of the Reich Air Protection League.”

The Reichsluftschutzbund (RLB) was Germany’s national civil air-defense organization during the Third Reich period. The propaganda slogan on this ordinary civilian piece of correspondence provides an excellent example of the increasing presence of air-defense messaging in everyday German life during the early years of the regime.

Details: Germany; Schwandorf, Bavaria; dated January 5, 1934; handwritten employment/reference certificate; confectionery/pastry trade; signed by a Konditormeister; original matching mailing envelope; RLB/Luftschutz postal propaganda slogan; early Third Reich period.

Condition: Original used condition with expected age and handling wear. The document has original mailing folds, light staining/foxing, age toning and some fading to the handwriting. The envelope shows heavier wear, including creases, staining, edge damage and loss around the postage-stamp area. Please review photographs carefully, as they form part of the condition description. No attempt has been made to clean or restore the pieces.

This is an appealing original grouping for collectors of Third Reich civilian history, German occupational documents, Reichsluftschutzbund material, postal history, Bavarian history, or pre-WWII ephemera.