This semi-postal series, titled "Für die Jugend 1987" (For the Youth 1987), was issued by the Deutsche Bundespost on April 9, 1987. As documented in the official Ersttagsblatt (9/1987), the series highlights both traditional and modern skilled trades in Germany. Surcharges from these stamps benefit the Stiftung Deutsche Jugendmarke e.V., which supports social welfare projects for young people.
The series, designed by Professor Heinz Schillinger, illustrates various professions by juxtaposing historical workshop scenes with contemporary practice:
Installateur (50+25 Pf): Represents the plumbing and heating trade, emphasizing the modern technician's role in environmental protection through energy-efficient systems like heat pumps and solar panels.
Zahntechniker (60+30 Pf): Highlights dental technology, a craft requiring high precision and aesthetic skill to produce functional dental prosthetics in modern laboratories.
Fleischer (70+35 Pf): Showcases the butcher trade, noting the diversity of German sausages—with over 1,500 varieties—and the craft's importance in providing quality fresh food.
Buchbinder (80+40 Pf): Features bookbinding, a trade that combines manual dexterity for fine binding with the technical skill required to operate large-scale industrial machinery.
