This special semi-postal series, titled "Wohlfahrtsmarken 1994" (Welfare Stamps 1994), was issued by the Deutsche Bundespost on October 13, 1994. These stamps are the 45th in a series where surcharges support the Freie Wohlfahrtspflege, a group of non-statutory welfare organizations including the German Red Cross and Caritas, providing aid where state help is insufficient. Designed by Hannelore Heise, the set features traditional costumes (Trachten) from five different German federal states.
The series includes:
80+40 Pf – Lower Saxony: Depicts a traditional costume couple from Bückeburg.
80+40 Pf – Saxony-Anhalt: Features a couple from Halle an der Saale.
100+50 Pf – North Rhine-Westphalia: Shows a family in traditional attire from Minden.
100+50 Pf – Saxony: Illustrates a couple from Hoyerswerda.
200+70 Pf – Baden-Württemberg: Depicts a couple with a child from Betzingen.
The official Ersttagsblatt (ETB) shown in 143506.jpg contains a first-day-of-issue cancellation from Bonn, featuring a specialized postmark that portrays a woman wearing a traditional Bückeburg winged cap (Flügelhaube).
