Reichsluftschutzbund (RLB) Membership Booklet (Austria 1939–1944)

Reichsluftschutzbund (RLB) Membership Booklet – Fully Issued Example with Dues Stamps (Austria, 1939–1944)

This is a beautiful and complete original Reichsluftschutzbund (RLB) membership booklet issued to Johanna Frisch , born in 1880 and residing in Vienna.

The RLB was the official German air-raid protection organization during the Third Reich, responsible for civil defense training, blackout regulations, emergency response, and educating the civilian population about air-raid dangers. Authentic, well-preserved booklets with long-term dues stamps are increasingly difficult to find on the market—especially Austrian (“Ostmark”) examples.

A Complete and Well-Documented Membership History

The booklet was issued on April 1, 1939 , shortly after Austria's incorporation into the Reich. It contains:

• Original identification page with handwritten personal information

• Official purple Ortsgruppe stamp (Landesgruppe Ostmark, Ortsgruppe 13 Wien)

• Signature of the local group leader

• Dozens of original contribution stamps from the years 1939–1944

This example is especially attractive because it includes multiple consecutive years of dues payments , providing a rare and uninterrupted glimpse into the daily administrative life of the RLB.

Dues Stamps Included

The booklet contains various types of RLB membership stamps:

• Gray “1 Reichsmark” stamps , mostly from the period 1939–1941

• Red “1 Reichsmark” stamps used later in the war, including entries for 1942–1944

• Higher-value red stamps marked “50 Reichspfennig,” mounted for special dues periods

• Additional loose stamps included with the lot (pink, beige, red) – great for display or collecting

These contribution stamps were used as proof that the member paid their monthly or annual dues. They remain highly collectible in their own right, and it is rare to find both a complete booklet and an accompanying group of unused stamps .

Condition

The booklet is in very good wartime condition :

• Fully intact cover with the RLB emblem

• Light age wear, minor resting around the staples (typical for originals)

• Bright and clearly legible stamps

• No missing pages

• Vibrant ink stamp from the Vienna Ortsgruppe

The internal pages show natural aging but remain stable and perfectly presentable.

Historical Value

Booklets from Vienna (Wien) are particularly interesting to collectors due to the city's central role in the Luftschutz network , especially during the heavy Allied air raids in the later stages of the war. A member born in 1880 also indicates that the RLB mobilized a wide age range of civilians, reflecting the organization's broad involvement in home-front defense.

A Wonderful Addition to Any Civil Defense or RLB Collection

Because the booklet:

• is named ,

• has a full membership record ,

• includes multiple years of stamps ,

• and comes with additional loose RLB stamps ,

…it offers exceptional display potential and historical depth.

Perfect for collectors of Reichsluftschutzbund, Third Reich civil defense, home-front documents, or Austrian wartime administration .