Austria in transition: 1918 - 1921

Eastern Tirol Plebiscite, October 17, 1920.

In Lienz the Plebiscite Committee for the Eastern Tirol ordered an overprinting of Renner Republic stamps with the words "Deutscher Gau Osttirol", and on October 16th 1920, these stamps were sold or distributed on the occasion of the proclamation of the German Gau (district) Osttirol in Lienz. These stamps were no more than private propaganda essays. Despite a selling price of 500 Kronen for the set (about 5 times face value) they were quickly bought up. They were overprinted in gold; such was the demand for the first issue that a reprint in dull gold, consisting of 1000 sets, was supplied. Mail bearing first issue and reprint stamps was treated as unfranked.