1921 - Germany City of Salzbrunn 50 Pfennig

1921 - Germany City of Salzbrunn 50 Pfennig
CA$7.00

This is a German Notgeld (emergency money) note issued in 1921 by the town of Bad Salzbrunn in Schlesien (Silesia) — today known as Szczawno-Zdrój, Poland. 


The note was released to commemorate the 700th anniversary of the town’s founding (1221–1921) and represents one of the more decorative and commemorative Notgeld issues from the Silesian spa towns during the post–World War I period.

🏦 Issuer & Origin

  • Issuer: Stadt Bad Salzbrunn i. Schl. (City of Bad Salzbrunn in Silesia)

  • Region: Lower Silesia (then part of Germany; now Szczawno-Zdrój, Poland)

  • Date of Issue: 1921

  • Denomination: (commonly part of a 25–75 Pfennig or 1–2 Mark series)

  • Theme: 700th Anniversary Celebration (1221–1921)

💶 Type of Currency

This is Notgeld, or emergency money, a form of local currency issued in Germany between 1919–1923 due to severe coin shortages and inflation following World War I.
While earlier issues were practical substitutes for coins, by 1921 Notgeld had evolved into commemorative and collector-oriented pieces, often beautifully designed and themed around local events, history, or architecture.

The Bad Salzbrunn issue celebrates the town’s 700th anniversary — combining civic pride with aesthetic presentation, making it both a historical keepsake and a functional voucher during its short circulation.

🎨 Design & Artistic Features

  • Front (obverse):

    • The composition centers on a timber-framed spa building (likely the Kurhaus or one of the resort’s main guesthouses), framed by two tall trees and a mountain backdrop, referencing the Waldenburg mountain range of Lower Silesia.

    • Above and around the image are ribbon-like banners inscribed:

      “700 Jahr-Feier 1221–1921 Bad Salzbrunn i. Schl.”
      Translation: “700-Year Celebration 1221–1921, Bad Salzbrunn in Silesia.”

    • The initials “EMU” at lower left refer to the artist or lithographer.

    • Colors: Muted teal, terracotta brown, and black, printed in fine lithography, typical of Silesian design in this period.

    • The geometric lattice background suggests the Art Deco influence beginning to appear in 1920s German graphic art.

🏰 About Bad Salzbrunn (Szczawno-Zdrój)

  • Bad Salzbrunn was one of Germany’s most famous health resorts in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

  • Its mineral springs and spa facilities attracted European nobility and artists, including Friedrich Chopin, who stayed there in 1826.

  • The town’s name literally means “Salt Spring Spa”, and it became known for its curative waters and elegant architecture.

  • In 1945, after World War II, the region became part of Poland and was renamed Szczawno-Zdrój.

🕰️ Historical Context

  • 1921 marked the 700th anniversary of Bad Salzbrunn’s founding in 1221, during the Silesian Piast period.

  • The issuance of commemorative Notgeld was part of widespread local celebrations.

  • This was also a politically uncertain time: Silesia was in turmoil over whether it would remain part of Germany or be transferred to the newly formed Poland following the Upper Silesia plebiscite.

  • Thus, this note also symbolized local identity and heritage, asserting the town’s long-standing German history.