1921 Germany - City of Osnabruck - 50 Pfennig

1921 Germany - City of Osnabruck - 50 Pfennig
CA$7.50

This is a 50 Pfennig German Notgeld (emergency money) note issued by the town of Osnabrück, located in Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen), Germany, around 1921–1922.


It’s part of a famous “Bierstraße” (Beer Street) Notgeld series — a beautifully printed and historically themed issue that highlights the town’s medieval architecture and local folklore, written in Low German (Plattdeutsch) dialect.

🏦 Issuer & Origin

  • Issuer: Stadt Osnabrück (City of Osnabrück)

  • Region: Lower Saxony, Germany

  • Date of Issue: Circa 1921–1922

  • Denomination: 50 Pfennig

  • Language: Low German (Plattdeutsch)

💶 Type of Currency

This note belongs to the German Notgeld (emergency money) era — printed between 1919 and 1923 to replace scarce coins after World War I.
By 1921, Notgeld had become a collectible art form, and towns competed to issue visually stunning designs featuring local landmarks, dialects, and humorous verses.

The Osnabrück series is one of the most admired for its colorful medieval cityscapes and clever use of regional dialect poetry celebrating civic pride and heritage.

🎨 Design & Artistic Features

  • Front (obverse):

    • Center illustration:
      A vibrant depiction of “Die Bierstraße” — a historic street in Osnabrück lined with half-timbered (Fachwerk) houses.
      These narrow-gabled buildings, painted in earthy tones with steep red roofs, represent typical northern German medieval architecture.

    • The caption “Die Bierstraße” identifies the location.

    • Text below the image (in Low German):

      “Hier wuoruden de Börgers von Ossenbrügge,
      Se holen up Chrübb…keit graute Stücke.”
      (Approximate translation)
      “Here the citizens of Osnabrück gathered;
      they fetched (or enjoyed) great draughts [of beer].”
      — A humorous line referring to Osnabrück’s brewing and drinking culture in medieval times.

    • Denomination: “50 Pf” or “50 Pfg” appears in large Gothic script within geometric side panels on both left and right.

    • Color palette: Deep reds, blues, yellows, and browns — printed in lithographic Art Deco style, emphasizing symmetry and vibrant contrast.

    • Monogram “O S” (for Osnabrück) integrated into side designs.

  • Artistic Style:
    The note reflects Expressionist and Art Nouveau influences, popular in postwar German graphic design.
    Its strong outlines and folk-inspired lettering mirror the era’s aesthetic revival of medieval crafts and identity.