Postal Services in Europe during WWII

Phibsboro7

Hi all I am writing a short story and part of it is based during WWII in Ireland, England and Hungary. For the purposes of this story I am assuming that mail between all three countries stopped from the 1st September 1939. Does anyone know if this is correct ?

Missent

Phibsboro

Don't believe you're right there. During WWII, there would have been a massive amount of mail sent between UK and Ireland with both countries employing censorship systems. Mail from either the UK or Ireland to Hungary would have been sent via relevant neutral countries such as Portugal, Spain or Switzerland.

Manach

Perhaps the OP might investigate the US Civil war where the post operated nearly throughout that conflict due to some interesting local deals (AFAIK).

pinkypinky

I'm reading a book at the moment which is entirely made up of real letters between a couple - he in the army, she in London. There seems to have been very little trouble with the post. (Book's called My Dear Bessie, and it's a lovely read).

pedroeibar1

The post between Ireland and UK and vice-a-versa continued but a day or two were added due to censorship office delays. However as Hungary was occupied it would have taken months (if ever) for an internee's letter to reach London, probably shorter for it to reach neutral Ireland.
Some time back I read ‘Rosie’s War’ the true story of a teenage English au pair who remained in France, was then interned, then Vichy, then escaped and via Spain & Portugal reached home (via Ireland!) She had letters delivered home but AFAI recall it took months and some were sent via other escapees via Spain.
A simple but good story, interesting read, co-written by her daughter.

riffmongous

Is it fair to describe Hungary as occupied though? AFAIK it wasn't until Operation Margarethe in 1944 that German troops were sent to Hungary in any numbers, before then Hungary was a willing ally. Unless thats what you meant and occupied was just a bad choice of word

pedroeibar1

It was an Axis power from 1940. Let's not get too pedantic....:)

riffmongous

Well it's not just strictly pedantry since, while I don't really know anything about this postal service case, but the situation in countries that were truly occupied and ones that were just allies were quite different, for example the deportation of jews from Hungary before and after German troops actually occupied the country in 1944.

But in this case it's probably fair enough

Phibsboro7

Thanks for all the comments a feedback. Weirdly I should have known that their was loads of Mail between Ireland and the UK - sure didn't I see an old photo recently of a butchers Moore Street Dublin offering to post meat to relatives in England during the rationing .

As for Hungary I will send a couple of very delayed letters during the period up to 1944. It should add to the story and I hope be forgiven as a literary device if I am completely wrong.

Thanks lads

FluffyAngel

could you contact the GPO and ask them about the history of mail in ww

http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/History+and+Heritage/Museum/