Kybartai, Kibarty (in some postal aspects a joined-twin of Virbalis, Verzhbolovo, Wirballen) is a town with an important railway station next to the border of what was East Prussia, ca. 25 km west of Vilkaviškis. In World War One, after repeatedly changing hands it was finally secured by 78. Reserve-Division on February 10-11, 1915. After German withdrawal from Russia, the area was not affected by post-war hostilities.
In czarist times, Kybartai had a major transit post office (as Kibarty) servicing international postal traffic by rail but none during the German occupation, as a civilian post office was located at Eydtkuhnen just across the East Prussian border.
The first Lithuanian postmaster at Kybartai was Otto Kochanauskas, mandated as of January 15, 1919, though it is not clear when the post office did in fact open for business. He was replaced by Juozas Markevičius on August 7 of the same year and stayed on as deputy. With increase of staff came Antanas Aušrotas as deputy on April 1, 1920, followed by Kazimieras Venclovas as postmaster (?).
As an early post office Kybartai was provided with the Second Vilnius Issue and probably the First Vilnius Issue as well. It did have First Kaunas and possibly some values of the other Kaunas Issues, certainly followed by Fourth Berlin etc. Surviving items show that the Kybartai post office was frequented by collectors who may have brought along stamps or values not available at Kybartai. One of the customers was Max Spiekien who kept sending cards and covers to his wife Gertrud in Eydtkuhnen, and to some others – and so unwittingly facilitated a reconstruction of the evolution of postmarking at Kybartai.
In the absence of a postmarker, for cancelling Kybartai at first made do with two pen strokes producing a diagonal cross.
In czarist times, Kybartai had a major transit post office (as Kibarty) servicing international postal traffic by rail but none during the German occupation, as a civilian post office was located at Eydtkuhnen just across the East Prussian border.
The first Lithuanian postmaster at Kybartai was Otto Kochanauskas, mandated as of January 15, 1919, though it is not clear when the post office did in fact open for business. He was replaced by Juozas Markevičius on August 7 of the same year and stayed on as deputy. With increase of staff came Antanas Aušrotas as deputy on April 1, 1920, followed by Kazimieras Venclovas as postmaster (?).
As an early post office Kybartai was provided with the Second Vilnius Issue and probably the First Vilnius Issue as well. It did have First Kaunas and possibly some values of the other Kaunas Issues, certainly followed by Fourth Berlin etc. Surviving items show that the Kybartai post office was frequented by collectors who may have brought along stamps or values not available at Kybartai. One of the customers was Max Spiekien who kept sending cards and covers to his wife Gertrud in Eydtkuhnen, and to some others – and so unwittingly facilitated a reconstruction of the evolution of postmarking at Kybartai.
In the absence of a postmarker, for cancelling Kybartai at first made do with two pen strokes producing a diagonal cross.