20 000 000 Mark 1923, Königsberg, Germany
| Hans-Ludwig Grabowski Katalog. Band 10. | Number: I23_2765f |
| Years of issue: | 13.09.1923 - 13.12.1923 |
| Edition: | -- |
| Signatures: | Oberbürgermeister: Hans Lohmeyer, Kämmerer: Dr. Friedrich Lehmann |
| Serie: | Notgeld of East Prussia (today Russia) |
| Specimen of: | 13.09.1923 |
| Material: | Dirt-resistant cotton paper with Anti Soil Treatment |
| Size (mm): | 140 х 85 |
| Printer: | Unknown printer |
* All pictures marked 
are increased partially by magnifying glass, the remaining open in full size by clicking on the image.
** The word "Specimen" is present only on some of electronic pictures, in accordance with banknote images publication rules of appropriate banks.
Description
Watermark:
Diamonds in semicircles.
Avers:
On the left side is an emblem of the Ostmesse.
The Ostmesse, officially the Deutsche Ostmesse Königsberg (DOK), was a trade fair in Königsberg, Germany. It was established to aid in the recovery of East Prussia after its separation from Weimar Germany following World War I.
Lord Mayor Hans Lohmeyer came up with the idea for a trade fair in Königsberg to inspire optimism and improve the economy; similar post-war fairs were held in Breslau (Wrocław), Frankfurt, and Poznań.
The first Ostmesse, opened by President Friedrich Ebert on 26 September 1920, was held in the Königsberg Zoo and encompassed 50,000 m2.
The following year the Ostmesse moved to a new site designed by Hanns Hopp along Wallring and Hansaring, just north of Steindamm and Tragheim. This permanent site initially encompassed 60,000 m2 and was financed with 7.5 million Mark from the German government and 2.5 million from the Free State of Prussia. Seven halls covering 23,000 m2 were subsequently constructed. The Handelshof was built nearby from 1922-1923, but was infrequently used and instead became the new city hall. Beginning in 1925 technical demonstrations were held in the Haus der Technik. By the end of the 1920s the Ostmesse encompassed 80,000 m2. Plans to expand westward in the vicinity of the Nordbahnhof station were halted by the outbreak of World War II.
The early fairs were provincial and largely agricultural in nature, but well received by East Prussians. A popular description of the fair was "Des ganzen Ostens Presse meist die Königsberger Messe preist" (the entire eastern press praised the Königsberg fair). The Spring 1922 fair included 1,650 firms, while the Fall 1923 fair featured 2,500 exhibitors. Besides the featured goods and technical exhibitions, later fairs included construction, cattle, fishing, hunting, and other special shows. The tenth fair was opened on 17 February 1925 by Chancellor Hans Luther.
Foreign participation increased as the fair grew and included Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Sweden, Turkey, and especially the Soviet Union. Königsberg's Ostmesse and the Leipzig Trade Fair were recognized as the only official German trade fairs. The first Fair was held in September 1920 after which they were held in February and August, until 1928, when for economic reasons they began to be held annually instead, usually in late August. The Ostmesse had 1,873 firms and 65,000 visitors in 1930, 120,000 visitors in 1933, and 204,000 visitors in 1937. The fair was directed by Dr. Erich Wiegand until 1930, when he was succeeded by Consul Hans Jonas. The final fair was held in October 1941 during World War II. 
House of technology of the Ostmesse. More than fifty years it stood in ruins (the first floor was used for manufactured goods) and was restored only in the early 2000s. Now it houses the shopping center "Epicenter".
Under the emblem of the Ostmesse is etched seal of Königsberg magistrate with the emblem of the city.
The coat of arms of Königsberg in Preußen.
Centered is the black eagle of Prussia.
The historical coat of arms shows three Konigsberg, formerly independent district - Old Town (Altstadt), Löbenicht and Kneiphof, united under the Prussian eagle. This version of the coat of arms were, in 1724, adopted by Frederick William I as a seal, and in 1906 it was declared as the emblem by the city magistrate.
On top of it is the main royal crown of Prussia.
In the middle is the coat of Old Town (Altstadt): on a silver background red crown, lower in red field (bared) - a silver cross;
On the right side is the coat of arms of the former city Löbenicht: between the two white six-pointed stars (on a blue background) - a golden crown;
On the left side, the coat of arms of the former city Kneiphof: On green background from sea water rises hand with a golden crown (hands sleeve is made in sea color). On both sides of the hand are two gold bugles (horns).
The inscriptions in German:"Königsberg die Stadt der Deutschen Ostmessen. Dieser Schein wird in alle städtlichen Kassen in Zahlung genommen. Die Einlösung wird öffentlich bekannt gemacht. Königsberg in Preußen. 13.IX.1923. Wer diesen schein nachmacht oder verfälscht oder nachgemacht oder verfälschte sich verschafft und in Verkehr bringt, wird in Zuchthaus nicht unter zwei Jahren bestraft".
In English:
"Koenigsberg, the city of the German Ostmessen. This bill will be taken by all city's stores and banks in payment. The redemption will be made publicly. Koenigsberg in Prussia. 13.IX.1923. Whoever imitates, falsified or counterfeited these banknotes or will distribute them, will be punished in prison not less than for two years".
Denomination is centered.
Revers:
White background.
Comments:
The signatures on banknote belongs to:
Oberbürgermeister of Königsberg Hans Lohmeyer (left) and German painter Hans Baluschek (right). The photo made in Berlin, at 31 march 1931.
Hans Lohmeyer (23 June 1881 in Thorn – 28 Februar 1968 in Berlin) was a German jurist, Lord Mayor of Königsberg.
Lohmeyer studied law and political science at the University of Freiburg, the Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Berlin and the Silesian Friedrich Wilhelms University of Breslau. In 1900 he became a member of the fraternity Teutonia Fribourg. He initially joined as a partner in a law firm. 1914-1919 he worked as a councilor in Schöneberg in Berlin, 1919-1933 as Mayor in Königsberg i. Pr. During his tenure, the establishment of the East Fair, the construction of Konigsberg central station and airport Devau fell. Lohmeyer belonged 1921-1932 to the Provisional National Economic Council and was deputy representative of East Prussia in the Reichsrat. From 1931 Lohmeyer was married to actress Gerda Müller.
Following the election victory of the National Socialist German Workers' Party in the Reichstag elections in 1933 Lohmeyer was suspended and retired from the post of mayor. He went to live in Berlin-Westend, Stalluponer Allee 17, and dealt with municipal scientific and contemporary issues. Due to his 1939 published work The policy of the Second Empire from 1870 to 1918 he was banned from publication. Through Carl Friedrich Goerdeler, who served until 1930 as 2nd 1920 of Mayor in Königsberg, he had contact with the circle of the "20 July plot", who tried the assassination of 20 July 1944. After the assassination attempt, he was interrogated, but not arrested.
He was involved already in Königsberg in the Evangelical Church. In the postwar period in Germany, he was a member of the Synod of the Evangelical Church Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Oberlausitz and the Prussian Union of churches. In 1951 he was co-founder and until 1963 chairman of the Association for Urban Studies. Buried in the cemetery he is Heerstraße in Berlin.
City Treasurer Friedrich Lehmann (born November 5, 1888, Königsberg in Preußen - 9 July 1960, Frankfurt am Main) was a German lawyer in municipal financial management.
Lehmann studied law at the University of Königsberg, the Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Berlin and Heidelberg University. There he received his doctorate in 1912 for Dr. iur. and he made 1914 Assessorexamen.
In the November revolution he was Demobilisierungskommissar and councilor in Königsberg. Since 1920, the eunuchs, he brought to the Mayor Hans Lohmeyer sent the city through the hardships of the German inflation 1914 to 1923. Because of his reputation as a financier ordered him the indebted city Frankfurt in 1932 as City Treasurer.
Retired since 1946, he had continued in the scientific life of the city. He became involved in the Free German Bishopric and the advisory board of the Frankfurt Museum Society. The Faculty of Law at Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main in 1949 appointed him as honorary professor. For his 70th birthday he was awarded the Goethe Medal of the City of Frankfurt.
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