Water in West Germany

This week my Sunday Stamps is taking to the water in West Germany.  Near the southwestern shore of the Baltic Sea the biggest sailing festival in the world attracts millions of people every year to the city of Kiel. As they say 'from little acorns giant oak trees grow' for the very first event in June 1882 was attended by 20 sailing vessels, today it is about 2000.

1982: Kiel Week (Design - Börnsen)

In 1982 Kiel Week celebrated its 100 years and this stamp sailed into the post.  While visiting Kiel lets take a trip around the waterfront...

1964: Federal Capitals - Kiel (Design - Heinz Schillinger)

with one of Heinz Schilinger's (1929-2008) distinctive designs. He and his wife Hella designed dozens of German stamps individually and some as a design team but

1970: 75th Anniversary of the Kiel Canal (Design - Karl Oskar Blase)

another prolific stamp designer Karl Osker Blase (1925-2016) produced this view.  The stamp shows the Kiel Canal or North Baltic Canal and the tunnel running under it at Rendsburg, looking remarkably clear of traffic as a passenger ship sails past.  There is also another smaller tunnel at Rendsburg for pedestrians and cyclists.

1987: Europa - Architecture (Design - Wiese)

Taking the high road over water here is the Köhlbrand Bridge which from 1974 has connected the port area of Hamburg with Federal Highway 7 (Bundesautobahn 7).

1973: Protection of the Environment (Water) (Design - Heinz Schillinger)

I wonder what the water quality is like under the bridge and how many fish swim by?  The stamp is from a set of 4 which promoted protection of the environment featuring waste, water, noise and air with the Environmental Conference Emblem (hidden somewhat under this heavy postmark).

1980: Nature Conservation (Design - Heinz Schillinger)

But if one wishes to get away from it all this looks the perfect place or perhaps

1989: 2000th Anniversary of Bonn (Design - Peter Steiner)

sail along the River Rhine stopping off in Bonn, capital of West Germany. The stamp was issued on 12th January 1989, in November of that year the Berlin Wall fell and a mere 339 days later on 3rd October 1990 west and east Germany were unified.  For political reasons Bonn houses a third of the German administration the rest of course being in Berlin.  Peter Steiner is another significant stamp designer having produced about 70 stamps and since 2000 collaborated on many designs with his daughter Regina.

Map of 1898 of the North to Baltic Sea Canal

Sunday Stamps II prompt this week is the Letter W - for Water, week and West Germany - See It On A Postcard.