Address Verification:

1. Sender: Rodolphe B. Roquette, Postfach (P.O. Box), Wuppertal-Elberfeld, Brit. Zone-Germany.

   • Verification: Wuppertal is a city in Germany, and Elberfeld is a well-known district within it. Following WWII, this area was indeed part of the British Occupation Zone ("Brit. Zone"). The use of "Postfach" is standard for a P.O. Box. The "22a" prefix was part of the postal code system used in the British Zone during that period. The sender entity is an individual, Rodolphe B. Roquette, a plausible name. Conclusion: Plausible and historically consistent for 1948.

2. Recipient: Mr. Richard C. Dahlem, P.O. Box 138, Kenvil / New Jersey, U.S.A.

   • Verification: Kenvil is an unincorporated community within Roxbury Township, Morris County, New Jersey. Google Maps confirms its existence. A P.O. Box in Kenvil, NJ, USA is entirely plausible for 1948. Richard C. Dahlem is a plausible name. Conclusion: Plausible for 1948.

Translation:

Front:

• Sender:

  • Absender: Rodolphe B. Roquette

  • Postfach [P.O. Box]

  • Wuppertal-Elberfeld

  • Brit. Zone-Germany

  • [Postal Code/Routing:] 22a

  • [Printed:] Wohnort, auch Zustell- oder Leitpostamt (Place of residence, also delivery or main post office)

  • [Printed:] Straße, Hausnummer, Gebäudeteil, Stockwerk oder Postschließfachnummer; bei Untermietern auch Name des Vermieters (Street, House number, Building part, Floor or P.O. Box number; for subtenants also Name of the landlord)

• Recipient:

  • Mr. Richard C. Dahlem

  • P.O. Box 138

  • Kenvil / New Jersey

  • U.S.A.

  • [Printed:] Straße, Hausnummer, Gebäudeteil, Stockwerk oder Postschließfachnummer; bei Untermietern auch Name des Vermieters (Street, House number, Building part, Floor or P.O. Box number; for subtenants also Name of the landlord)

• Handwritten Note (Blue Ink):

  • ansd 5/13 Air [Answered May 13th via Airmail]

  • Sent back his mint

  • & used on envelope.

  • His letter was ansd [answered]

  • 5/9/48. [May 9th, 1948] (Note: Two different dates mentioned for answering)

Back:

• Date Written: April 14-48 (April 14, 1948)

• Message:

  • Dear Mr. Dahlem!

  • On Dec. 2-47 [December 2, 1947] I have sent you a letter with 2 sets of Leipzig Fair 1947 (mint and used), in which I asked you, if you are interested in exchanging stamps. Up-to-date I did not receive any answer So I should like to know, if you received my lines I dropped to you. At that time, there was no possibility to send any registered letter, and I must send it on the usual way. There are many members of XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX [Text obscured/redacted - likely a club name] our Club, which don't reply letters. But I'd like to ask you, before I write something to the manager, may be, my letter has been lost. So I hope to hear from you pretty soon and with kind regards I remain

  • Sincerely yours

  • R. B. Roquette

• Handwritten Note (Blue Ink):

  • Blue bird

  • 684

Brief Summary:

This is a postcard sent in April 1948 from Rodolphe B. Roquette in Wuppertal-Elberfeld (British Occupation Zone, Germany) to Richard C. Dahlem in Kenvil, New Jersey, USA. The sender is following up on a letter sent in December 1947 containing Leipzig Fair 1947 stamps (mint and used) and proposing a stamp exchange. Having received no reply, Roquette inquires if the original letter arrived, noting that registered mail was unavailable previously. He mentions issues with non-responsive members of a club (name obscured) and hopes for a reply before contacting the "manager". Handwritten notes on the front indicate Dahlem did eventually reply in May 1948.

Travel Distance:

• Origin: Wuppertal-Elberfeld, Germany

• Destination: Kenvil, New Jersey, USA

• Distance: The approximate great-circle distance between Wuppertal, Germany, and Kenvil, NJ, USA is around 6,100 km (approx. 3,800 miles) according to Google Maps.