Vorläufer, the Journal of the German Colonies Collectors Group, has been published on a regular basis since March 1973.  It is an English-language publication, and is currently published approximately quarterly.

The journal features articles on a variety of topics related to the German Colonies and Post Offices Abroad.  These include topics such as history, postal history, new research, new discoveries, and educational articles.  Recurring features include articles on odd or unexplained items, rare finds, unusual postal usages, and the results of recent auctions and sales.  Additionally, Vorläufer regularly features articles re-printed from the journals of sister philatelic societies, including those in Germany and the UK.

Vorläufer also features an advertising section where members can solicit purchases or sales of philatelic items.  Members wishing to place an adlet please print the adlet form below and return to Oliver Wyrtki via the e-mail or mail address listed on the Contact Us page.

Copies of all past issues of Vorläufer – Vol. 1 to present including special supplements – are available in the Vorläufer Archives.

Access to the archives is limited to current members of the GCCG.

Archived issues can be viewed in your browser, but are not downloadable or printable.  The online viewer allows for quick scrolling through the pages of an issue, and pages can be zoomed to read finer text or view close-ups of the pages.

If a member requires a copy of an issue in a more permanent form (electronic or paper), please contact the GCCG archivist through the Contact Us page.

Several years ago, GCCG member John Kevin Doyle compiled indices of Volumes 1-162.  For those who prefer to see the indices in PDF form, copies can be downloaded below.

n recent years, these indices were digitized into a filterable, sortable table for easier access.  Subsequent issues – currently through Vol. 190 – have also been added to the tabular index.

Two versions of the tabular index can be found on this site – one for members and one for guests.  The member version includes links to the archives, which are accessible only to members, while the guest version does not.

Access to the above PDF indices and the guest tabular index is open to non-members.  This provides non-members with the opportunity to view the topics contained within the archive.  Should a non-member see an article in the public index that they would like assistance in locating, please contact the GCCG archivist through the Contact Us page.