Donnie Niswonger displays collection of wartime postcards in honor of WWI centennial

TBY ~ Jeff Breer

Monday, April 3, 2017

Donnie Niswonger poses for a photo in front of his WWI display Wednesday, March 22, 2017 at the Cape Girardeau County History Center in Jackson. Niswonger a collector of war memorabilia and veteran himself will have his collection on display for a year to mark the 100th year anniversary of the Great War.

Andrew J. Whitaker ~ awhitaker@semissourian.com

Donnie Niswonger has a collection of 100-year-old postcards, many from overseas.

While the written messages on the backs are not in plain view in the display at the Cape Girardeau County History Center in Jackson, it's a good bet the words "Wish you were here" are not among the text.

"Miss you," "Hope all is well," "Hope to see you soon," are more likely phrases.

Niswonger, who served three years of active duty in the U.S. Navy immediately after his graduation from Jackson High School in 1973, is an avid collector of artifacts of all sorts, and his array of World War I memorabilia overflows from two glass cases of space that have been devoted to the 100-year anniversary of the United State's entry into World War I, which came April 6, 1917, when war was declared on Germany.

However, he has a particular affection for vintage cards of all sorts, whether they be Christmas, birthday or wartime prints.

Donnie Niswonger holds up a postcard March 22, part of his collection that is on display at the Cape Girardeau County History Center in Jackson.

Andrew J. Whitaker ~ awhitaker@semissourian.com

"I love old postcards," Niswonger says. "They're just neat to collect. And reading on the back is part of it. I can't lie about that. I try to read everything on the back."

Even if that means translating a language.

All but a few articles in the display belong to Niswonger. Among the artifacts are a German helmet; pictures and memorabilia from Camp Funston, a 2,000-acre training facility constructed in Kansas exclusively for the war in 1917 -- one of 16 created; a photo of recruits leaving Union Station in St. Louis; and Peace Plates.

The postcards are the centerpiece, including a set of U.S. ships from WWI and another, "For the Sake of Old Glory," depicting the face of war in a different era, picturing soldiers in foxholes, stacked bombs and calvary horses.

The war, which began on July 28, 1914, resulted in the death of more than 9 million combatants and 7 million civilians. The number of wounded was more than double. It bridged eras of combat, ranging from hand-to-hand combat in trenches to the introduction of military aircrafts and use of poisonous gases.

Donnie Niswonger moves a collection of WWI postcards that is on display March 22 at the Cape Girardeau County History Center in Jackson.

Andrew J. Whitaker ~ awhitaker@semissourian.com

"I never realized it was as hard a war as what it was until I started doing some research on it," Niswonger says.

The 63-year-old Niswonger, a retired sheet-metal worker, says he has well over 100 postcards from WWI, and they provide a variety of angles to the war, including personal ones.

"I always want to know how the soldier felt, whether he was lonely, scared or whatever," Niswonger says. "You get a lot of them missing home, but that WWI, there was never a war fought like that. Come on, that was trench warfare. If you weren't scared in trench warfare, I'm sorry. That's a total different war than what we fought anywhere else. That's why they call it The Great War."

In addition to the postcards on display, Niswonger has a binder of others from that era protected in plastic sheaths. One he pulled out has the embroidered linen flags of the United States, France and England, allies in the battle against Germany and other members of the Central Powers, with the words "United for Liberty" also stitched. On the back is written: "Dear Mother, just noticed this today and bought it, thinking what a great cause and the great meaning of the three flags who are united together in this great cause over here today. Hoping you are well and happy, like myself. I am your devoted son, Clarence."

Niswonger marvels at the hand-crafted piece.

WWI postcards are on display Wednesday, March 22, 2017 at the Cape Girardeau County History Center in Jackson. The display will be up for a year having April 6 marks the 100-year anniversary of U.S. entry into WWI

Andrew J. Whitaker ~ awhitaker@semissourian.com

"It's just neat stuff," Niswonger says.

Many of the postcards from overseas soldiers are stamped "censored."

"They just made sure nobody was telling secrets," Niswonger says. "They weren't allowed to say where they were. They'd just say somewhere in France, somewhere in Germany."

Some of the postcards implore Americans to support the cause.

He picks up one that shows soldiers standing next to rows and rows of neatly lined 3-foot-high shells and reads the accompanying printing aloud: "We shoot this many shells at the Huns every few seconds. Liberty bonds will buy more."

Andrew J. Whitaker ~ awhitaker@semissourian.com

He smiles and says, "That's classic."

His personal favorite is a near mint, 24-card collection called "A day in the Life of," which features a U.S. soldier in uniform and a woman in a full-length dress posing and clowning through the various stages of a typical training day.

"It's more of a parody type," Niswonger says. "It takes you all the day, from reveille, through every hour of the day all the way to taps, and he's got his wife or girlfriend, whatever, there. They're all dated 1917."

Niswonger unknowingly purchased the set at an auction, one of the means by which he's acquired his collection.

"I buy postcards by the box," Niswonger says. "And I started going through this box, and I ran across a couple of them and said, 'Wow, that would be a nice set.' And then I ran across one that had '24' on it, and I said, 'Oh my, I'll probably never find all 24 of them,' and all 24 of them was in that box."

Donnie Niswonger points at his WWI display Wednesday, March 22, 2017 at the Cape Girardeau County History Center in Jackson.

Andrew J. Whitaker ~ awhitaker@semissourian.com

It was a gold mine for Niswonger, who terms it "speculating" in a hobby that fascinates him.

"You dig through them and you start finding stuff," Niswonger says. "It's just the way it is. I go to auctions every week."

He communicates with three dealers in Portugal, one in Australia, one in the Netherlands and makes other purchases through eBay.

His collection dates back to the 1800s, including cards from Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries and other holidays and occasions.

He says he has acquired thousands of cards since his first purchase at an estate auction in Frohna about 10 to 12 years ago.

An entire WWI postcard parody collection is on display Wednesday, March 22, 2017 at the Cape Girardeau County History Center in Jackson.

Andrew J. Whitaker ~ awhitaker@semissourian.com

"After that I realized there's a whole market for that out there," Niswonger says.

Like baseball cards, such cards derive their value on a variety of fronts, with condition being a big factor.

He says old German cards stand out for their color quality, while postmarks and dates add significance. Sometimes the writing is more valuable than the card itself.

One WWI postcard in the binder drives home those points.

On the back it is dated by hand Nov.-11-18, which has come to be known as Veterans Day. Below it is the note: "Dear mother, it's been ages since I have heard from you. Are you all OK? This is the great expected night. I am out celebrating. This is sure a wild town night. Glad the war is over."

Donnie Niswonger holds up a postcard from his collection that is on display Wednesday, March 22, 2017 at the Cape Girardeau County History Center in Jackson.

Andrew J. Whitaker ~ awhitaker@semissourian.com

A collection of WWI postcards that is on display Wednesday, March 22, 2017 at the Cape Girardeau County History Center in Jackson.

Andrew J. Whitaker ~ awhitaker@semissourian.com

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