Dietz, August, 1869-1963

August Dietz, born in Germany in 1867, came to the United States in 1871 with his family and settled in Richmond, Virginia. In 1883, he took his first printing job and eventually took an apprenticeship at Andrews and Baptist of Richmond, considered "the art printers of the South." It was here that Dietz learned about printing and Confederate philtely, which Frank Baptist had been involved with during the Civil War. Dietz founded the Dietz Printing Company in 1900. He was a lifelong master printer and leading philatelist.

Dietz authored mnay publications, including The Postal Service of the Confederate states of America (1929), The Dietz Confederate States Catalog and Handbook (1931), and The Confederate States Post-Office Department: Its Stamps and Stationary; A record of Achievement (1950).

Dietz died in 1963 in Richmond. He is known as the "father of Confederate philately."

From the guide to the August Dietz Civil War Collection, 1862-1909, (Special Collections, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Va.)