This 2 Heller stamp was first issued under the Austro-Hungarian monarchy with the inscription K. K. Österreichische Post. After the fall of the empire in November 1918, these stocks were overprinted with Deutschösterreich to signify the new Republic of German-Austria. Designed by Alfred Cossmann, the allegorical artwork shows a winged female head symbolizing telecommunication, flanked by bold lightning motifs. The red background enhances the strong symbolism of modern progress and national identity. These transitional issues are prized because they reflect the political upheaval of post-World War I Austria. Collectors study this series for its numerous overprint types, spacing varieties, and occasional misprints.