see ▁Deutsche ▁Post ▁Berlin ▁( De utsch e ▁Bundes post ▁Berlin )) ▁as ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 9 / 1 9 5 5 ). ▁The ▁post ▁office ▁technical ▁central ▁office , ▁tele communic ation ▁engineering ▁central ▁office , ▁postal ▁administration ▁social ▁office , ▁and ▁post ▁offices ) ▁were ▁on ▁an ▁equal ▁level ▁with ▁the ▁director ates . ▁The ▁lower ▁stage ▁consisted ▁of ▁post ▁office ▁branches , ▁postal ▁g iro ▁( ak in ▁to ▁a ▁checking ▁account ) ▁sav ings ▁bank ▁offices ▁and ▁tele communic ations ▁office ▁branches . ▁ ▁Leg al ▁basis ▁ ▁The ▁legal ▁basis ▁for ▁the ▁administrative ▁activity ▁of ▁the ▁Bundes post ▁was ▁the ▁postal ▁administration ▁act ▁( Post ver walt ungs ges etz , ▁abbre vi ated ▁Post V w G ). ▁A ▁central ▁goal ▁of ▁public ▁administrative ▁policy ▁after ▁ 1 9 2 4 ▁was ▁financial ▁self - su ffic iency . ▁Political ▁goals , ▁however , ▁often ▁su pers eded ▁this ▁goal . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁Post V w G , ▁the ▁federal ▁postal ▁system ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁admin ister ed ▁" acc ording ▁to ▁the ▁principles ▁of ▁the ▁policy ▁of ▁the ▁FR G , ▁in ▁particular ▁trade , ▁economic , ▁financial ▁and ▁social ▁policies " ▁and ▁" the ▁interests ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁national ▁economy ." ▁ ▁The ▁Deutsche ▁Bundes post ▁was ▁the ▁largest ▁employ er ▁in ▁the ▁Federal ▁Republic . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁it ▁employed ▁ 5 4 3 , 2 0 0 ▁people . ▁ ▁Re forms ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁first ▁post