In 1869, the Austrian post office
issued the first postcards. Strict regulations instructed users
where to write the address and message. Austrians quickly adopted
the postcard, seemingly unhindered by the brevity demanded by
the new, compact form of communication. Fueled by the Austrian
success, the postcard rapidly gained acceptance in other European
countries. By the end of the nineteenth century, many European
postal authorities introduced postcards for popular usage.