diff --git a/download_colorpostcards.py b/download_colorpostcards.py
index d148ca353f8d84e80ca73c14c90c3e0b2872b79f..d20c27ad38a21a77d9674e0e37706e146c86b6c7 100644
--- a/download_colorpostcards.py
+++ b/download_colorpostcards.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import os
 from iiif_utils import get_imgurls_from_collectionurl, create_paths_from_iiifurls, download_images_multithreded
 from time import time
 
@@ -7,6 +8,9 @@ urls = get_imgurls_from_collectionurl(collection_of_colorpostcards)
 dur = time() - start
 print(f'downloaded {dur}')
 urls = [e.replace('full/full', 'full/256,256') for e in urls]  # downlaod with 256x256
+
+if not os.path.exists('postcards_256'):
+    os.makedir('postcards_256')
 paths = create_paths_from_iiifurls(urls, 'postcards_256')
 
 download_images_multithreded(urls, paths, 10)