Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Helsinki Declaration

The Helsinki AccordsHelsinki Final Act, or Helsinki Declaration was the final act of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe held inHelsinki, Finland, during July and August 1, 1975  (The FDC is postmarked on 30.7.1975). Thirty-five states, including the USA, Canada, and most European states except Albania and Andorra, signed the declaration in an attempt to improve relations between the Communist bloc and the West. The Helsinki Accords, however, were not binding as they did not have treaty status. And, were thus, as history proved, not worth the reams of paper wasted at the conference.
Thank you Merja for this interesting cover with the very impressive minisheet with a large stamp on it. A garland of flags of the participating nations is around the stamp.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

1979 EUROPA CEPT - Faroe Islands 7.5.1979

The Faeroe Islands are an island group and archipelago under the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark, situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Norway and Iceland. The total area is approximately 1,400 km2 (540 sq mi) with a 2010 population of almost 50,000 people. The Faroe Islands have been a self-governing country within the Danish Realm since 1948. Over the years, the Faroese have taken control of most domestic matters. Areas that remain the responsibility of Denmark include military defence, police, justice, currency and foreign affairs. The Faroe Islands also have representatives in the Nordic Council as members of the Danish delegation. The islands were associated with and taxed by Norway, then the Union of Kalmar, and then Denmark-Norway until 1814, when Norway was united with Sweden. Scandinavia was in political turmoil following the Sixth Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars, when the Treaty of Kiel granted Denmark control over the Faroes, Iceland and Greenland in 1814. The Danish trade monopoly ended in 1856.


The theme for EUROPA CEPT stamps for 1979 was "Post & Telecommunications". On 7 May 1979, the Faroes had their first Europe (CEPT) stamps, showing provisional stamps from 1919. These stamps were engraved by the Royal engraver Czesław Słania. The stamp on the left is a Provisional stamp from 1919, which is cut diagonally. The other stamp is a Provisional stamp from 1919, overprinted 2 ore.

Thank you Dear Maria for this wonderful FDC.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe held in Helsinki


The Helsinki AccordsHelsinki Final Act, or Helsinki Declaration was the final act of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe held in Helsinki, Finland, during July and August 1, 1975. Thirty-five states, including the USA, Canada, and most European states except Albania and Andorra, signed the declaration in an attempt to improve relations between the Communist bloc and the West. The Helsinki Accords, however, were not binding as they did not have treaty status.
The Accords' "Declaration on Principles Guiding Relations between Participating States" (also known as "The Decalogue") enumerated the following 10 points:
  1. Sovereign equality, respect for the rights inherent in sovereignty.
  2. Refraining from the threat or use of force
  3. Inviolability of frontiers.
  4. Territorial integrity of States
  5. Peaceful settlement of disputes
  6. Non-intervention in internal affairs
  7. Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief
  8. Equal rights and self-determination of peoples.   
  9. Co-operation among States
  10. Fulfillment in good faith of obligations under international law.   
Most of these articles were followed in the breach rather than in fact. European history from 1975 to 1989 was witness to this utter farce.

The miniature sheet on this cover was issued by Bulgaria in 1974 commemorating the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe. 

Thank youMerja for this memorable FDC.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

50th Death Anniversary of James Ensor

James Sidney Edouard, Baron Ensor (13 April 1860 – 19 November 1949) was a Belgian painter and printmaker, an important influence onexpressionism and surrealism who lived in Ostend for almost his entire life. He was associated with the artistic group Les XX.
The stamp on the cover is titled "The Oyster Eater" This is one of the main works in the Royal Museum's prominent Ensor collection. It represents a sunny dining room, with a table laid for two, and a young woman who is about to eat an oyster. With The Oyster eater, the young James Ensor continued the series that he had dubbed The Bourgeois Salon, and which consisted in snapshots from the life of the small-town bourgeoisie. In this painting he used bright colours. The red, yellow and orange hues enhance the illusion of sunlight. 
It was Ensor's intention to enter The Oyster-eater in the 1882 edition of the three-yearly art exhibition in Antwerp, but the organisers rejected it. So too did 'L'Essor', an exhibition association comprised of graduates of the Brussels academy. Apparently the art circles of the day were not ready for Ensor's revolutionary genius. This prompted Ensor and some of the more progressive members of 'L'Essor' to establish 'Les XX', a group that was more than happy to showcase unconventional work such as The Oyster eater.
 The Belgian artist, James Ensor, was deeply rooted in his country and its artistic tradition.  Ensor’s work is noted for its important role in the development of modern art.
The FDC is postmarked in Ostend, Belgium. James Ensor was born in Ostend. To Belgians the most famous Ostendais of them all remains painter James Ensor who spent most of his life here.
Thank you Maria for this lovely FDC.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

1982 EUROPA - Portugal Historic Events 3.5.1982


The stamp on this first day cover was issued on 3rd May 1982 as part of the EUROPA CEPT series of stamps. The theme for 1982 was "Historic Events".
The stamp on the cover depicts  a scene from the presentation of Manuel I (Portuguese  king in that time) to the Pope in Rome, in 1514. It was a very great ceremony, even an Indian elephant took part in the ceremony.
Tristão da Cunha (c. 1460 – c. 1540) was a Portuguese explorer and naval commander. In 1514 he served as ambassador from king Manuel I of Portugal to Pope Leo X leading a luxurious embassy presenting in Rome the new conquests of Portugal. He later became a member of the Portuguese Privy Council.
Hanno (c. 1510 – 8 June 1516) was the pet white elephant given by King Manuel I of Portugal to Pope Leo X (born Giovanni de' Medici) at his coronation. Hanno, actually an Asian elephant, came to Rome in 1514 with the Portuguese ambassador Tristão da Cunha and quickly became the Pope's favorite animal. Hanno died two years later from complications of a treatment for constipation with gold-enriched laxative.
King Manuel had either received him as a gift from the King of Cochin, or had asked Afonso de Albuquerque, his viceroy in India, to purchase him. Hanno was said to be white in colour, and arrived by ship from Lisbon to Rome in 1514, aged about four years, and was kept initially in an enclosure in the Belvedere courtyard, then moved to a specially constructed building between St. Peter's Basilica and the Apostolic Palace, near the Borgo Sant'Angelo (a road in the rione of Borgo). 
Thank you Maria for this lovely FDC.

Friday, July 26, 2013

INTEREUROPEANA 1979


This miniature sheet with the block of four stamps on the first day cover was issued by Romania as part of the INTEREUROPEANA 1979 on 3rd May 1979 to commemorate collaboration amongst countries of Europe in the fields of Culture, Economy, and mail distribution (mail delivery and mail coaches). This is aptly illustrated on the stamp as well as on the First Day Cover.
Thank you Dear Merja for this lovely FDC.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

1970 - Year of Conservation of Nature

1970 - Year of Conservation of Nature. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN, Union internationale pour la conservation de la nature [UICN], in French) is an international organization dedicated to finding "pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges". The organization publishes the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, which assesses the conservation status of species.
IUCN supports scientific research, manages field projects globally and brings governments, non-government organizations, United Nations agencies, companies and local communities together to develop and implement policy. IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental network—a democratic membership union with more than 1,000 government and NGO member organizations, and almost 11,000 volunteer scientists in more than 160 countries. IUCN’s work is supported by more than 1,000 professional staff in 60 offices and hundreds of partners in public, NGO and private sectors around the world. The Union’s headquarters are located in Gland, near Geneva, Switzerland.
IUCN's stated vision is "a just world that values and conserves nature". Its mission is to "influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable".
Maria sent me this FDC with the single stamp postmarked on 1.1.1970, to commemorate 1970 as the Year of Conservation of Nature.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

BRUPHILA'99

This stamp showing the picture of King Albert II of Belgium was issued as part of the philatelic exhibition "BRUPHILA'99", in commemoration of 150Years of Postage stamps in Belgium. A very impressive Royal postmark indeed!
Thank you Maria for this FDC.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

1981 EUROPA - Foklore and Feasts - Faroe Islands 15.12.1981

In 1981 (35 countries ; 69 stamps) the theme of EUROPA stamps was folklore and feasts. That was also the year when for the first time the Azores and Madeira issued Europa stamps under their own name. These Faroese stamps and the cover depict the traditional Faroese Dance Bandadansur - a living mediaeval heritage without comparison in Europe. The Faroese dance is a living mediaeval heritage without comparison in Europe. It is very common among young people. At village festivals many of the dancers wear the Faroese costume.  

My dear friend Merja gave me this nice FDC.

Monday, July 22, 2013

CARITAS 1983

Caritas Internationalis is a confederation of 164 Roman Catholic relief, development and social service organisations operating in over 200 countries and territories worldwide. Collectively and individually their mission is to work to build a better world, especially for the poor and oppressed.
The first Caritas organisation was established by Graham Oldman 9 November 1897 in Europe. Other national Caritas organisations were soon formed in Switzerland (1901) and the United States (Catholic Charities, 1910).

These stamps issued on 5.12.1983 feature the coats of arms of four local authorities in Luxembourg, as well as a Nativity scene:

  • Nativity
  • Winseler
  • Beckerich
  • Feulen
  • Mertert
Caritas Luxembourg runs domestic programmes devoted to social cohesion and support for the needy, and also supports numerous emergency, humanitarian and development projects in developing countries 
In Luxembourg, Caritas (Love of one's neighbour) is particularly active in raising resources to support vulnerable groups such as the homeless, street children, migrants and families in need. Caritas Luxembourg supports schools and pre-schools and community development programmes, and collects clothing for the poor and needy.
The International Cooperation department of Caritas Luxembourg (Caritas Coopération Internationale), acting on behalf of the Caritas Foundation Luxembourg, supports people in need worldwide. It is part of the international Caritas network, of the Luxembourg civil society and of the Catholic Church.

Involving emergency aid in cases of severe disasters, medium-term rehabilitation projects as well as long-term programmes to fight poverty and promote development perspectives, the working fields of Caritas Luxembourg form a whole and are closely interconnected. Caritas Luxembourg prepares people in situations of risk and danger in order to reduce the impact of possible disasters to the utmost. Locally developed projects contribute to overcome conflicts and promote peace. Caritas Luxembourg raises public awareness and motivates people to look at other people’s distress, to help them and to practice solidarity by changing their own behaviour. Caritas Luxembourg engages herself in conceptualising fundamental issues arising from our practical work on the field.
Thank you Merja for this FDC with the lovely stamps.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

1970 EUROPA CEPT - Germany

The 1970 theme for EUROPA CEPT stamps was the "Sun composed of 24 interwoven fibres. 1 for each 1970 CEPT member". Designed by Irish Artist Louis Le Brocquy.


Thank you Dear Maria for this FDC.

Saturday, July 20, 2013

First Belgian stamps with the value in Euros


These two stamps, one each on the two first day covers were the first set of Belgian stamps issued on 1-1-2002 with the value in Euros. I n this case the values are 0.42 and 0.52 Euros respectively. The show the portrait of the Belgian King Albert II.

King Albert II (born 6 June 1934) is the King of the Belgians, a constitutional monarch. He is a member of the royal house "of Belgium"; formerly this house was named Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. He is the uncle of the current reigning Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Henri.
On 3 July 2013, King Albert II attended a midday session of the Belgian cabinet. He then announced that on 21 July, he would abdicate the throne for health reasons. He will be succeeded by his son, Prince Philippe of Belgium. He will be the third European monarch to abdicate in 2013, following Pope Benedict XVI and Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. In doing so, he will also be the second Belgian king to abdicate following his father, King Leopold III, who abdicated in 1951, albeit under very different circumstances.

Thank you Maria for these interesting FDCs.

Friday, July 19, 2013

HAVIVAH REIK

HAVIVAH REIK (1914-1944) was one of the four members of the Hagana who were parachuted over Slovakia during World War II.
Havivah was born to working-class parents who lived in a small village near the town Banska Bystrica in Slovakia. She immigrated to Palestine in 1939 and joined the kibbutz Ma'anit of Ha-Shomer ha-Tza'ir. During the critical days of the war she volunteered to return to Slovakia. On September 15, 1944, parachutists from Eretz Israel were dropped over Slovakia into an area that was the scene of fighting between the Germans and the Slovakian anti-Nazi rebels. This was the start of "Operation Amsterdam" - which had been planned by the British army.
On September 20, Havivah Reik was parachuted from an American plane over the heart of the fighting area. She was fourth of the group of parachutists. The four saw as their main aim the organization into a Jewish fighting unit of the Jewish youth who were still in Slovakia; but they discovered that these were already fighting either with the Slovakian army or with the partisans. Havivah returned, therefore, to Banska Bystrica where she had been an active member of Ha-Shomer ha-Tza'ir and of the local branch of the Jewish National Fund before she left for Palestine. On her arrival there, she found very few Jews whom she knew. Most of the community, including her parents and members of her family, had been sent to the German concentration camps in Poland. She then set about helping those who remained.
The Germans amassed strong forces to put down insurgents and, after heavy fighting, conquered their centre on October 28, 1944. The parachutists, together with a group Jewish Youth movement members from the capital made their way into the hills and set up camp in the mountains.
This was attacked by the Germans and many of the group were killed. Three of the parachutists, Havivah Reik, Rafael Reis, and Zvi Ben-Yakov, were captured and put to death; the fourth, Chaim Hermesh, was the only one to escape and return to Palestine after the war had ended.
Havivah Reik was executed in the village of Kremenicka and buried, together with hundreds of Jews and partisans, in a communal grave. In 1952 her body was brought to Israel and re-interred on Mt. Herzl in the special plot for parachutists.
The memory of Havivah Reik - kibbutznik and Palmahnik - hjas been honoured by several organizations. This commemorative stamp bears her portrait, the tab recording the name of the village in which she was born and died.
After the war, on September 1945, Reik's and Reiss' bodies were exhumed and buried in the Military Cemetery in Prague. On 10 September 1952, Haviva Reik's remains were buried in Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem, along with those of Szenes and Reiss. Kibbutz Lahavot Haviva, the Givat Haviva institute, a small river, a gerbera flower, a big Water reservoir, an Aliyah Bet ship, and numerous streets in Israel are named after her.

Thank you very much Merja for this FDC.


Thursday, July 18, 2013

Kupat Holim - Israel's leading health service organization

Clalit, also Klalit ( General Health Services) is one of Israel's leading health service organizations. Widely known as Kupat Holim Clalit, it was established in 1911 as a mutual aid society. When the State of Israel was founded in 1948, Clalit was instrumental in providing medical care for the massive influx of new immigrants.
The Health Insurance Institution "Kupat Holim" came into being when, at a general workers' conference in 1912, it was decided to establish a sick fund for working class people. Later on, other separate sick funds were founded such as those for the workers of Galilee, Samaria and of the "Hashomer" Organisation. In 1920, during the founding conference of the Histadrut Trade Union, the unification of all sick funds was agreed upon. Since then, Kupat Holim has grown rapidly and, at the beginning of 1987 more than 3 million members 78% of the country's population, including Arab workers and new immigrants - were being served by it.
Kupat Holim operates throughout Israel; each district has its own administration, which consists of an administrative director, a medical director and a representative of the district controller. It encompasses all relevant matters, such as preventive medicine, general and specialised medicine, dentistry, hospital services, psychiatric medicine, geriatric medicine, rehabilitation, medical centres, research facilities, health care in schools, baby clinics, recreational centres, laboratories, publicity etc. Fourteen hospitals with more than 5000 beds belong to Kupat Holim; these also include nursing schools, two of them on an academic level. Training centres for a number of medical and paramedical occupations also come within the sphere of this large and vital organisation.
Thank you Dear Merja for this nice FDC.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

The Council of Europe 22.3.1969

The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation. It was founded in 1949, has 47 member states with some 800 million citizens, and is an entirely separate body from the European Union (EU),which has 28 member states. Unlike the EU, the Council of Europe cannot make binding laws. The two do however share certain symbols such as the flag and the anthem.
The best known bodies of the Council of Europe are the European Court of Human Rights, which enforces the European Convention on Human Rights, and the European Pharmacopoeia Commission, which sets the quality standards for pharmaceutical products in Europe. The Council of Europe's work has resulted in standards, charters and conventions to facilitate cooperation between European countries.
Its statutory institutions are the Committee of Ministers comprising the foreign ministers of each member state, the Parliamentary Assembly composed of MPs from the parliament of each member state, and the Secretary General heading the secretariat of the Council of Europe. The Commissioner for Human Rights is an independent institution within the Council of Europe, mandated to promote awareness of and respect for human rights in the member states.
The headquarters of the Council of Europe are in Strasbourg, France, with English and French as its two official languages. The Committee of Ministers, the Parliamentary Assembly and the Congress also use German, Italian, and Russian for some of their work.
Thank you Maria for this lovely FDC.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Edgar Rice Burroughs and Tarzan 12.8.2012

Who doesn't know Tarzan? I think everybody does. Tarzan has been and still is my favourite. He is so magnificent and he is so Real!!!
In 1912, Edgar Rice Burroughs published his first story, “Under the Moons of Mars,” and his first Tarzan story, “Tarzan of the Apes.” The U.S. Postal Service joins with fans around the world in celebrating the centennial of a cultural phenomenon.
This stamp shows Tarzan, Edgar Rice Burroughs’s most famous literary creation, clinging to a tree by a vine in his left hand and wielding a weapon in his right. Burroughs appears in profile in the background. Hulbert Burroughs, the author’s son, took the 1934 photograph that served as the basis for the stamp portrait of Burroughs. The depiction of Tarzan is an interpretation of the character by artist Sterling Hundley.
This stamp is Sterling Hundley’s second project for the U.S. Postal Service. Phil Jordan was the art director.
The Edgar Rice Burroughs stamp is being issued as a Forever® stamp. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce rate.
My Friend Hemant sent me these FDCs and the nice sheet of Tarzan stamps.

Monday, July 15, 2013

1986 EUROPA CEPT - Iceland - Preservation of Nature

In accordance with the Europa theme for 1986 "Preservation of Nature", Iceland issued these two lovely stamps shown on the FDC, very kindly given to me by my friend Merja.
Skaftafell is a preservation area in Öræfi, southeast Iceland. It used to be a manor farm and a national park, but has been a part of Vatnajökull National Park since its establishment in 2008. Skaftafell National Park was a national park, situated between Kirkjubæjarklaustur, typically referred to as Klaustur, and Höfn in the south of Iceland. On 7 June 2008, it became a part of the larger Vatnajökull National Park. It was founded on September 15, 1967, and enlarged twice afterwards. Today, the park measures about 4807 km2 (2884 mi²), making it Iceland's second largest national park. It is home to the valley Morsárdalur, the mountain Kristínartindar and the glacierSkaftafellsjökull (a spur of the Vatnajökull ice cap).
The landscape is very similar to some of the Alps, but it has been formed in thousands of years by different influences of fire (volcanic eruptions of Öræfajökull) and water (the glaciers Skeiðarájökull and Skaftafellsjökull), the rivers Skeiðará, Morsá und Skaftafellsá. Volcanic eruptions under the ice-cap can give rise to jökulhlaups (glacial floods) which swell the Skeiðará river massively. The sandy wasteland between the glacier and the sea caused by jökulhlaups is called the Sandur. The last jökulhlaup occurred in 1996. Svartifoss waterfall is one of Skaftafell's best known attractions, mainly for the basalt column walls that flank it.
Skaftafell is renowned in Iceland for its agreeable climate and the sunny days in summer, uncommon in the south of Iceland. There is a natural birch wood, Bæjarstaðarskógur, as well as many species of birds and arctic foxes.

 Jökulsárgljúfur National Park is a national park situated in the north of Iceland around the river Jökulsá á Fjöllum. It lies to the north of the Dettifoss waterfall. On 7 June 2008, it became a part of the larger Vatnajökull National Park. The area is of interest because of its chaotic canyon and volcanic mountains. Eight thousand years ago, a volcano erupted directly underneath the river and glacial ice. This caused explosions and chaotic flooding.

The center of the park was Hljóðaklettar (rock of echoes). Rauðhólar (red mountain) is of interest because of its special colouring. Another sight is the canyon of Ásbyrgi to the north of the park which is formed like a horseshoe.


Sunday, July 14, 2013

100 years of Dutch Criminal Code & Three Centuries of the Normal Amster­dam Level 21.1.1986


This First Day Cover commemorates two things on 21st January 1986. 100 years of Dutch Criminal Code & Three Centuries of the Normal Amster­dam Level 

The stamp on the left(50c) is regarding the 100 years of Dutch Criminal Code of Justice, namely from 1886 to 1986.

The stamp on the Right(60c) is about the three centuries of the Normal Amster­dam Level, or the Amster­dam Ordnance Datum (AOD). Three cen­tur­ies ago a stand­ard ord­nance datum was estab­lished in Ams­ter­dam, based on the aver­age high water mark of the Zuiderzee, which was Amsterdam’s con­nec­tion with the North Sea. This ord­nance datum was – and is – the refer­ral point for all con­struc­tions of any kind in the Neth­er­lands. It was also adop­ted as the stand­ard for the European Union.
The NAP was estab­lished in Ams­ter­dam in the 17th cen­tury. In that cen­tury floods and water­log­ging occurred fre­quently. In 1675 a flood dis­aster ini­ti­ated a huge effort to bet­ter pro­tect vul­ner­able low-lying areas and their inhab­it­ants against floods. The high tide water was hence­forth meas­ured sys­tem­at­ic­ally. Between 1683 and 1684 the high tide water mark was meas­ured daily. The aver­age was called the “Ams­ter­dam level” (acronym A.P.). This aver­age high tide sea level was adop­ted as the zero level (ref­er­ence plane). It was used to improve and where needed to heighten exist­ing dykes and water bar­ri­ers to a safe level. In 1684 the mayor of Ams­ter­dam, Johannes Hudde, had eight marble stones cemen­ted in the sluices around the IJ. Every stone had a hori­zontal groove in the middle with the inscription:
ZEEDIJKSHOOGHTE ZIJNDE  NEGEN VOET VYF DUYM BOVEN STADTSPEYL
(sea dyke height being nine foot five thumbs above town-level).

 Thank you Maria for this nice cover.

Saturday, July 13, 2013

1970 EUROPA CEPT - Yugoslavia

The 1970 theme for EUROPA CEPT stamps was the "Sun composed of 24 interwoven fibres. 1 for each 1970 CEPT member". Designed by Irish Artist Louis Le Brocquy.


Thank you Dear Maria for this FDC.

Friday, July 12, 2013

Florida - The 27th State of the United States 3.4.2013


The U.S. Postal Service commemorates the 500th anniversary of the naming of Florida with the release of the La Florida (Forever®) stamps that celebrate the state's floral abundance. During the Easter season of 1513, Spanish explorers first visited the state we now know as Florida. They named the land “La Florida” for Pascua Florida (“Feast of the Flowers”), Spain's Easter celebration, and for the verdant display of vegetation that they could see from their ship.


The four se tenant stamps contain a cascade of blossoms that evokes the feeling of a tropical garden. Each stamp shows a particular variety of flower: red and pink hibiscus; yellow cannas; morning glories in white, red, and shades of purple; and white and purple passion flowers. The stamp pane includes on the selvage an imagined scene of explorers traveling in a small boat along a river or channel surrounded by tropical foliage.

Flowers are a perennial favorite with collectors and the stamp-buying public, andLa Florida's exquisite blossoms will be an elegant addition to the U.S. Postal Service's tradition of producing appealing and beautiful floral stamp art. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp, with floral art by Steve Buchanan. La Florida stamps are being issued as Forever stamps. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce rate.

Thank you Hemant for this lovely contribution to my blog.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Ayalon94 Hot Air Ballooning Championship.

On October 15, 1793 the first pilot in the world, Pilatre De Rozier, took to the air in France in a hot-air balloon, built by the brothers Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier. A huge cloth sack in the form of a balloon, open at the bottom, was filled with warm air that rose from an open fire, The sack swelled out as the hot air filled the big balloon and the ancient dream of man to fly through the air was realized.

Hot-air balloons can float in the air because the volume of air displaced by the balloon is heavier than the balloon itself. As long as the weight of the hot-air balloon is less than the weight of the volume of air which it displaces, the balloon will rise.
Today balloons filled with helium permit longer and higher flights than is possible in balloons filled with hot air.

In the last 20 years, flying hot-air balloons has developed into a keen sport and the experience of flying in balloons has created many enthusiasts, so that there are now thousands of amateur hot-air balloonists, and annual international competitions. In Israel, two such international contests, have already taken place, and in 1994 a third international contest took place in the Ayalon Valley close to the Latrun Monastery. It came to be known as the Ayalon94 Ballooning Championship.

One hundred and thirty balloons from 20 countries filled the skies of the Valley between the 5th and 8th of July 1994. This series of stamps describes a hot-air balloon competition, starting with the filling of the balloon with hot air, through navigation to the target, and finishing with throwing the marker at its centre, from the balloon. The winning pilot is not the one who travels fastest but the one whose marker finishes closest to the center the target, and successfully executes a number of maneuvers. On the tabs of the stamps are depicted the burner, the basket, thermometer and altimeter. 

Thank you Dear Merja for this lovely FDC.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

PALMAH

This stamp and cover was issued on 18.2.1992 to commemorate the Israeli PALMAH movement. Now, what was the Palmah? A brief description of the Palmah is given below.
I n May 1941, the Palmah, striking units of the "Haganah", was mobilized as a national force under the high command of the "Haganah" and subject to decisions taken by the leaders of the Zionist movement. During the years 1941-1942 the force numbered 1,000 men and women who fought alongside the allied forces against the Axis powers. Palmah's first commander was General Yitzhak Sadeh, who was succeeded by General Yigal Allon.
The Palmah's members were highly motivated by the cultural and social values of the Kibbutz Movement in Eretz Israel.These values contributed to the high ethical standards of those units in battle.
In 1947, now numbering 2,100 fighters and recognized as the main underground force, the Palmah took upon itself a great part of the burden of fighting against the British. Illegal immigrants from Europe and North Africa were brought to shore by 65 "Haganah" ships which were often less than seaworthy. Syrian and Lebanese Jews were smuggled out and brought to Eretz Israel by hazardous land routes, Radar stations, railways and bridges were sabotaged in combat operations.
When the War of Independence broke out, the three Palmah brigades, the Negev, Iftach and Harel, numbered 6,000 men and women, of whom 1,000 fell in action, The contribution of the Palmah during the War of Independence, all across the country, was crucial and at times proved to be the decisive factor in the victory.
After the 1948 War, veterans of the Palmah established 40 new kibbutzim around the country and many others joined and reinforced existing communities.
Many of the Palmah commanders were appointed to key positions in the high command of the Israel Defense Forces, among themChiefs of Staff Moshe Dayan, Yitzhak Rabin, Chaim Bar-Lev, Dado Elazar, Motta Gur and Rafael Eitan. These commanders carried with them the tradition of Palmah and inspired all Zahal.
The emblem of the Palmah is depicted on the stamp and a verse from "The Palmah Song" on the tab.
Thank you Merja for this interesting stamp and cover.


Tuesday, July 9, 2013

THE 1982 MAP STAMP 1.4.1982

THE 1982 MAP STAMP: THE VALUE OF SEVEN DOTS
In April 1982 the cost of posting a standard letter within New Zealand rose from 20 to 24 cents. This necessitated the issuing of a new stamp, and so the 24 cent pale green and ultramarine map stamp was born. The stamp was designed by Allan Mitchell, and printed in Melbourne by Leigh-Mardon, in sheets of 100 stamps (10 stamps x 10).

The stamp was current for three years, from 1 April 1982 to 1 July 1985. During that time it went through seven printings and the printings are indicated in plate blocks by dots within a square outline. As Geoff Rickards has pointed out, "in some cases a printing involved more than one combination of colour plates ... thereby producing a total of 12 different plate blocks".

This stamp depicted a map of New Zealand with longitude and latitude marking the country's position in the South Pacific.

Thank you Maria for this FDC.

Monday, July 8, 2013

White And Yellow Water Lily 4.6.2013



Two artistically beautiful stamps appear in June. Photographer and florist Tiina Tahvanainen has featured a white and a yellow water lily. These two stamps and the cover were released with the pretty post mark on 4.6.2013. My friend Ella sent these to me.

Water lilies belong to the Nymphaeaceae family and grow in shallow water and wetlands, with its roots in the sediment and its leaves and flowers floating on the water surface. There are about 60 species of water lilies around the world. The white (Nymphaea) and yellow (Nuphar) water lilies are among the most primitive dicotyledons with features such as a large number of floral leaves arranged in concentric circles.

The white water lily thrives in about 20 to 30 lakes in Åland and can also be found in marshes on many archipelago islands. More common than the white water lily, the yellow water lily grows in about 50 lakes in Åland. Its floating leaves can cover large areas up to an acre in size. 

Sunday, July 7, 2013

ISRAEL - 40TH ANNIVERSARY STAMP EXHIBITION

Further to my post yesterday(6th July 2013), ie regarding the 40th Israeli Independence Day this FDC with the special Sovenir sheet on it is about the Memorial Day Stamp Exhibition and the Memorial Day itself. Every year the Israel Ministry of Defence sends messages to the families of soldiers who fell in Israel's wars. These letters go out on Memorial Day and carry a special Memorial Day stamp. The postmark on this cover is of the Opening Day of the Exhibition.
The Memorial Day and Independence Day in 1988 were both of particular significance because it was Israel's 40th year of Independence. The Hebrew letter "Mem" (M) which is one of the letters that form the Hebrew year (5748), which is what the stamp shows, means 40 in the group of Hebrew figures.
In addition to this stamp the Philatelic Service also issued a Souvenir Sheet which includes the stamp and the colorful regimental emblems of the Israel Defense Forces. Please see the previous post to see this souvenir sheet on the FDC.
The State of Israel, which longs for peace shows its appreciation in this way, on this Independence Day, to the Army and Security Forces who guard the State at all times. The tab inscription is: "Memorial Day for the Fallen in Israel's Battles - 1988".
The 40th Year Exhibition, which took place at the Tel Aviv Fairgrounds, was the central event of Israel's 40th anniversary celebrations. Its theme was the achievements, problems and future plans of the state.
The centrepiece was the scroll of the Declaration of Independence, and the exhibition reflected the vision of the Declaration and its influence on life in Israel. In the booth where the scroll was displayed, visitors saw a reconstruction of the special session of the Provisional State Council, and heard Ben-Gurion as he read the Declaration.
The exhibition included a faithful reconstruction of a transit camp to which immigrants were brought in the first years of Israel's statehood, as a contrast to the massive achievement in housing and development in the 40 years after 1948.
An authentic reproduction of a 1948 cafe served visitors the dishes and drinks of the period. The "Museum of voices", a unique presentation, allowed its visitors the chance to hear the original recordings of the historic events of four decades. A specially designed pavilion devoted to the Israel Defence Forces presented a Light and Sound Show on the IDF - past, present and future - by the latest technologies. The sports pavilion brought to life the great moments of national sports. Humor and Satire were represented, in their own pavilion, by an exhibition of the Cartoons, Skits and Satirical shows that escorted the nation through 40 years.
Light and Sound shows and other exhibits displayed the activities and future programs of Israel industry The 40th Anniversary Exhibition gave its many thousand visitors a rich and colourful picture of Israel in the year 1988.
The souvenir sheet on the cover depicts Israel Defense Forces insignias with the inscription: "Israel - 40 Years of Independence".
Thank you Dear Merja for this very interesting and rare philatelic item.