25th Anniversary of The Memorial to Polish Soldiers and German Anti-Fascists in Berlin 9.5.1972

The Memorial to Polish Soldiers and German Anti-Fascists is a war memorial in Berlin, dedicated in 1972. Built by the German Democratic Republic during the division of Germany, it is today the principal German monument to the Polish soldiers who died in World War II, as well as an important monument to the German resistance.

The monument is located in Volkspark Friedrichshain, in the borough of Friedrichshain in former East Berlin. It was conceived at a time of improving relations between East Germany and Poland as a monument to the cooperation between the communist Polish People's Army and German communists in the struggle against fascism. The monument of gray Silesian granite was designed by the Polish sculptors Zofia Wolska and Tadeusz Łodzian and the Germans Arnd Wittig and Günther Merkel. Its centerpiece is a pair of parallel 15-meter stone columns (which are actually a single structure) united by a bronze flag. The monument area is in the foot of a hill, and is set off with a wall bearing the motto of Tadeusz Kościuszko, "For your freedom and ours," in Polish (Za waszą i naszą wolność) and German (Für eure und unsere Freiheit), and a relief showing figures of a Polish and Red Army soldier together with a German resistance fighter. Below the columns is the dedicatory plaque, in Polish, German, and Russian, where wreath-laying ceremonies take place.

The monument was rededicated in 1995 following German reunification to include non-communist Polish soldiers and victims of the Nazis, as well as all German resistance movements, and plaques in Polish and German were added explaining this. The monument was left otherwise unchanged, and the columns still bear the communist-era coat of arms of the People's Republic of Poland and the coat of arms of East Germany.

In recent years, concern mounted as to the amount of vandalism and graffiti inflicted on the monument. In 2004, a German company agreed to sponsor the maintenance of the monument. In 2005, the memorial was defaced with neo-Nazi slogans.

Fairy Tales

The two stamps featured on the FDC are part of a eight stamp set on Fairy Tales issued by Poland in 1968.

These two stamps depict "Snowwhite"and "Puss in Boots".

Thank you Merja.

500th Birth Anniversary of Nicholas Copernicus 18.11.1973

Poland celebrated the 500th anniversary of the birth of Nicholas Copernicus, the astronomer, with this painting.

Copernicus (1473-1543) was a born in the Kingdom of Poland. His theory that the sun - not the Earth - was the central position in the solar system replaced a theory that had been accepted for several hundred years.

Exotic Flowers 16.1.1968

Exotic Flowers.

Spacecraft 20.10.1966

The three stamps on this FDC are part of a 7 stamp set issued by Poland on 20.12.1966 on Cosmos Research. The stamps shown here depict French, Canadian and a Soviet satellite.

Orchids

The three stamps on thos FDC are part of a set of nine stamps issued by Poland in 1965 to highlight Orchids in Poland.

Thank you Merja.

15th congress for astronauts in Warsaw 2.9.1964

The stamp on this FDC depicts the famous statue of The Mermaid of Warsaw and a star. Enchanting, wicked and often very funny, Poland's folk tales are one of the great treasures of Central Europe. Crowned by the story of The Mermaid of Warsaw. A beautiful statue located in the center of the main square in warsaw. A symbol of this great city.

Twenty-five astronauts and cosmonauts from eleven countries gathered in Bucharest, Romania, October 4-9 for the 15th Annual Planetary Congress of the Association of Space Explorers. Hosted by Romanian cosmonaut Dumitru Prunariu, the theme of the 15th Congress was “Space and Astronomy–Toward the New Millennium”.

20th Anniversary of the Peoples Republic of Poland 15.4.1964

The Polish People's Republic (Polish: Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa, PRL) was the official name of Poland between 1952 and 1989. The name was given by the Constitution of 1952 which was based on the 1936 Soviet Constitution. Between 1947 and 1952, the name of the Polish state had been simply Rzeczpospolita Polska (the Republic of Poland) in accordance with the temporary Constitution of 1947. At the time of its founding during final stages of World War II, the new Soviet-controlled Poland was regarded as a puppet entity set up from outside the State concerned, and over time, it developed into a satellite state of the Soviet Union.

The Soviet Union had much influence over both internal and external affairs, and Red Army forces were stationed in Poland (1945: 500,000; until 1955: 120,000 to 150,000; until 1989: 40,000). In 1945, Soviet generals and advisors formed 80% of the officer cadre of the Polish Armed Forces. The Polish United Workers' Party became the dominant political party, officially making the country a Communist state.

At the Yalta Conference in February 1945, Stalin was able to present his western allies, Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, with a fait accompli in Poland. His armed forces were in occupation of the country, and his agents, the communists, were in control of its administration. The USSR was in the process of incorporating the lands in eastern Poland which it had occupied between 1939 and 1941.

In compensation, the USSR awarded Poland German territories in Pomerania, Silesia and Brandenburg east of the Oder–Neisse line, plus the southern half of East Prussia. These awards were confirmed at the Tripartite Conference of Berlin, otherwise known as the Potsdam Conference in August 1945 after the end of the war in Europe. Stalin was determined that Poland's new government would become his tool towards making Poland a Soviet puppet state controlled by the communists. He had severed relations with the Polish government-in-exile in London in 1943, but to appease Roosevelt and Churchill he agreed at Yalta that a coalition government would be formed. The communists held a majority of key posts in this new government, and with Soviet support they soon gained almost total control of the country, rigging all elections.

General Zygmunt Henryk Berling 12.10.1983

Zygmunt Henryk Berling (27 April 1896 – 11 July 1980) was a Polish general and politician. He fought for the independence of Poland in the early 20th century. During the Second World War he was sentenced to death in absentia for desertion from the Polish Army of General Władysław Anders. The verdict was overruled by the Polish government-in-exile. Later he became the commander of the 1st Polish Army, part of the Polish Army in the USSR, and played an important role in the post-war Polish government.Border control at night
(painting by Stanisław Poznański)

20th Anniversary of the Armed Forces of the People's Republic of Poland 11.10.1963

Ludowe Wojsko Polskie People's Troops of Poland, LWP, was the second formation of the Polish Armed Forces in the East (1943–1945) and later the armed force (1945–1989) of the Polish communist government of Poland (from 1952, the People's Republic of Poland). The official name of those formations were: Armia Polska w ZSRR (Polish Army in the USSR) from 1943–1944, Wojsko Polskie (Polish Troops) and Siły Zbrojne Rzeczpospolitej Polskiej (Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland) from 1944–1952 and from 1952 Siły Zbrojne Polskiej Rzeczypospolitej Ludowej (Armed Forces of the People's Republic of Poland). The stamps depict:

Eagle and tank

Eagle and jet fighter plane

Eagle and selfpropelled rocket launcher

Thank you Merja.

Aleksander Gierymski painting "Trumpet Festivity" 20.6.1984

Postage stamp from Poland depicting the Aleksander Gierymski painting "Trumpet Festivity", with a view of the the Vistula River. Painting is of Hasidic Jews performing tashlikh (ritual washing away of sins) on Rosh Hashanah, on the banks of the Vistula River in Warsaw.

Ignacy Aleksander Gierymski (30 January 1850, Warsaw – d. 6–8 March 1901, Rome) was a Polish painter of the late 19th century. He was the younger brother of Maksymilian Gierymski.

Endangered Plants and Flowers 8.8.1962

The three stamps on this Polish FDC are part of a set of 12 stamps issued in 1962 to highlight protected plants and flowers.

(90) Gentiana clusii (sometimes called "Clusius' gentian") is a large-flowered, short-stemmed gentian, native to Europe. Gentiana clusii is named after Charles de l'Écluse (Carolus Clusius), one of the earliest botanists to study the alpine flora.

(90) Dictamnus is a genus of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae, with a single species, Dictamnus albus, which has several geographical variants. It is also known as burning bush, dittany, gas plant, and fraxinella. It is an herbaceous perennial, native to warm, open woodland habitats in southern Europe, north Africa and much of Asia.

(90) Nymphaea alba, also known as the European white water-lily, white water rose or white nenuphar, is an aquatic flowering plant of the family Nymphaeaceae. It grows in water and likes large ponds and lakes. The leaves can be up to 30 cm (12 in) in diameter and they take up a spread of 150 cm (59 in) per plant. The flowers are white and they have many small stamens inside. It is found all over Europe and in parts of North Africa and the Middle East in freshwater.

Thank you Merja.

Army Of King John III Sobieski of Poland 5.7.1983

The two stamps on this Polish FDC are part of a 5 stamp set of stamps each of which depicts various arms of the Army Of King John III Sobieski of Poland. These to stamps depict infantry non-commissioned officers.

John III Sobieski  (17 August 1629 – 17 June 1696), from 1674 until his death King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, was one of the most notable monarchs of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Sobieski's military skill, demonstrated in wars against the Ottoman Empire, contributed to his prowess as King of Poland. Sobieski's 22-year reign marked a period of the Commonwealth's stabilization, much needed after the turmoil of the Deluge and the Khmelnytsky Uprising. Popular among his subjects, he was an able military commander, most famous for his victory over the Turks at the 1683 Battle of Vienna. After his victories over them, the Ottomans called him the "Lion of Lechistan"; and the Pope called him the savior of Christendom.

Victory in Challenge Flights 5.5.1982

(27Zt) The RWD 6 was a Polish sports plane of 1932, constructed by the RWD team. It was a winner of the Challenge 1932 international tourist aircraft contest.Challenge 1932, held between August 11-August 28, 1932, was eventually won by Franciszek Żwirko (pilot) and Stanisław Wigura (mechanic) in their RWD 6 SP-AHN, with a start number O6. The other RWD 6, flown by Tadeusz Karpiński, took ninth place out of 43 competitors (SP-AHL, nr. O4). During contest, the RWD 6 was given the highest scores for technical evaluation of all participating aircraft. On September 11, 1932, the RWD 6 SP-AHN with Franciszek Żwirko and Stanisław Wigura aboard, crashed during a storm while flying to an air meeting in Czechoslovakia. Both died. The cause was found to be weak wing mountings, that caused wing warping at higher speeds. The last remaining RWD 6 (SP-AHL) was modified after this accident, receiving a strengthened wing with V-shaped struts and the new designation RWD 6bis.

(31Zt) The RWD 9 was a Polish sports plane of 1934, also constructed by the RWD team. In the Challenge 1934, held between August 28-September 16, 1934, Polish RWD 9S took the first (pilot Jerzy Bajan, SP-DRD) and second places (pilot Stanisław Płonczyński, SP-DRC). They won among others against German low-wing monoplanes Messerschmitt Bf 108 and Fieseler Fi 97. Polish RWD 9 took also the 7th and 15th places, and the Czechoslovak OK-AMD took the 8th place (pilot Jan Anderle).

The National Fund for Health Protection 12.7.1975

This Polish stamp on the FDC was issued to commemorate The National Fund for Health Protection.

Pope John Paul’s Second Visit to Poland 21.4.1983

This was Pope John Paul’s second visit to his native Poland after becoming the Pope. Besides addressing various religious gatherings Pope John Paul II also held a private meeting with Lech Walesa, the founder and leader of Solidarity, Poland's independent trade union movement. Solidarity was been banned since December 1981 when martial law was declared following social tensions in Poland.

It is the second time Pope John Paul II - who was formerly Archbishop of Krakow - returned to his native Poland since he became head of the Roman Catholic Church in 1978.

Pope John Paul II born Karol Józef Wojtyła (18 May 1920 – 2 April 2005), served as Pope from 1978 to 2005. He was elected by the second Papal conclave of 1978, which was called after Pope John Paul I, who was elected in August after the death of Pope Paul VI, died after thirty-three days. Then-Cardinal Wojtyła was elected on the third day of the conclave and adopted his predecessor's name in tribute to him. In the years since his death, John Paul II has been declared a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. He is referred to by Roman Catholics as Pope Saint John Paul II or Saint John Paul the Great, for example as a name for institutions.

John Paul II is recognised as helping to end Communist rule in his native Poland and eventually all of Europe. John Paul II significantly improved the Catholic Church's relations with Judaism, Islam, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Anglican Communion. He upheld the Church's teachings on such matters as artificial contraception and the ordination of women, but also supported the Church's Second Vatican Council and its reforms.

He was one of the most travelled world leaders in history, visiting 129 countries during his pontificate. As part of his special emphasis on the universal call to holiness, he beatified 1,340 people and canonised 483 saints, more than the combined tally of his predecessors during the preceding five centuries. By the time of his death, he had named most of the College of Cardinals, consecrated or co-consecrated a large number of the world's bishops, and ordained many priests. A key goal of his papacy was to transform and reposition the Catholic Church. His wish was "to place his Church at the heart of a new religious alliance that would bring together Jews, Muslims and Christians in a great religious armada".

He was the second longest-serving pope in modern history after Pope Pius IX, who served for nearly 32 years from 1846 to 1878. Born in Poland, John Paul II was the first non-Italian pope since the Dutch Pope Adrian VI, who served from 1522 to 1523. John Paul II's cause for canonisation commenced in 2005 one month after his death with the traditional five-year waiting period waived. On 19 December 2009, John Paul II was proclaimed Venerable by his successor Pope Benedict XVI and was beatified on 1 May 2011 (Divine Mercy Sunday) after the Congregation for the Causes of Saints attributed one miracle to his intercession, the healing of a French nun from Parkinson's disease. A second miracle attributed to John Paul II's intercession was approved on 2 July 2013, and confirmed by Pope Francis two days later (two miracles must be attributed to a person's intercession to be declared a saint). John Paul II was canonised on 27 April 2014 (again Divine Mercy Sunday), together with Pope John XXIII. On 11 September 2014, Pope Francis added John Paul II's optional memorial feast day to the worldwide General Roman Calendar of saints, in response to worldwide requests. It is traditional to celebrate saints' feast days on the anniversary of their deaths, but that of John Paul II (22 October) is celebrated on the anniversary of his papal inauguration.

This was Pope John Paul’s second visit to his native Poland after becoming the Pope. Besides addressing various religious gatherings Pope John Paul II also held a private meeting with Lech Walesa, the founder and leader of Solidarity, Poland's independent trade union movement. Solidarity was been banned since December 1981 when martial law was declared following social tensions in Poland.

It is the second time Pope John Paul II - who was formerly Archbishop of Krakow - returned to his native Poland since he became head of the Roman Catholic Church in 1978.

Thank you Merja.

Polish Millennium 30.7.1966

The 5¢ Polish Millennium stamp on the cover Honours the Millennium (1000) anniversary of the adoption of Christianity by the Polish nation in 966 A.D. The stamp was released at Washington, DC on July 30, 1966.

The Christianization of Poland refers to the introduction and subsequent spread of Christianity in Poland. The impetus to the process was the Baptism of Poland, the personal baptism of Mieszko I, the first ruler of the Polish state, and much of his court. The ceremony took place on the Holy Saturday of 14 April 966, although the exact location is still disputed by historians, with the cities of Poznań and Gniezno being the most likely sites. Mieszko's wife, Dobrawa of Bohemia is often credited as a major influence on Mieszko's decision to accept Christianity.

While the spread of Christianity in Poland took centuries to finish, the process was ultimately successful, as within several decades Poland joined the rank of established European states recognized by the papacy and the Holy Roman Empire. According to some historians the baptism of Poland marks the beginning of Polish statehood.

Thank you Merja.

Quo vadis

Quo vadis? is a Latin phrase meaning "Where are you going?" or "Whither goest thou?"

 The modern usage of the phrase refers to a Christian tradition regarding Saint Peter. According to the apocryphal Acts of Peter (Vercelli Acts XXXV), Peter is fleeing from likely crucifixion in Rome at the hands of the government, and along the road outside the city he meets a risen Jesus. Peter asks Jesus "Quo vadis?", to which He replies, "Romam vado iterum crucifigi." ("I am going to Rome to be crucified again"). Peter thereby gains the courage to continue his ministry and returns to the city, to eventually be martyred by being crucified upside-down.

The phrase also occurs a few times in the Vulgate translation of the Bible, notably in John 13:36 when Peter asks Jesus the same question, to which he responds, "Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me."

The history of the extraordinary love of a young Roman patrician and the beautiful Christian girl has been affecting and fascinating subsequent generations of readers for over one hundred years. The tense plot and an excellent, clear, and colourful picture of Rome during Nero's reign, ensured a huge popularity of the novel and a world-wide fame forSienkiewicz, leading to the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1905. The novel was translated into films several times. We will soon be able to admire its Polish version directed by Jerzy Kawalerowicz.

In 2001 the Polish Post introduced six postal stamps, each one of the face value of PLN 1.00. The whole series was published in the form of an ornamental publishing sheet, containing various sets of photographs from the film set (just like those represented in the stamps). Individual stamps  on these three lovely covers depict the following persons and events:

- Ligia, Vinicius, Petrinius against the Roman architecture at the background,

- singing Nero in one of the scenes of a feast,

- Peter the Apostle in the Roman catacombs during secret prayers of the Christians and a scene of the baptism of Chilon Chilonides,

- Chilon Chilonides against the great fire of Rome,

- Ligia tied to the back of the aurochs and Ursus, after a victorious fight with the auroch, holding Ligia in his arms, with Christians in the amphitheatre in the background,

- Peter the Apostle, Vinicius and Ligia blessed by Peter.

On the day the stamps were issued, 3 types of first day envelopes (FDCs) with a special cancellation of the Post Office Warsaw 1 were also released. These three FDCs are now on view here, kind courtesy of my friend Krystyna from Poland.

Poland assumes Presidency of the EU

Poland assumed the Presidency of the Council of the European Union on July 1. And this FDC so thoughtfully sent to me by Ada from Warsaw with the impressive stamp on it was issued a day prior to that, namely on 30.6.2011, to commemorate this momentous occasion in the History of Poland.
The Council of the European Union is the EU's major decision-making body. The Council's main task is the adoption of European legislation – it does this with the European Parliament. The Council represents the countries of the EU. The Council is not composed of permanent members, but one minister from each EU country always participates in Council meetings. Decisions made by the Council are thus usually reached following negotiations between all EU members. A General Secretariat of the Council of the EU is based in Brussels; its responsibility is ensuring the Council's effective functioning.
The Presidency of the Council of the EU: What Does It Mean? A different EU country presides over the Council of the European Union's work every six months. Poland would take the presidency on July 1, 2011, and would be the host to a majority of the EU's events during that time. Poland will also play a key role in EU activities: It will organize EU meetings; set the EU's political agenda; and ensure the EU's development, integration and security. 

UEFA Euro 2012

The 2012 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to, as Euro 2012, will be the 14th European Championship for national football teams sanctioned by UEFA. The final tournament will be hosted by Poland and Ukraine between 8 June and 1 July 2012. It is the first time that either nation has hosted the tournament. This bid was chosen by UEFA's Executive Committee in 2007.

The final tournament features sixteen nations, the last European Championship to do so (from Euro 2016 onward, there will be 24 finalists). Qualification was contested by 51 nations between August 2010 and November 2011 to join the two host nations in the tournament. The winner of the tournament gains automatic entry to the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup hosted by Brazil.

This First Day Cover was issued on 21.3.2012. Some philatelists have criticized the shape of the circular stamp, the colour combination on the mini sheet. I personally think it is quite satisfactory.