A church from the middle ages does not engender controversy. Even from governments as far apart as Norway’s two governments of 1940. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
Germany invaded Norway in 1940. Norway resisted and the Prime Minister and King fled Oslo to avoid falling into German hands. They escaped to Britain and continued to issue stamps, now mainly to raise revenue. The Quisling government than canceled all earlier stamps except this issue and began issuing their own. In 1945, after the war the old government came back and in turn declared the Quisling stamp issues invalid. In 1981, the postal service revisited the issue and declared all the issues of whatever government to be official Norway stamps. This church stamp and the others of the issue retained their legitimacy, but by avoiding politics they were perhaps all the stamps Norway needed during that troubled period.
Todays stamp is issue A26, a 20 Ore stamp issued by Norway on January 16th, 1939. It displayed ancient Borgund Stave Church, and was part of a three stamp issue in various denominations. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents used.
The time between the wars saw many coalition governments with no single party achieving a majority. Eventually in 1935, the less radical offshoot of the Socialists was able to form a coalition government with the Center Agrarian party that allowed the Socialists to get their agenda moving. In the late thirties the country was able to enact unemployment insurance and old age pensions. What it left undone was to prepare the country’s military forces for the coming World War. After all, Norway intended neutrality in any war.
Opposing the Socialist among others was former military man and diplomat Vidkun Quisling. He had gained some fame working with famous Norwegian Artic explorer Nansen exposing 1920s calamities such as the plight of the Armenians in Turkey and famines in the Soviet Union. Quisling had not however been able to attract many votes to his far right political party. He had come to the attention of Hitler however and Hitler had hoped to force King Haakon to appoint Quisling Prime Minister after Norway was occupied peacefully. Instead Norway resisted, the King fled and Quisling was left to announce his coup over the radio. He was ignored by the Norway Army and even the Germans at first but ended up forming a German puppet government. Resistance soon collapsed and the government was in London. Norway was fairly peaceful during the war with the Allies never seriously undermining German rule and Quisling never able to form the Norwegian Legion he hoped could fight beside Germany and make Norway more an ally and less a puppet. After the wars end, the King returned and appointed a new coalition government that included all parties except Quisling. Quisling understood he was going to be shot by the old government but thought over time he would be seen as a patriot and another Saint Olav. He was right about being shot after a trial in 1945, but instead his name has become synonymous all over the world with scheming and traitorous collaboration.
The Borgund stave church was built around 1200AD. It had a stone foundation that helped it last and tall staves(wooden posts) that allowed for it’s unique appearance. The appearance was copied much later by other churches in Norway, Germany, and two replicas in the USA. At first the church was Catholic but with the rest of Norway became Lutheran. In 1868, Borgund built a larger church next door and the old church was preserved as a museum. It no longer hosts services. The church was honored with another stamp in 1978.
Well my drink is nearly empty and I will use the last sip to toast the long history of Borgund stave Church. Norwegians must love it, whatever their politics. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.