Categories
Uncategorized

Dutchy of Brunswick 1865, getting the right Duke to allow coming together

A while back we did a very similar Prussian stamp. See https://the-philatelist.com/2019/02/18/prussia-1861-the-great-questions-will-not-be-resolved-by-speeches-and-majorities-but-by-iron-and-blood/ . There is a reason the two stamps are so close. The area was about to join Prussia in the new German Empire. If they can just figure out how to bypass all the uncooperative Dukes. 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.

I don’t quite get the design of this stamp. The simple style of printing is called roulette and it is on very cheap paper. That would imply  that it’s purpose was bulk postage. Yet the stamp value goes up 20 times is it has been postally canceled. That implies not many were used. I wonder if a large number were ordered from out of state printers and they barely arrived in time to be used before the post office of Brunswick merged. It was the last stamp issue of the Dutchy of Brunswick.

Todays stamp is issue A4, a 3 Groshen stamp issued by the Dutchy of Brunswick in 1865. It was a four stamp issue in various denominations. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth $8 unused.

The Dutchy of Brunswick came into being in an area called Wolffenbuttell that had been part of the Kingdom of Westphalia until the Congress of Vienna in 1815, The Duke who received the area died in battle leading a volunteer unit called the Black Brunswickers alongside Austria against Napolean. His young son Charles II was Duke but the area was ruled by a regency dominated by the state of Hanover. Charles II was anxious for the right to rule and claimed majority upon hiting age 18. The Regency felt he should wait till he was 21 but they compromised on age 19. During that year Hannover drafted a new constitution that limited the Duke’s powers and the moneys and tributes that were due him. On taking power, Charles tried to have the new constitution annulled but none of the other German states agreed. His rule was considered corrupt and wasteful and during the troubles of 1830 his castle was attacked and burned to the ground, Charles escaped to Paris but did not abdicate. His younger brother William arrived in Brunswick a few days later and was welcomed by the people. At first he claimed to be acting as Regent for absent Charles but a year later declared himself Duke. Charles was outraged and tried to put together an armed mercenary force to march on Brunswick, but other German and French leader would not cooperate. He ended up settling in Britain and later Switzerland. He became a fairly notorious figure for although he was married to a lesser noble whose issue could not serve. Charles was constantly sueing gossip magazines for claiming he was often observed soliciting for homosexual sex. He died in Geneva and his fortune went to build a monument to Brunswick there.

Charles II, deposed and exiled Duke of Brunswick

Meanwhile his brother William actually was ruling in Brunswick. He never married and he fathered multiple children out of wedlock. They could not succeed him. William retained his title but allowed the Dutchy to pass into the North German confederation dominated by Prussia. His closest male relative was the recently deposed King of Hannover. Hannover had sided with Austria in the 1866 war with Prussia and was conquered. If William died the Dukedom would pass to the former King. This was not acceptable to Prussia unless he renounced his claim on Hannover which he never did. When William died a new Regency was arrainged under a Prince of Prussia. The former King of Hannover finally figured out how regain his families place at least partially. He renounced his claim in favor of his youngest son  Ernst August who had married the daughter Kaiser Wilhelm II, the grandson of the Prussian King that took his Kingdom. In the good graces of Prussia again, the Regency ended and Ernst became the last Duke of Brunswick. The Weimar republic ended the position in 1919.

William, Duke of Brunswick

Well my drink is empty and one wonders what the regular person in Brunswick thought. From exile, Charles wrote that without him, Brunswick would inevitably fall to the socialists. It did that in 1919 but perhaps the people shouldn’t have been so quick to give up the ruined palace in 1830, could the socialists have been any worse? Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.

Categories
Uncategorized

Tanganyika 1961, turning an Arabic trading post into a traditionally African city

Tanganyika got its independence from Britain in 1961. The British tended to be good stewards of trading posts on the India trade routes. That was ending though with African leadership and unimagined population growth. 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.

This stamp shows the harbor of Dar es Salaam as seen from the then European neighborhood of Oyster Bay. At the time, newly independent Tanganyika was in a postal union with Uganda and Kenya. For independence, they could not resist having an issue to celebrate. I am glad they did as it showed the assets of the place making the case that things could work out. I recently did a South African stamp that tried to do the same thing, except in their case with non colonial white rule. Seehttps://the-philatelist.com/2018/12/21/south-africa-1966-a-tiny-minority-can-go-it-alone-because-they-have-diamonds-but-do-they/  . It will offend both nations to say so, but the stamp issues are remarkably similar, right down to the diamond issue. It was also similar in that both sets of early hope did not quite pan out.

Todays stamp is issue A7, a 2 British East African Shilling stamp issued by newly independent Tanganyika on December 9th, 1961. It was a 12 stamp issue in various denominations that celebrated the achievement of independence. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 30 cents used.

Dar es Salaam was a coastal city founded by the Sultan of Zanzibar in 1866. It means in Arabic, Home of Peace. It was set up as a trading post. When the Germans conquered the area they also based their activities out of Dar es Salaam. They also built a railroad that eased trade with the interior of the country. The area passed to Britain after World War I but continued as a multiethnic trading post. British rule saw a flood of Indians brought in as contract laborers but then often staying on as merchants.

Julius Nyerere was the local African independence leader that became the first Prime Minister, then with a new not British constitution one party President. The multi ethnic nature of Dar es Salaam was not what he had in mind. He proposed moving to a new capital that was not tainted by colonialism and therefore all black. However he was never able to string together enough foreign aid or local productivity to get a proper capital built. The colonial whites were quick to depart Dar es Salaam but Arabs and Indians were also hounded to leave, without their wealth of course. He also supported Africans in Zanzibar to overthrow their Arab sultan and join Tanganyika now renamed Tanzania, the z referring to Zanzibar. See https://the-philatelist.com/2018/01/29/zanzibar-when-the-arabs-needed-the-british/  Many not African traders were forced into exile but this time whites were left alone so not to attract British intervention.

Nyerere tried to encourage Africans not to move to Dar es Salaam with its colonial taint but rather stay in their villages. He was not successful in this. In 1960, Dar es Salaam had fewer than 200,000 thousand people less than half were ethnically African. Today the city is near 5 million and over 99 percent African. I will leave it to you to compare the economic status of the old trading posts that retained their multi ethnic status after colonial times like Hong Kong, Singapore, and Dubai to those that did not like Dar es Salaam, Aden, Tangier, and Mombasa.

The current Tanzanian President still from Nyerere’s old party still believes Tanzania needs to grow it’s population. He has closed down family planning western aid as racist and encouraged Tanzanian fathers to have larger families and not be too lazy to support them.

Well my drink is empty and I will pour another to toast those that had to uproot themselves suddenly when they were no longer welcome. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.

Categories
Uncategorized

Slovenia 1919, a hint of Slovene freedom between Carniola and Yugoslavia

This stamp does not show Millenia’s grandmother. Rather it shows a 19th century style allegory of freedom. For a brief period after World War I, the peoples of Austria-Hungary had a choice, or so it seemed. 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.

The end of a long devastating war can bring hope. Especially with the knowledge that the Hapsburg dynasty is over and with it any allegiance to Vienna. So we have a stamp long on hope and promise. Also though the seeds of a harsher reality. The area breaking away was a amalgamation of Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs. One of the stamps of this issue featured elderly Serbian King Peter I, who had avoided the disasters of WWI with a self imposed exile in the spas of Corfu. Were the Slovenes trading one aloof foreign King for another?

Todays stamp is issue A3, a 50 Filler issued by Slovenia in 1919. If was part of a 15 stamp issue in various denominations. The stamp issues remained regional for the first few issues of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. It was a time of lots of stamp variations with some of this issue printed in Vienna and others in Ljubljana. According to the Scott catalog, this stamp is worth $1.10.

Slovenia had long been part of the Hapsburg Empire both in it’s Holy Roman and it’s Austria-Hungary periods. During this period it was known as the Duchy of Carniola. The people were about 95 percent Slovenes and 5 percent German, mostly nobles and professionals. Slovenes are Slavic. It was the most economically advanced part of what became Yugoslavia. The native peoples were not completely without a voice in Austria-Hungary as they sent representatives to the Reichsrat, the Parliament. To maximize their voting block, the representatives of Yugoslav areas voted together. This voting bloc stayed together long enough to break away as one from the now former empire.

The original idea was that the various peoples would have a fair amount of autonomy with Serbian King Peter a ceremonial head of state. Peter was quite old and not likely to interfere. Slovene political leader and Catholic Priest Anton Korosec, a former Reichsrat deputy could see the mistake early on. When Peter’s son Alexander succeeded him in 1921, he determined to give himself and his fellow Serbs more power at the expense of areas like Slovenia. Korosec lobbied for more power for Slovenes and for a short while was sent into exile. King Alexander himself was assassinated by a Bulgarian working for also feeling dominated Montenegrins. See this stamp about that, https://the-philatelist.com/2018/02/08/it-is-dangerous-to-rule-the-kingdom-of-serbs-croats-and-slovenes/

Father Anton Korosec

Upon Korosec’s return, he sought closer ties with Germany for Slovenia as a hedge against the Serbs. He died in 1940 before the German invasion of Yugoslavia in 1941. After the war, many Slovene politicians went into exile as Tito’s Yugoslavia banned other parties, either regional or non communist.

Well my drink is empty and I am left wondering what would have happened in the area if the Reichsrat deputies had not made a decision amongst themselves to act as a block. Would Yugoslavia not have happened and the Serb King stayed in Serbia. Then German friendly Slovenia and Croatia would not have been invaded in 1941 and the Serbs kept their King and avoided invasion and Tito. A lot of ifs there, but it may be an excuse to have another round while we contemplate. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.

 

Categories
Uncategorized

Libya 1977, Can Jamahiriyah be a direct enough party to avoid an Arab Spring hangover

Few people and lots of money. Does it lead to great achievement of just a big party and a big hangover. In Libya’s case the party was soon over and the hangover goes on and on. 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.

This stamp is from the party phase in Libya. A horse race in front of an ancient fort. Yet now the fort isn’t owned by a Ottoman Pasha or a colonial Italian outpost. The place was in local hands and it was time to party. Oil had been discovered in 1959 and average income went from 50 dollars a year in 1950 to over $10,000 in 1980, This was richer than former colonial power Italy. A reason to party sure, but with it comes over confidence and acting on stupid dangerous whims.

Todays stamp is issue A224, a 115 Dirhams issued on December 11th, 1978 by the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriyah. It was part of a three stamp issue that celebrated the Libyan study Center, a government office that promoted their version of local history. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth $1.50.

Libya was an Italian colony through World War II. There were Italian colonists that were the center of economic activity and the vast bulk of the country was desert. After the war, an Ottoman era Emir was made King Idris. He was a figurehead who was elderly and spent about half the year abroad. In 1959 oil was discovered in great quantity but few royalties from it stayed in Libya and fewer still got to the average Libyan.

In 1969, a pan Arabist, Berber, Army lieutenant Muammar Gaddaffi lead a bloodless coup declaring an Arab Republic and himself Coronel. King Idris was sentenced to death in absentia and Italians and western military bases kicked out. This was all popular as was the partial nationalization of the oil fields. Partial being key, because the simple country had no way to operate the fields themselves. Food prices were cut, rent was cut, and educational opportunities were expanded. Money was also squandered on more arms than the country had soldiers to operate and failed attempts at unions with other Arab and African countries. This generally involved the signing of a deal, and a large wealth transfer from Libya followed by nothing. As late as 2010, the newly reorganized and recapitalized by Libya African Union declared white man Gaddaffi, King of Kings. Not their finest hour.

Gaddaffi in 1973

With plenty of money, grudges and not much education, things got a little weird. Deciding in the mid 70s for his revolution to take on more of a third way politically. the Arab Republic became a Jamahiriyah, which was alleged to be direct democracy without elections but closely following Gaddaffi’s teaching as put forth in his Green Book, red book was already done by Mao remember. There were purges and a reduction in oil revenue and increasing sanctions as countries got revenge for Libyan support for violent radicals worldwide. American bombing in 1986 mostly ended that and by the 2000s Libya was trying to keep the party going by selling foreign concessions and that old standby of demanding reparations from old colonial power Italy. Italy paid in hopes of Libyan help in curbing sub Saharan migration into Italy.

One interesting Libyan project was man made rivers leading from the desert to the main cities of Tripoli and Bengazi. The water was coming from deep aquifers left over from the last ice age that Libya believed contained enough water to let the desert turn green for 2000 years. Gaddaffi called it the ninth wonder of the world. I can find no mention of it  post revolution so I assume it stopped working. Otherwise the nineth wonder of the world would rate some mention in the last 6 years.

In 2011, Arab Spring came big time to Libya. At first, Libya was able to use it’s large air force to keep at least Tripoli under control, but the Arab League and Nato who were both long tired of Gaddaffi. Nato  initiated a no fly zone and bombing on behalf of the rebels. Gaddaffi’s Bosnian Croat wife and blond daughter were able to escape to Algeria by armored Mercedes, but Gaddaffi, one of his sons and one of his fellow officers from 1969 fought on in Sirte near his childhood home. The pro Gaddaffi force was immobilized by a Nato airstrike on the convoy. Gaddaffi was killed slowly while he pleaded for his life and before and after death was repeatedly sodomized. The naked body was then put in a meat locker to allow for goulish tourism. What a shithole, and shame on Nato for flying over it as if their new favorites had any moral superiority. Some of the rebels took to using the old Royal Libyan flag but the horrors that have come since have somewhat turned the tide. In 2016 Gaddaffi’s Bosnian Croat widow was allowed to move back to Libya and take residence in one of their old palaces. She must be either brave of foolhardy.

Well my drink is empty and I am glad that modern methods  are being found to extract oil without having to dirty yourself with involvement in places like Libya. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.

Categories
Uncategorized

Liechtenstein 1967, celebrating the Royal Wedding and the economic miracle

Europe in the 19th century had many city states that mostly were absorbed by Germany and Italy. The ones that have survived often now thrive as they benefit from the stability of national institutions while having extra flexibility in areas such as finance. 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.

This souvenir sheet is the first one we have covered at The Philatelist. Liechtenstein is fairly unique in that  the Prince has more than ceremonial powers. So the small country might take extra interest in the Crown Prince starting his family. Prince Hans Adam II was marrying Czech Countess Maria Kinsky, who grew up mainly in Germany and is five years older than the Prince. The era of absentee landed nobility was newly ended and Hans Adam was the first Prince to grow up in Liechtenstein. So the people are closer to their rulers.

Todays stamp is issue A225, a souvenir sheet issued by the Principality of Liechtenstein on June 26, 1967 to celebrate the upcoming wedding of the Crown Prince. According to the Scott catalog, the sheet is worth $2.40. This value has not kept  pace with even inflation, showing how important a vibrant local stamp collecting tradition is to values, and tiny Liechtenstein,(population 20,000) can’t provide.

The name came from a castle in the area and a family rose to nobility as advisers to Holy Roman Austrian Hapsburg Emperors. The family converted to Catholic and were eventually granted the title Prince. The Napoleonic occupation ended the duty to pay an annual suzerainty  to the larger empire. There was a gradual shift in greater ties to also neighboring Switzerland. This came to a head in 1938 when the Royal line actually took up residence in Lichtenstein as Austria was absorbed by Germany and the Royal’s Jewish connections did not bode well for continuing to live in Vienna. At wars end the country took in Russians that had fought on the German side saving their lives and seeing to their resettlement in Argentina.

Large amount of family lands that rents and tributes were lost to the Liechtenstein royals when Czechoslovakia seized German held lands. The family had to resort to selling portions of their extensive art collections which had been moved out. Over time, the financial service industry brought about an economic miracle. The big player in this. LGT is personally owned by the royal house and makes it the richest royal house in Europe with a fortune over 7 billion dollars. Now Lichtenstein has more jobs than people with over 20,000 commuting daily to jobs in Lichtenstein.

The Prince and Princess are still married and are the parents of four and the grandparents of 15. Prince Hans Adam II began his rule in 1988 after having served in a regency earlier in preparation. His eldest son Prince Alois has served in a similar regency since 2004.

Well my drink is empty and so I will open the conversation in the below comment section. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.

Categories
Uncategorized

Switzerland 1882, Helvetia looks down on a Swiss economic miracle

Switzerland is the globalist ideal. A multi language, multi religion place that is a peaceful, prosperous model for the world. It was not always this. 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.

As I write these articles, I become more and more enamored by these female embodiments of a nation that were so common on 19th century. Here we have Helvetia, the female Latin embodiment of Switzerland. Switzerland had just transferred more authority from the canton to the federal government. Without the human frailties of an actual person and slightly short of religious heresy, these images provided a united ideal to strive toward. It seems a little silly now, but then us moderns have lost a little of the ability to strive.

Todays stamp is issue A20, a 50 Centimes stamp issued by Switzerland in 1882. There are many versions of this stamp issued over 20 years. The early printing was the worst and the least valuable which I believe this stamp displays. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth $25 used.

The 19th century did not start out well for the Swiss. They were conquered by Napoleon. The many changes to the legal and business structure took years to undo. There was also discord between Catholic areas in the south and Lutheran areas in the north. Lutheran appropriation of Church land and a takeover of the educational system lead several Catholic Cantons to form a rival “Sonderbund” to the weak federal government. The Sonderbund counted on support from Catholic France and Austria but in 1848 they had there own issues. When the Federal army moved to bring the Sonderbund cantons back into line, the Sonderbund quickly folded. The Federal government was strengthened and the Jesuits banned.

The post 1848 government seemed to find just the right balance of enough autonomy for the different people in the different cantons and yet still with a national identity. It was the time of industrialization and of people moving to the cities. Even in this Switzerland was lucky. Many of the new factories were textile, that offered opportunities to women, and the paychecks did much to raise their lot. At the same time, high end watchmaking took off that offered great rewards for people who learned the intricate skills.

The working classes doing well coincided with a great deal of growth in finance. The tradition of neutrality meant that the Swiss Franc  was often left as the only readily convertible currency during a crisis/war. Large amounts of gold especially from Germany were transferred to Switzerland in exchange for Swiss Francs that could be used to fund needed imports. This is in addition to all the private wealth moved in for preservation. The fees collected for this safekeeping were quite high. All was not profiteering, the Red Cross was founded in Switzerland and the country took in wounded veterans and political dissidents from all sides during both World Wars.

While you still see her red cross shield regularly on Swiss stamps, Helvetia herself no longer appears. The newest I could find was 1922 on an overprint of an earlier issue. This Philatelist is ready to welcome her again on a stamp. Perhaps one of the Europa Cept issues were all the nations display once more their Latin female embodiments.

Well my drink is empty and the $25 value of todays stamp would cover a few more rounds. Decisions! Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.

Categories
Uncategorized

Slovakia 2000, interesting how the EU liked dealing with the old communists

When the old system broke down and even the country split, it is understandable that everyone gets nervous. So when a bland figure from the past offers his services, maybe you give him a try. 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.

You may have to do a double take on this stamp. It really has a strong resemblance to the old Czechoslovakian stamps of the communist era. I doubt Slovakia was doing this consciously, but perhaps it fits with an official from that old regime is returned to power as a compromise leader. This time he would be dealing with the EU instead of COMECON, but I bet that COMECON experience was useful. This fellow even had a German name.

Todays stamp is issue A190, a 5.5 Koruna stamp issued by the independent republic of Slovakia on June 15th, 2000. It was a two stamp issue several years apart honoring Slovak President Rudolf  Shuster. According to the Scott Catalog, the stamp was worth 25 cents used.

Slovakia broke away from Chechia in 1992. The 20th century had seen many border changes And so Slovakia also contained Carpathian German and Hungarian minorities. These ethnic minorities added to the massive number of political parties that formed in Slovakia after independence. In Czechoslovakia remember there was only one party the Communists. Elections work best with a clear majority, and that became difficult with the plethora of parties.

This was handled by coalition governments. There was also the issue of the old Communists wanting to stay in the game. One such fellow was an ethnically Capitanian German ex Communist named Rudolf Shuster. The Carpathian Germans were evacuated by Germany with the approach of the Red Army in 1945 but some returned post war submitting to a Slovakisation process. With the help of an old crony Pavel Rusko, that came to own a TV station, he was able to put together a new left party of civic understanding. The selling off of government assets had not gone well with the stench of corruption and this tainted the Slovak bid to join the EU. Why not add Shuster to put a new, old face on the government to be a point man on EU integration. Shuster got that job done and Slovakia joined the EU in 2004.

By then Rusko had lost interest in Shuster and the party of civic understanding. He formed a new party that more directly featured himself. Rusko was later able to cash out of his media empire with it becoming part of the international operations of AT&T. Shuster ran for reelection in 2004 as an independent but came in fourth. After this he retired from politics. He was a popular figure with the EU, despite just being just a front man. What does it say about the EU about there willingness to deal with front man, and also that when picking a front man both sides look to the old failed Communists?

Well my drink is empty and I will open the conversation in the below comment section. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.

 

Categories
Uncategorized

Chad 1962, Africanizing with Sara Chaditude

French Equatorial Africa had some borders that made more sense to the French then the native tribes. Even when it broke down into smaller states such as Chad, there was not readily the makings of a cohesive country. 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.

An African topical stamp. Well at least there really are antelopes in Chad. This also presents itself as a postage due issue. I have a difficult time imagining a mail sender dropping off his mail with no money, receiving this stamp to stick to the envelope. The letter than gets mailed and the receiver pays his postman 2 Francs that then gets back to the post office, all in chaotic post independence Chad. Call me cynical. As early as the 1970s, there were at least 3 government agents, including President Tombalbaye personally giving contracts to produce postage stamps for Chad, so sorting real issues is a challenge.

The stamp today is issue D5, a 2 African Franc stamp issued by the independent republic of Chad. It was part of a 12 stamp issue in various denominations that displayed African wildlife and tribal warriors. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents.

Chad was the first colony returned to the Free French after the fall of France. This was due to the efforts of Frances first black colonial governor and Sara tribesman. In revenge, in 1942 the capital Fort Lamy was bombed by the Germans. After this the French understandably favored the Sara tribe over the Arab tribesman of northern Chad. Thus it was a Sara tribesman, Francois Tombalbaye that was groomed to rule after the French left and became the last colonial governor in 1959 and the first President in 1960. Post independence he set upon a process of Africanization he called Chaditute that saw his fellow tribesman favored for government service. This cost money and new taxes were collected in what Tombalbaye called national loan. It amounted to Sara tribesman shaking down Arab tribesman and offering much less in return than the old French administration. Trombalbaye required all government employees to go through initiation in the Sara tribe. Doing so was heresy to Christians and Muslims alike. He also changed names of the capital from Fort Lamy to N’Djamena and his own first name from Francois  to Ngarta.

The Arab north was soon rebelling with help of northern  neighbor Libya. The Chad army proved incapable and President Tombalbaye had to request French help to put it down. With French soldiers came administrators to try to put the government back together and have more Muslim representation. This angered even Tombalbaye’s allies who hated the French.

As soon as French soldiers left in 1971, Tombalbaye tried to solidify his position, he purged his army in the so called black sheep affair. He arrested several officers on the crime of sorcery, for sacrificing black sheep in a ceremony designed to curse President Tombalbaye. He then got back to marginalizing the French by reaching out to Libyan strongman Qaddafi. He in turn cut off aid to the Arab rebels to the north and replaced cut off French aid. Tombalbaye was obviously trying to cover his bases but perhaps his military purge did not go deep enough. In 1975, the Army attacked the Presidential Palace and killed him without a trial. Chad’s situation did not really improve till many years later when oil was discovered. The country is now dominated by the northern Arabs.

Well my drink is empty so I will open the conversation in the below comment section. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting

Categories
Uncategorized

Belgium 1955, remembering the night an opera lead to revolution 125 years before

The USA had a tea party and Belgium has a night at the opera. Sometimes something stirs and the people realize it is time to separate. 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.

The image on the stamp is taken from a well known painting by Charles Soubre. The painting depicts revolutionary leader Charles Rogier leading 300 volunteers from the city of Liege to fight in the uprising against the Dutch in Brussels in 1830. So many years later, it seems surprising to use such an image. It makes the undertaking appear heroic. The history of the Belgian government is that it is not afraid to get tough with for example labor agitators who disturb the peace. Perhaps there is a conflict there. Belgium took a different tact on the 150th anniversary in 1980, with stamps showing the Opera house and the then new King of Belgium.

The stamp today is issue A119, a 20 Centimes stamp issued by Belgium on September 10th, 1955. This was a two stamp issue the celebrated an exhibition in Liege on the romantic movement of the volunteers to Brussels 125 years before during the uprising against Dutch rule. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents.

Until the late 18th century, much of modern day Belgium was a part of the Catholic Hapsburg Holy Roman Empire. The revolutions spreading from France and Napoleon’s army put an end to that. The majority of the people in the area were French speaking so this made some sense. After Napoleon’s final defeat, the peace conference awarded the area to the Netherlands. This was at the suggestion of Britain who wanted a large strong Netherlands as a counterweight to France and to repay Netherlands for colonies in Asia taken from the Netherlands during Napoleon’s occupation that were not getting returned. Forget Ceylon, how about Belgium? Strange but true. Netherlands, now United Netherlands was Protestant and spoke Dutch, a Germanic language. Thus there was tension and the Belgian people, especially the French speakers did not feel represented by the new situation.

In 1830, there was an opera put on in Brussels that depicted romantically Neapolitans rising up against the Spanish masters. The audience was moved and filed out of the theatre joining riots against Dutch rule. At the same time Frenchman Charles Rogier was leading his volunteers from Liege to join the uprising. Not realizing that if he has lost the opera fans it is over, the King of the Netherlands sent two of his sons to Brussels to deal with it. The first son offered negotiations but the best deal to be had  was not something his father would agree to. The next Prince lead the army in to reestablish control over Brussels. His army’s ranks had been greatly thinned by desertions of ethnic Belgians and was not strong enough to end the uprising.

Holland than turned to Great Britain to try to settle the issue. Disappointing the Netherlands, the British proposed a separate Belgium kingdom ruled by a King who was closely related to the British royal family but also acceptable to France. The revolutionary leader, and now former Frenchman Charles Rogier severed several terms as Prime Minister. Since 1830, Dutch speakers in Belgium are the ones who feel less than fully represented by the government.

Well my drink is empty and I will pour another to toast French tenor Adolphe Nourrit, whose romantic, patriotic singing so stirred the Brussels’ crowd. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.

Categories
Uncategorized

Germany 2003, remembering the Porsche 356B 40 years later

I am generally more impressed with stamp issues that promise a better future than remember a great past. With an achievement like the Porsche 356, why not take the time to remember, especially when the remembrance supports a good cause. 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.

With a new stamp from an old car comes the question of how to photograph it. Period photos from advertising? No you are remembering a car, not trying to sell it. A modern photo of a classic car? No, an old car in great condition is probably more about the owner than the car itself. Germany decided to use a series of car drawings of the type a car identification book for children might have, even with some quick stats. This is a great idea as there were more kids dreaming about Porsches than adults driving them.

Todays stamp is issue SP434, a 55 +25 semi postal stamp issued by Germany on October 9th, 2003. This was an 8 stamp issue that remembered important cars from Germany’s past. All cars were post war and a few were even East German. The 25 cent surcharge benefited something called the Federal Working Party on Independent Welfare. According to the Scott Catalog, the stamp is worth $1.90 whether it is mint or used.

The Porsche 356 was a post war development of the pre war Volkswagen Beetle. The car had a smaller, lighter body and had engines that were uprated over their state of tune in Beetles. The car used the independent swing axle suspension of the Beetle but over time upgraded it to cope with more power. Initial thoughts of aluminum bodywork were deleted to keep expenses down. The car was still quite expensive costing a little more than an American Corvette with 3 times the power and 40 percent more weight. The British Austin Healy 3000 split the difference with less power, weight  and expense than the Corvette, but more weight and power than the Porsche.

What all three of these cars did well was demonstrate the 3 countries different approaches to going fast. To Germany, it was important to keep light so only as much power as could be gotten out of the light Beetle engine. In this period of the 356 in the early 60s, that power was as much as 3 times what the Beetle had. The Corvette was bigger with the engine out of big, powerful American cars. The American car was far faster and more stable, but the light Porsche could catch up in the turns where its agility, rear engine traction and independent, if dangerous suspension helping. The Corvette in this period sold better with about 25 percent more volume despite a fewer percentage exported than the 356. The Austin Healy sold less still despite it’s lower price but did achieve many exports. One thing the three cars had in common was souped up sedan engines rather than specially designed engines for sports cars. It kept prices down.

The 356 was made from 1949- 1965. The B model shown on the stamp had larger window and changes in the floorplan to add room. The C model came along in 1963 adding disc brakes. Over time the car gained a few hundred pounds as more equipment was added. The 356 was replaced in 1965 with the Porsche 911 that attacked the problem of higher weight by adding a six cylinder overhead camshaft engine still in the back. Weight was up 30% over the early 356 but power more than doubled. Prices also went up but for a few years a 912 version sold with the 356 engine at only a slightly higher price.

Well my drink is empty and I will pour another to toast the German attitude toward speed. The idea now seems to be that all cars must now be built to a world standard so it matters less where a car comes from. I preferred it when the cars better reflected the attitudes of where they were from. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.