The next lot of 12 stamps on Intellectual Personalities were issued on 4.2.2015.
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Intellectual Personalities 4.2.2015
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Intellectual Personalities 4.2.2015
Kyriakos Hadjioannou. He was born in Achna in 1909 and died in 1997. He was a teacher, writer, researcher and folklorist. He studied at the School of Philosophy at the University of Athens. He excelled in all areas of his professional career as a teacher for his clarity and methodology in teaching and was particularly loved by his pupils. Between 1960-1963 he was appointed as the first Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to Cairo. He gave many lectures to associations, clubs in Cyprus and abroad, and to international academic conferences on folklore, historical, archaeological, linguistic, educational and other matters. His literary work centred on Cyprus is immense and it has earned him his place as the island's leading intellectual author. His five-volume work, "Ancient Cyprus in Greek Sources" is particularly remarkable. This received an award from the Academy in Athens and the Greek intellectual Group of Cyprus. In 1965 he received the title of doctorate from the University of Athens. He received many other distinctions not only from his homeland but also from abroad.
Polyxeni Loizia. She was born in Limassol in 1855 and died in 1942. She went to school in Limassol and then studied in Smyurni and Constantinople. After 1878 she came to Cyprus to begin her teaching career, and was renowned for her invaluable services in educating girls. She was the Headmistress of the Limassol School for Girls (1878-1914) and a religious instruction teacher (1914-1923). In addition to her contribution to teaching, she contributed greatly as a feminist towards the empowerment of women. She was invovled in varied social and intellectual activities. She founded "Palladion", the Girl's gymnasium in Limassol and edited an intellectual magazine, under the same name, between 1924 and 1936. She also founded the first women's association in Limassol. She is considetered the first female Cypriot literary writer, who lived and worked in Cyprus. In addition to poetry, she wrote plays, school textbooks and educastional studies. Her work is national with educational content and her poetry is lyrical and patriotic.
Loizos Philippou. He was born in Paphos in 1895 and died in 1950. A scholar, historian, researcher, educator and publisher, he was a noted intellectual and social factor in his birthplace and through his intense activity turning it into an intellectual centre during his life time. Although he studied law, he made a significant contribution to Cypriot history and literary research. He wrote numerous scientific studies, edited the newspaper "Paphos" for 20 years as well as the intellectual magazine of the same name. His work on the history of Greek literature in Cyprus during the Turkish occupation is memorable. He was the founder, inspector and leader of the Paphos Scouts Association. His diverse national activities were always related to the survival of Hellenism in Cyprus. He was an active member of the Paphos District Games Association, the National Council and founder and Chairman of "Korivos", the Gymnastics School and of the Paphos District Archaeological Museum.
Persefoni Papadopoulou. She was born in Ktima, Paphos, in 1888 and died in Patra, in Pelloponisos in 1948. She graduated from the Arsakeio School in Athens with excellence and immediately started work as a teacher in Famagusta and then in Larnaca as the Headmistress of the town's school. She continued her studies in France and upon he return worked at a Girl's School in Nicosia. After the October uprising in 1931 she took on the management of the Arsakeio Academy in Patra until her death. She was not only the most prominent Greek teacher of her era, but a significant intellectual figure and leading feminist, to whom female educationowes a great deal. She founded "Estiades", the first women's newspaper in Cyprus, which she edited after 1915, taking on the preconceived prejudices and mentalities of her era. She also established a number of women's associations in Famagusta and Larnaca, with a national, educational and progressive purpose. At the same time, she was a remarkable writer whose works include textbooks, poetry, articles and studies of a literary, educational and enternaining nature.
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Intellectual Personalities 4.2.2015
(1.00) Georgios S. Frangoudes. He was born in Limassol in 1869 and died in Athens in 1939. An inspired visionary, determined to contribute to the people of Cyprus and Greece, he established the Panteion School of Political Sciences in Greece and was a professor and its first headmaster. He studied law at the University of Athens and at the School of Political Sciences in Paris. He was also the Chairman of the Association of Patriotic Cypriots" in Greece. He was a Member of Parliament and Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament and made a great effort to modernise the Hellenic state. In addition to his political activities, he was actively involved in journalism, advocacy and education. In 1901, to promote Cyprus and its traditions, he organised a Cypriot exhibition at Zappeio in Athens. He edited the "Metarythmisi" newspaper in Athens and, due to his scathing articles against those who resisted reform, there were two unsuccessful attempts on his life. He is the author of several studies, literary articles and a significant body of translated work.
(1.00) Porfyrios Dikaios. He was born in Nicosia in 1904 and died in Heidelberg in Germany in 1971. He studied Archaeology at the University of Athens and at the Sorbonne and in Lyon. He was assistant curator at the Cyprus Museum at the age of 25 and from 1951 to his retirement in 1963, he was Director of the Cyprus Antiquities Department. After his retirement, he taught at Universities in America and Heidelberg. His extensive excavations started in 1951 and covered many areas and archaeological sites in Cyprus (Choirokitia, Filia, Vouni, Engomi, Kalavasos, and Sotira). The findings of his excavations in ancient Engomi were published in four volumes in Germany between 1969-1971. He wrote many archaeological articles and studies on the findings of excavations and gave numerous lectured on pre-historic Cyprus at many Universities in Europe, the USA and other countries. He held a number of honorary titles and was a corresponding member of the Heidelberg Academy.
(1.50) Nicos Pantelides. He was born in Nicosia in 1906 and died in 1984. He was a comic actor of the Cypriot theatre and spread laughter with his inherent talent. At the same time he excelled as a director. He is considered a pillar of Cypriot theatre. His performances, as a member of the cast of the Papademetri troupe and "Thiaso Yeliou" (which he founded) in the 60's, were remarkable. He also excelled in the cinema, acting in six films in his time. He was a key member of the Cyprus Theatre Development Organisation (O.TH.A.K.), which merged with the Theatre Organisation of Cyprus after 1961, playing important roles in memorable performances. He cooperated with CyBC, taking part in "Theatrical Memories" in 1972, in Cypriot sketches, televised series and other programmes. He was highly respected by theatre lovers and his colleagues who appointed him Chairman of their Association.
(1.50) Pavlos Xioutas. He was born in Kato Paphos in 1908 and died in 1991. He studied literature at the University of Athens and worked as a teacher in many schools. A scholar, author of many works and folklorist, he left behind a remarkable body of work. He was a very progressive person for his era and he truly loved the common man of Cyprus. He had innovative ideas for his time. The cypriot people owe him much for the survival of these proverbs (Sayings). In his rich three-volume work, he collected, presented, classified and analysed more than 1500 Cypriot sayings. He was actively involved with the people and fought against British colonialism. He was the leader in establishing the Society of Cypriot Studies in 1936. He translated works of Ancient Greek writers. In 1983 the Academy of Athens presented him with an award for his thesis on "Cypriot Folklore of Animals".
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Melkonian school in Nicosia 2.4.2015
The Cyprus Post stamp, with a value of 64 cents, shows the historic school buildings with cypress saplings planted by the first orphans that have since blossomed and are as tall as nearby buildings along the main arterial Limassol Avenue.
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Cyprus Sweets 2.4.2015
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60th Anniversary of the EOKA Cyprus Liberation Struggle 1955 - 1959.
This minisheet on the FDC commemorates the 60th Anniversary of the EOKA Cyprus Liberation Struggle 1955 - 1959.
EOKA was a Greek Cypriot nationalist guerrilla organisation that fought a campaign for the end of British rule in Cyprus, for the island's self-determination an
The United Kingdom had promised Greece unification with Cyprus if Greece would enter World War I on the side of the Allies; but the Greeks declined this invitation because KingConstantine I of Greece had been educated in Germany, was married to Sophia of Prussia, sister of Kaiser Wilhelm, and was convinced of the Central Powers' victory. Prime minister Eleftherios Venizelos on the other hand was an ardent anglophile, and believed in an Allied victory. After Venizelos' efforts to sway Constantine's opinion proved unsuccessful, the promise was never realised.
In the 1950s, EOKA was established having the specific aim to mount a military campaign to end the status of Cyprus as a British crown colony and achieve the island's unification with Greece. The leadership of AKEL at the time, the island's large communist party, opposed EOKA's military action, advocating a "Gandhiesque approach"of civil disobedience, such as workers' strikes and demonstrations. AKEL was previously involved in organising the plebiscite of 1950, where the vast majority of Greek Cypriots voted for union with Greece (98%).
The EOKA campaign lasted officially until 31 March 1959. After independence, EOKA fighters formed regional associations, such as "SAPEL"(Union of Fighters of Limassol and district"), that have been participating in commemorations, museum collections etc. In the 1990s, a dedicated old people's home for ex-EOKA fighters was constructed in the village of Palodhia, near Limassol.
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Dutch Stock Exchange Floor 13.6.1994
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The 1994 FEI World Equestrian Games & Dutch Signages 14.6.1994
The two stamps on the FDC were a part of a joint issue on 14 June 1994. My friend Rene sent me this FDC from Holland.
The stamp on the right on the FDC commemorates The 1994 FEI World Equestrian Games which were held in The Hague, Netherlands from July 27 to August 7, 1994. They were the second edition of the games which are held every four years and run by the FEI.
The other stamp highlights the system of signages on Dutch roads and highways.
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Singapore's Festivals 2014
Singapore’s rich and vibrant multicultural heritage is best reflected in the many colourful festivals celebrated throughout the year. SingPost continues its tradition of issuing the Festivals stamp set with these eight bright and cheerful rendering of the four most important festivals celebrated in Singapore – Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Deepavali and Christmas stamps.
The festivals are featured on two stamps each i.e. the 1st Local (S$0.26) and S$0.55 stamps. The Festivals 2014 stamp issue aims to help add a warm touch to letters and cards sent to friends and family during the festive season. SingPost releases stamps on Singapore festivals every two years, with the last issue in 2012.
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Controversial Carl Larsson painting on Åland SEPAC stamp 10.4.2015
On 10 April, the 2015 Sepac stamp on a culture theme will be issued. Åland Post shows one of painter Carl Larsson’s most controversial and known paintings, Midvinterblot (‘Blót’). The painting in the stamp, however, is a parallel work of art which is in the possession of Åland businessman Anders Wiklöf.
The smaller Midvinterblot was painted parallelly and – unlike its gigantic double –it was signed. The painting went under the hammer for SEK 3.2m at an auction in Stockholm in 2002 and is now included in Anders Wiklöf’s private collection at Andersudde.
Carl Larsson (1853-1919) is one of the most popular and well-known painters in Sweden. Midvinterblot shows another, more dramatic side to Carl Larsson. His source of inspiration was the skaldic poem Ynglingatal, dated to the early 900s. The painting depicts how Swedish king Domalde lets himself be sacrificed in order to avert years of famine. Measuring 6.4 x 13.6 m (90 m²), the monumental painting is now on display in the hall of the central staircase in Swedish National Museum of Fine Arts in Stockholm, but the road there was not uncomplicated. From first sketch to final version of the painting, Larsson had to fight the conservative establishment as well as his own more left-wing artist friends. The critics considered the painting to be unpalatable, historically incorrect and, finally, even outmoded. It was ultimately rejected by the National museum in 1916 and has changed owners several times. Since 1992, the painting hangs in National-museum as originally intended, obtained from a Japanese private collection.
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Åland postal franking labels present beach treasures 2.2.2015
On 2 February 2015, a new 3-year series of postal labels from Åland Post Stamps is launched. The theme is Beach finds and the first motif in the series features a bird feather.
Surrounded by the sea, many interesting finds can be made on the Åland beaches. Some of these treasures have been immortalized by Tiina Tahvanainen, the photographer behind the new Åland frama series. Tiina was cut out for this commission, seeing that the chipped, rusty and aged as well as the worn and torn are recurrent elements in Tiina’s choice of motifs.
“To me, beach finds are magical titbits that are just lying there on the beach waiting to become someone’s treasure. Old clobber is so much more interesting than new stuff. Old things have a history of which you know nothing but of which you can fantasize,” Tiina says.
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Åland sailing belles sail again – on stamps
On 2nd February 2015, Åland Post Stamps launches a six-year stamp series featuring Åland sailing ships. The new series covers the golden age of Åland sailing ship history from the mid-1800s until World War II. The first two stamps feature the schooner Lemland and the barquentine Leo, both characteristic of the mid-1800s.
This was when Åland peasants first acquired the right to import steel and build their own vessels. The so called peasant sailing started and, from having transported only their own goods, the peasants could now transport even the goods of others.
Launched in Åland in 1856, the form of the hull of the schooner Lemland was simply a development of rustic fishing boats of the time. The schooner was typically used for transporting timber across the Baltic Sea and the North Sea and is believed to be one of the pioneers of North Sea shipping in the 1860s. Lemland wrecked in the North Sea in 1876.
Built in Finland in 1870 for Åland parties, the barquentine Leo had a more international design of both rig and hull. For almost 30 years, the vessel was used to carry wood and iron between ports in Scandinavia and Great Britain/France.
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Hard to catch Peach-leaved bellflower 10.4.2015
On 10th April 2015, Peach-leaved bellflower appears on an Åland stamp. Wild life photographer Andy Horner shot the photo of this adorable meadow flower which is much easier to spot than to photograph.
He spotted the flower alongside the cycle path some 100 metres from his home in Mariehamn, but shooting a photo of it proved difficult. “The human eye obviously perceives the special hue of the bellflower differently from the hue perceived by both digital sensor and traditional film, turning the colour slightly purple in the photo. Presumably, this particular shade of blue lies very close to the invisible ultraviolet colour of the spectrum”, Andy explains.
Peach-leaved bellflower (Campanula persicifolia) is the most common species of the eight different species of bellflower growing in Åland. It appears on road shoulders and meadows and in gardens in the beginning of July. It usually becomes approx. 50 cm tall, and its bell-shaped, mostly blue flowers of five fused petals become 3.5 cm long and sit in clusters on the erect, unbranched stems.
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20th Anniversary of Swissair's North Atlantic Flight 2.5.1967
This cover commemorates the 20th Anniversary of Swissair's North Atlantic Flight. This cover was on the Jamaica-Geneva run on 2nd May 1967.
Thank you Merja.
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Mammals of Ciskei 29.10.1982
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Famous Visitors
The four stamps on this FDC were issued by Liechtenstein on 6.12.1982 to commemorate famous visitors to that country. These personalities were:-
(40ct) Maximilian I (22 March 1459 – 12 January 1519), the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor, and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans (also known as King of the Germans) from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1508 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky. He had ruled jointly with his father for the last ten years of his father's reign, from c. 1483. He expanded the influence of the House of Habsburg through war and his marriage in 1477 to Mary of Burgundy, the heiress to the Duchy of Burgundy, but he also lost the Austrian territories in today's Switzerland to the Swiss Confederacy.
Through marriage of his son Philip the Handsome to eventual queen Joanna of Castile in 1498, Maximilian helped to establish the Habsburg dynasty in Spain which allowed his grandson Charles to hold the throne of both León-Castile and Aragon, thus making Charles V the first de jure King of Spain. Since his father Philip died in 1506, Charles succeeded Maximilian as Holy Roman Emperor in 1519, and thus ruled both the Holy Roman Empire and the Spanish Empire simultaneously.
(70ct) Jörg Jenatsch, also called Jürg or Georg Jenatsch (1596 - January 24, 1639), was a Swiss political leader during the Thirty Years' War, one of the most striking figures in the troubled history of the Grisons in the 17th century.
(80ct) Maria Anna Angelika Kauffmann RA (30 October 1741 – 5 November 1807), usually known in English asAngelika Kauffman, was a Swiss-born Austrian Neoclassic
(1.00 Fr) Fidelis of Sigmaringen, O.F.M. Cap. (1577 - 1622), was a Capuchin friar who was a major figure in the Counter-Reformation, and was murdered by his opponents at Seewis im Prättigau, now part of Switzerland. Fidelis was canonized in 1746.
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Bicentenary of the Birth of Hans Christian Andersen 14.12.2005
This lovely stamp of R$0.55 was issued by Brazil on 14.12.2005 to commemorate the Bicentenary of the Birth of Hans Christian Anderson.
Born in Denmark in 1805, Hans Christian Andersen is remembered for his fairy tales: “The Ugly Duckling,” “The Little Mermaid,” “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” “The Princess and the Pea,” and some 150 others. This year, Denmark will celebrate their native son in a series of festivals, exhibits, symphonies, and theatricals. These events will be coordinated with others taking place around the globe in a “Worldwide Celebration of Andersen’s Bicentenary”.
If the truth be known, Andersen was not at all like the cheerful children’s author played by Danny Kaye in the film about him. Instead, Andersen makes Denmark’s other melancholy celebrities – Hamlet (“that moody Dane”) and Søren Kierkegaard (the philosopher of anxiety) – look like slackers. His biography suggests reasons: his idealistic father was often away fighting for his hero Napoleon and died when the boy was eleven, his mother (fifteen years her husband’s senior) seems to have lead a racy life, and his dotty grandmother (a resident of a mental asylum) encouraged his love of fairy tales by telling him queer folk stories.
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Born in Denmark in 1805, Hans Christian Andersen is remembered for his fairy tales: “The Ugly Duckling,” “The Little Mermaid,” “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” “The Princess and the Pea,” and some 150 others. This year, Denmark will celebrate their native son in a series of festivals, exhibits, symphonies, and theatricals. These events will be coordinated with others taking place around the globe in a “Worldwide Celebration of Andersen’s Bicentenary”.
If the truth be known, Andersen was not at all like the cheerful children’s author played by Danny Kaye in the film about him. Instead, Andersen makes Denmark’s other melancholy celebrities – Hamlet (“that moody Dane”) and Søren Kierkegaard (the philosopher of anxiety) – look like slackers. His biography suggests reasons: his idealistic father was often away fighting for his hero Napoleon and died when the boy was eleven, his mother (fifteen years her husband’s senior) seems to have lead a racy life, and his dotty grandmother (a resident of a mental asylum) encouraged his love of fairy tales by telling him queer folk stories.
Besides acute poverty, Andersen also suffered because he was tall, awkward, and – to be as kind as possible but as photos attest – striking in his homeliness. Indeed, when he finally found a patron to pay for his education, this lanky 17-year-old was mercilessly tortured at school by children five years younger than him – in other words, treated as badly as the Ugly Duckling is.
Of course, the Ugly Duckling turned into a beautiful swan and became universally loved. While this is ostensibly Andersen’s own story, more to the point is his theme of the Revenge of the Rejected. In the tale “The Swineherd,” for example, a prince masquerades as a peasant in order to turn the tables on a princess who refused his offer of marriage: in the end, he reveals he is a prince, rebuffs her, and strolls away in smug satisfaction. Here is both a picture of Andersen’s unlucky love life and his fantasy comeuppances.
His first love, Riborg Voigt, was the girl-next-door and declined his proposal, eventually marrying another; when he died, around Andersen’s neck was found a pouch he wore all his life and that contained a letter from her. His next courtship was more impossible; the most beautiful woman in Europe at the time, the opera singer Jenny Lind, indicated she wanted to be “just friends” with her lovestruck but homely swain.
Andersen was drawn to suffering. His most representative tale may be “The Little Match-Girl” which tells of an abused child who freezes to death in the streets, still clutching the matches she means to sell, while the good burghers of the town are toasty indoors eating their New Year’s dinners. But again, the story ends with a comeuppance: God shames the well-to-do by taking up the poor little matchgirl and admitting her to heaven.
Andersen’s stories are especially appealing to the young when they fancy themselves a Cinderella: mistreated and under-appreciated, dreaming of belated recognition and fantasy revenge. His life and his tales might be summarized under this reassuring headline: “Geek Does Good.”
Thank you Dear Merja for this lovely FDC.
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25th Anniversary of Swiss Air flights over the North Atlantic 2.5.1972
This First Day Cover was issued to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of Swiss Air flights over the North Atlantic.
The stamp on this cover was issued by Switzerland in the Pro Aero series in 1972. The Pro Aero Foundation pays the major part of the contributions it makes annually to the Swiss Aero Club for the promotion of aviation and the rising generation in flying. The contributions are then shared out appropriately. The branches of model flying, gliding, powered flying, ballooning and parachute jumping are particularly favoured here.
Thank you Merja.
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Apollo 17
Apollo 17 was the final mission of the United States' Apollo program, the enterprise that landed the first humans on the Moon. Launched at 12:33 am Eastern Standard Time (EST) on December 7, 1972, with a three-member crew consisting of Commander Eugene Cernan, Command Module Pilot Ronald Evans, andLunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt, It was the last use of Apollo hardware for its original mission. After Apollo 17, extra Apollo spacecraft were used in the Skylab and Apollo–Soyuz Test Project programs.
Apollo 17 was the first night launch of a U.S. human spaceflight and the final crewed launch of a Saturn V rocket. It was a "J-type mission," which included a three-day lunar surface stay, extended scientific capability, and the third Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV). While Evans remained in lunar orbit above in the Command/Service Module (CSM), Cernan and Schmitt spent just over three days on the lunar surface in theTaurus–Littrow, conducting three periods of extra-vehicular activity, or moonwalks, during which they collected lunar samples and deployed scientific instruments. Cernan, Evans, and Schmitt returned to Earth on December 19 after an approximately 12-day mission.
The decision to land in the Taurus-Littrow valley was made with the primary objectives for Apollo 17 in mind: to sample lunar highland material older than the impact that formed Mare Imbrium and investigating the possibility of relatively young volcanic activity in the same vicinity. Taurus-Littrow was selected with the prospects of finding highland material in the valley's north and south walls and the possibility that several craters in the valley surrounded by dark material could be linked to volcanic activity.
After separating from the Command/Service Module, the Lunar Module Challenger and its crew of two, Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt, adjusted their orbit and began preparations for the descent to Taurus-Littrow. While Cernan and Schmitt prepared for landing, Command Module Pilot Ron Evans remained in orbit to take observations, perform experiments and await the return of his crew-mates a few days later.
Soon after completing their preparations for landing, Cernan and Schmitt began their descent to the Taurus-Littrow valley on the lunar surface. Several minutes after the descent phase was initiated, the Lunar Module pitched over, giving the crew their first look at the landing site during the descent phase and allowing Cernan to guide the spacecraft to a desirable landing target while Schmitt provided data from the flight computer essential for landing. The LM touched down on the lunar surface at 2:55 pm EST on December 11. Shortly thereafter, the two astronauts began re-configuring the LM for their stay on the surface and began preparations for the first moonwalk of the mission, or EVA-1.
Apollo 17 also broke several records set by previous flights, including the longest manned lunar landing flight; the longest total lunar surface extravehicular activities; the largest lunar sample return, and the longest time in lunar orbit. Apollo 17 remains the most recent manned Moon landing and also the last time humans have travelled beyond low Earth orbit.
After separating from the Command/Service Module, the Lunar Module Challenger and its crew of two, Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt, adjusted their orbit and began preparations for the descent to Taurus-Littrow. While Cernan and Schmitt prepared for landing, Command Module Pilot Ron Evans remained in orbit to take observations, perform experiments and await the return of his crew-mates a few days later.
Soon after completing their preparations for landing, Cernan and Schmitt began their descent to the Taurus-Littrow valley on the lunar surface. Several minutes after the descent phase was initiated, the Lunar Module pitched over, giving the crew their first look at the landing site during the descent phase and allowing Cernan to guide the spacecraft to a desirable landing target while Schmitt provided data from the flight computer essential for landing. The LM touched down on the lunar surface at 2:55 pm EST on December 11. Shortly thereafter, the two astronauts began re-configuring the LM for their stay on the surface and began preparations for the first moonwalk of the mission, or EVA-1.
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Moss
Thank you Merja.
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