70 years of stamps in the Federal Republic of Germany
Ever since its foundation in 1949, the Federal Republic of Germany has been sending out a piece of history in the world through its stamps. A look back at seven decades of commemorative designs.
1949: Topping out the Bundestag
After the first German Bundestag was elected on August 14, 1949, the parliament held its first meeting three and a half weeks later, on September 7. On this occasion, the first two stamps of the Federal Republic of Germany went into circulation. The illustration, which shows a topping out ceremony, comes from the German designer and stamp artist Max Bittrof (1890 - 1972).
1959: Calculating 'according to Adam Riese'
In the 16th century, German mathematician Adam Riese (1492 - 1559) made a decisive contribution to having the Roman numerical value system replaced with Arabic digits. A German expression which translates as "according to Adam Riese" is still used today to talk about the correct results of a simple calculation. This stamp features the only contemporary portrait remaining of the man.
1969: 50 years of women's suffrage
In 2019, Germany celebrated the 100th anniversary of the introduction of women's suffrage. Half a century ago, pioneering women's rights activists Marie Juchacz, Marie-Elisabeth Lüders and Helene Weber were also honored for their merits, with this block stamp of the Deutsche Bundespost from 1969.
1979: Happy Birthday, Paul Klee
Paul Klee (1879 - 1940) is one of the most important artists of classical modernism. Continuously experimenting with new forms and techniques, Klee's work features different art movements, including Expressionism, Constructivism and Surrealism. Celebrating the artist on his 100th anniversary, this 1979 stamp shows Klee's painting "Bird Garden" (1924).
1989: 100 years of the artist village Worpswede
Worpswede near Bremen is renowned worldwide as in 1889, three young painters founded an artists' colony there. Along with Paula Modersohn-Becker, Fritz Overbeck and Carl Vinnen, the artist Heinrich Vogeler was also part of the community. This stamp, which appeared on the 100th anniversary of the colony, shows his famous work "Summer Evening," also known as "The Concert."
1999: Collectible stamp blocks
Particularly popular among collectors, so-called stamp blocks are groups of stamps connected together, like this 1999 model. Because of their size, and because the purchase price is often above the postage value, they are rarely used for postage. The first block stamp of the German Federal Post Office was printed in 1959. The country has since emitted a total of 82 block editions.
2009: Schiller's Augustenburg letters
For the 250th birthday of poet and playwright Friedrich Schiller, this stamp featuring one of his quotes was released, stating: "Art is a daughter of freedom." It is taken from "On the Aesthetic Education of Man," which Schiller first wrote in 27 letters between February and December 1793 and published in batches in the following years in his literary magazine.
2019: 100 years of Bauhaus
Germany is celebrating the 100th anniversary of Bauhaus, a school of design founded by architect Walter Gropius in Weimar in 1919. He aimed to reunite arts and crafts with the institution. The art school is one of Germany's most important cultural exports of the 20th century.