Issues of polish stamps III/1998
 
   

MNISZCHÓW PALACE IN WARSAW
   
No. of stamps: 1
face value: PLN 1.20
print technology: steel engraving and rotogravure
size of the stamp: 40.20 x 27.66 mm
sales sheet: 30 stamps
paper: fluorescent
issue: 1,300,000 pcs
designer: Andrzej Heidrich
auteur de gravure: G. Brux
date of introduction: September 28th, 1998
 
    The classicist Miniszchów Palace represented in the joint Polish-Belgian stamp is located in the centre of Warsaw, at Senatorska street. The building was erected in 1714 for Great Crown Marshall Józef W. Mniszch. It was destroyed by the Germans during the Second World War and reconstructed in 1960 with the financial assistance from the part of the Kingdom of Belgium.

Over the several centuries, the palace changed not only its owners, but also its utilisation. It belonged, for example to Towarzystwo Resursy Kupieckiej, and even the Masonry, this is why it was used to be called "the Palace of Lucifer" by Warsaw inhabitants. There was housed the Maltan Hospital during the Second World War. The patients and the personnel were murdered by the Germans during the Warsaw Uprising.

The Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium is located today in the Mniszchów Palace. The presented stamp was made according to a design of the Polish artist A. Heidrich, while the engravings was made by an artist from Belgium, G. Broux. The stamp is not only an effect of the co-operation of the post of Poland and Belgium, but also a proof of a liking among the two nations.

On the day of introducing the stamp there will be available an envelope of the first day circulation with a special date seal for sale in the Post Office Warsaw 1.
       
 
   

"Mazowsze" Song and Dance Group
   
No. of stamps: 2
face value: PLN 0.65 and PLN 0.65
size of the stamp: 31.25 x 39.5 mm
paper: fluorescent
printing technology: offset
issue: a' 1,000,000 pcs
sales sheet: 8 (2 x 4)
date of introduction: September 22nd, 1998
Designer: Maciej Buszewicz
 
    If the French have their cuisine, the Japanese have their technology, the Englishmen have their Queen, inhabitants of Quebec have their hockey, the Poles have their "Mazowsze" - an enchanted critic of "Le Droit" in Canada wrote on January 20th, 1976. There is much truth in this statement, because "Mazowsze" is probably the most famous Polish group. It is an ambassador of our tradition and folk culture.

The group was founded in 1948 by Tadeusz Sygietyński and Mira Zimińska-Sygietyńska. It celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Since November, 1950, when "Mazowsze" State Song and Dance Group had a performance in the Polski Theatre for the first time, it has been cherishing an unflagging popularity in Poland and abroad. Girls and boys wishing to be members of the Group come to Karolino, the seat of "Mazowsze", every year.

  The repertoire includes songs and dances from 39 ethnographic regions of Poland. Most of them are compositions of T. Sygietyński and preparations of original folk songs made by him.

The characteristic sound of "Mazowsze" and the beautiful, rainbow-like colourful costumes form a performance which enchanted spectators in many countries all over the world.

"Mazowsze", just like every star, has its hits. "Kukułeczka", "Cyt Cyt" and "Furman" are incessantly liked by people.

The stamps represent a dancing couple dressed in clothes from Lublin. The first day circulation envelope represents a picturesque landscape of Mazowsze, which is also the name of the Group. A special date seal will be applied on the day of introducing the stamps into circulation at the Post Office in Otrębusy.
       
 
   

17TH Congress of the Polish Union of Stamp-Collectors
   
No. of stamps: 2 in a block
face value: PLN 0.65 and PLN 0.65
size of the stamp: 39.5 x 31.25 mm
in the block: 114 x 77 mm
issue: 550,000 pcs
designer: Andrzej Heidrich
author of the engraving: Czes?aw S?ania
date of introduction: September 18th, 1998
 
    Ksi±żnica Pomorska will host delegates from all over the country who shall come to the 17th Congress of the Polish Union of Stamp-Collectors on September 18th-20th, 1998. The organisation was founded in 1950 and at present it has 75 thousand members. New authorities of the Union will be appointed during this year's meeting in Szczecin, which takes place every four years.

Due to this occasion, the Polish Post shall introduce two stamps in the form of a block. The stamps represent a panorama of Szczecin in the 17th century according to a wood engraving published in 1624 in a document by the city Mayor, Paul Feiedeborn, entitled "Descriptio urbis Stettinensis".

The panorama of Szczecin shown in the stamps is a picture of the city as it can be seen from the other bank of the Oder river, from Łasztownia. There can be seen the most important buildings in the city in the dense buildings of the Old Town: from the left side: Passawska Gate, St. John Church, municipal school, St. Mary Church, buildings of the Prince's castle, and the summer residence of the Prince on present Wały Chrobrego. There is a defence wall with turrets along the river bank, whose gates constitute a passage from streets to reloading bridges on the river. Sailing boats in the bay stress the port character of the city.

At present, the wood engraving is housed within collections of Ksi±żnica Pomorska, whose director, Stanisław Krzywicki, and Professor Tadeusz Białecki from the Institute of History at the University of Szczecin, co-operated with the Issue, Circulation, and Promotion of Postal Stamps in works connected with the preparation of the above mentioned issue.

On the day of introducing the stamps into the market there shall be a first day circulation envelope for sale with a special date seal applied in the Post Office Szczecin I.
       
 
   

100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DISCOVERY OF POLONIUM AND RADIUM
   
No. of stamps: 1
face value: PLN 1.20
size of the stamp: 39.5 x 31.25 mm
paper: fluorescent
sales sheet: 20 stamps
print technology: offset
issue: 700,000 pcs
designer: Tomasz Bogusławski
date of introduction: September 18th, 1998
 
    Due to the anniversary of the discovery of these two radioactive elements (polonius and radius) this year, the Polish Post shall introduce a stamp into the market. The stamp represents Maria Skłodowska-Curie and Piotr Curie, who made the discovery in 1989. Their work was awarded with the prestigious Nobel Prize in physics in 1903. After the death of her husband in 1911, Maria Curie received another Nobel Prize, that time in chemistry.
The presented stamp was made at the co-operation with the Museum of Maria Skłodowska-Curie in Warsaw, which made its collections available to us. 
 On the day of introducing the stamp there will be available an envelope of the first day circulation with a special date seal for sale in the Post Office Warsaw 1.
       
 
   

200Th ANNIVERSARY OF CREATING 
THE WARSAW DIOCESE
   
No. of stamps: 1
face value: PLN 0.65
printing: offset
paper: fluorescent
size of the stamp: 43 x 31.25 mm
sales sheet: 20 stamps
issue: 700,000 pcs
Designer: Jacek Konarzewski
date of introduction: August 28th,1998
 
    On October 1978, Pope Pius IV issued a bulla entitled Ad universam agri Dominici curam in the Carthusians' monastery in Florence, in which he transformed the Warsaw archdeacon's residence into an independent bishopric, outside the metropolitan dependence upon Gniezno and directly subjected to the Holy See. 
Józef Bończa Miaskowski became the first diocese ordinary and the collegiate of St. John the Baptist became a cathedral.
Two great primates managed the archdiocese: Cardinal August Hlond and Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński.
Primate Wyszyński directed the Warsaw church for 32 years. The cathedral of St. John was reconstructed during his times, as well as the residence of the Warsaw bishops at Miodowa street, and 70 historic churches.
Cardinal Józef Glemp has been directing the Warsaw Archdiocese since July 9th, 1981.
In order to commemorate the anniversary, the Polish Post will introduce a postal stamp of the value of PLN 0.65 into the market on August 28th, 1998. This day there will be available envelopes of the first day circulation (FDC) with a special date seal in the Post Office Warsaw 1.
       
 
   

ST. MARY'S SANCTUARIES - BASILICA OF THE VISITATION OF ST. MARY THE VIRGIN IN SEJNY
   
No. of stamps: 1
face value: PLN 0.55
printing technology: offset
size of the stamp: 31.25 x 39.5 mm
paper: fluorescent
sales sheet: 20 stamps
issue: a' 700,000 pcs
date of introduction: August 14th, 1998
Designer: Zbigniew Stasik
 
    A beautiful sculpture of St. Mary has been housed in the church in Sejny for almost 400 years. It was purchased by Jerzy Grodziński, owner of the area and foundator of the first church. The legend says that he was asked to bring the sculpture from a wood-carver from Królewiec, when he was sleeping.

The figure was made by an unknown artist from Gdańsk in the first half of the 15th century. It is 166 cm high and it is made of lime wood. It represents the figure of St. Mary sitting on a throne with Jesus Christ standing on her right knee.

The sculpture is classified as the so-called box figure, opening to both sides from the head of Madonna down to the base, forming a triptych. A bas-relief placed inside it represents God sitting on the throne with his arms opened widely and holding a crucifix. There are paintings of 27 figures on both sides: 14 figures on the left and 13 figures on the right side. The figure famous for its mercy was crowned by Cardinal Karol Wojtyla on September 7th, 1975. A homily about the role of Mary in the life of the nation was made by Primate Stefan Wyszyński.

To continue the cycle of stamps entitled "Mary's Sanctuaries", initiated in 1993, this time we present you Madonna from Sejny. The stamp will be introduced into the market on August 14th, 1998, with a first day circulation envelope. It will be accompanied by a special date seal used in the Post Office in Sejny. The Basilica of the Visitation of St. Mary the said figure comes from is placed both on the FDC envelope and the date seal.
       
 
   

NIKIFOR'S PAINTING
   

No. of stamps: 4
face value: PLN 0.55, 0.65, 1.20, 2.35
printing technology: offset
size of the stamp: 31.25 x 43 mm
paper: fluorescent
sales sheet: 20 pcs
issue: a' 800,000 pcs
Designer: Wojciech Freundenreich
author of diapositives: Zbigniew Kapu¶cik
date of introduction: July 13th, 1998
 
    The most famous Polish primitivist painter, Nikifor, was born on May 21st, 1895, in Krynica Wie¶. His real name was Epifan Drowniak and he was a Łemek. He was displaced within the Wisła campaign to Pomerania, but he came back to Krynica on foot. He spent almost all his life there. He always wore a hat and a tie, and painted his pictures in the promenade in Krynica. He had several own seals and the title "Matejko" which were to make the society realise the seriousness and importance of the artist.
 "During all his sad life, Nikifor was unknown and despised, but he was joyful, an illuminated with a smile from inside. (...) He had nothing in his life apart from painting, but the art brought him a victory." These are words of A. Banach, author of first works on the painter and his art.
 The Polish Post has been publishing stamps representing the artistic output of eminent painters. This time we would like to present to you the art of Nikifor. Works represented in the stamps come from collections of the Regional Museum in Nowy S±cz and Nikifor's Museum in Krynica.
The stamp of PLN 0.55 represents "A Triple Portrait", 
PLN 0.65 - "Hobby Horse", 
PLN 1.20 - "Orthodox Church", 
PLN 2.35 - "Ugrybów Station".
On the day of the introduction of the stamps there will be four first day circulation envelopes (FDC) for sale with a special date seal applied in the Post Office Krynica 1. The date seal represents one of the seals placed by Nikifor on his works.
       
 
   

80 YEARS OF THE MAIN BOARD OF STATISTICS
   
No. of stamps: 1
face value: PLN 0.55
paper: fluorescent
sales sheet: 20 stamps
printing technology: offset
size of the stamp: 39.5 x 31.25 mm
issue: a' 700,000 pcs
Designer: Wojciech Freundenreich
date of introduction: July 13th, 1998
 
    The Main Board of Statistics (GUS) will celebrate its 80th anniversary on July 13th, 1998. It publishes ca. 150 titles of publications containing present statistical information, for example, on the economic, social, and political situation in the country every year. The data prepared by GUS are among basic sources of information used by the governmental administration, mass media, and international organisations.
 In connection with the approaching anniversary, the Polish Post shall introduce into the market a stamp accompanied by a first day circulation envelope (FDC), and a special date seal applied in the Post Office Warsaw 1.