Heroes of "Pan Tadeusz"

PLN 0.70 - 1-Gerwazy and Count, 2-Telimenta and Judge
PLN 0.80 - 1-Wojski, 2-Father Robak, Judge, Gerwazy
PLN 1.10 - 1-Jankiel, 2-Zosia and Tadeusz

The plan to write "Pan Tadeusz" occurred during the stay of Adam Mickiewicz in Wielkopolska, in the Poznań region, where he came shortly before the end of the November Uprising. He wrote his "rural poems" in Paris in the years 1832-34. The poem was published in the second half of June 1834 by Aleksander Jełowiecki in Paris.
A lot was written about Adam Mickiewicz, "Pan Tadeusz" and his heroes, so it is worth the while to devote a few words to the author of the drawings, who was not a popular person.
Michał Elwiro Andriolli was born on November 14th, 1836, in Vilnius. He was a son of an Italian sculptor, captain of the Napoleon's army. He studies at the School of Painting and Sulpture in Moscow and in the Tsar's Academy of Fine Arts in Petersburg in the years 1855-1858. In 1861, he left for Rome, where he studies at the Academy of St. Lucas. Italy, so different from Russia and Lithuania, had a huge artistic impact upon him.
Andriolli participated in the January Uprising, after his arrest in 1864, he escaped from the prison and managed to reach London, then Paris. He was arrested as an emissary of the Polish Emigration Committee in 1866, and in 1868 he was sent to Wiatka. He learnt to use his talent. He was in charge of a decoration of a Russian Orthodox church there, portraits and landscapes. He was let free by the Tsar in 1871 and came to Warsaw. He made illustrations for Tygodnik Ilustrowany, Kłosy and Biesiada Literacka.
In 1879, a Lvov publisher, Herman Altenberg, offered Andriolli an illustration of "Pan Tadeusz". Juliusz Kossak had accepted the task previously, but his drawings were not published and the original copies disappeared. "Pan Tadeusz" was supposed to be a luxurious book, issued in the form of an album. There were to be prepared 24 whole-page illustrations, apart from small ornaments, breaks, and initials, 58 drawings altogether.
At first, when illustrations were sent successively, they appeared in monthly parts. The album publication appeared in the market in 1882.
The illustrations did not make the artist famous. The critics accused him of a superficial anatomy and exaggeration. Maybe under the influence of such opinions, Andriolli did not like his drawings either. However, the album was reprinted again that same year, and some time later, it was even reprinted in a miniature way.
Some people liked them so much that they wanted to have the drawings on their own. In 1881, the Warsaw bank specialist and industrialist, Jan G. Bloch, acquired 10 of them for his wife.
Andriolli died on August 23rd, 1893, in Nałęczów.

The above issue is possible thanks to the Museum of Literature of Adam Mickiewicz in Warsaw, which made the illustrations available.

On the day of introducing the stamps into the market, there will be sold three first day envelopes with a special date seal in the Post Office Warsaw 1.

Ethos of work - K. Marcinkowski, E. Balaguer

Value PLN 0.70 - portrait of Karol Marcinkowski, placed against a 19th century industrial landscape, according to the wood engraving by Tomasz Bewick. The person of the Wielkopolska inhabitant is not known as other eminent personalities of the 19th century are. He was born in Poznań on June 23rd, 1800. He completed his medical studies in Berlin. He started the medical practice in his home city, where he became famous for his engagement and helpfulness, curing poor patients free of charge. He participated in the November Uprising. He emigrated after its defeat. He was active in the Association of the Scientific Assistance in Paris, together with Adam Czartoryski, Adam Mickiewicz, and Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz.
After coming back to Poland, he started to cure especially poor people. He did not give up his medical practice, but he also started to implement his social plans. He thought that the Poles could survive the years of the partitions only thanks to an economic development, modernization of the social structure, and cultural activities.
He summarized his programme in short: "Education and work - these are the means to shape the necessary road". He attracted devoted co-employees coming from the noblemen's families and priests to follow his ideas.
In 1837, he founded an association similar to the Parisian Scientific Assistance Association in Poznań, which granted scholarships to young people attending schools. It was the first scholarship granting institution in Poland.. Marcinkowski considered education to be one of the main bases of a national and economic existence. He realized that only such a type of institutions ensure educated people for the society.
In 1838, he founded a joint-stock company to construct "Bazar", which was opened in 1841. The building, the second biggest one in Poznań, was a modern hotel and it also constituted a center of the Polish economic and social life.
Less than one year before his death, Marcinkowski undertook another initiative. In 1845, he founded an Association for Supporting the Poor in Poznań. The Association's tasks included granting a support to people incapable of work: disabled, old, fight against unemployment, founding schools - orphanages. Karol Marcinkowski died on November 7th, 1846, in D±brówka Ludomska.

Value PLN 0.80 - portrait of Josemaria Eseriva de Balaguera against a sculpture by Andrea Pisano coming from Campanila in Florence.
Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer was born in Barbastro in Spain on January 9th, 1902. He received the holy orders on March 28th, 1925, in Saragossa. Two years later, he was moved to Madrid, where he developed his work in all milleus. He took a special care for the poor and homeless from the social margin districts and those terminally ill in hospitals. In 1928, he founded Opus Dei - a Catholic laic institute. At first, it functioned outside the structures of the official Church, which did not accept the establishment of a legal shape of the organization. The 2nd Vatican Meeting permitted its activities. In 1943, he founded the Priests' Association of St. Cross, permanently connected with Opus Dei, which was finally accepted by the Holy See on January 16th, 1950. In 1946, Balaguer started his apostle activities, which covered the whole world within several years. A basic order for members of Opus Dei included the words of the founder: Make the work holy, become a saint in work, become a saint from work (…). There came the time when Christians spoke loudly that the work is a gift from God and there is no sense in dividing it into categories, depending on its type, considering some work to be better than another. The effort and work of others has to be equally respected. Every work is a proof of the human dignity and its sovereignty over the world. It offers a chance of a development of one's own personality. It constitutes a link between the people, it is a source of the maintenance of one's own family, a way to improve the existence of the society in which we live, it is a progress for the whole humanity. This is why, the work participates in the act of God (…).

On the day of introducing the stamps into the market, there will be sold a first day envelope with a special date seal in the Post Office Poznań 1.

1000th anniversary of Wrocław

In spite of damages during the Second World War, the city of Wrocław is one of the most important and rich in historical monuments city in Poland. There is, e.g., the biggest group of Gothic churches in Poland. Ostrów Tumski is the oldest part of Wrocław. It is a small district, reconstructed in its historical shape, which offers the atmosphere of thought and calmness. There is a Gothic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist there. It is located in the place of the oldest cathedral founded in 1000.

The façade of the Wrocław Cathedral against the oldest preserved image of the city of 1493, coming from Liber cronicarum by Hartmann Schefel is represented in the stamp in the form of a block. The Millennium mark was placed above it. The emblem in its center comes from 1530, when Wrocław received the Emblem Privilege.

On the day of introducing the stamps into the market, there will be sold a first day envelope with a special date seal in the Post Office Wrocław 32.

Beauty of the parenthood

On the day of introducing the stamp into the market, there will be sold a first day envelope with a special date seal in the Post Office Warsaw 1.

World Philatelic Exhibition Espaňa 2000

The Polish Post, participating in the exhibition, will commemorate the event with an issue of a stamp representing a face of a woman covered by a fan, imitating edges of postal stamps.

On the day of introducing the stamp into the market, there will be sold a first day envelope with a special date seal in the Post Office Warsaw 1.

80th birthday of the Pope John Paul II

Stamps of the individual values represent:

The said issue of stamps will be introduced into the trade directly after the visit of the Pope to the Holy Land. The pilgrimage, he dreamed about all his life, has a special importance in the Millennium Year, two thousand years after the birth of Christ. It was accompanied by the image of peace and conciliation for three monotheistic religions: Christianism, Judaism, and Islam, as well as for all the world.

On the day of introducing the stamps into the market, there will be sold first day envelopes with a special date seal in the Post Office Wadowice.

EUROPE

The date of the issue has been agreed to be May 9th, 2000, the 50th anniversary of the announcement of Schumann's Declaration.

Robert Schuman (1886-1963), French Minister of Foreign Affairs, presented a proposal of his government on May 9th, 1950, referring to the co-ordination of the production of coal and steel with West Germany.

The joint production was to form bases for a quick increase of the life standard of the society and a creation of an economic community of countries that frequently fought against each other. It is claimed that Schuman's plan initiated the European integration.

On the day of introducing the stamps into the market, there will be sold first day envelopes with a special date seal in the Post Office Warsaw 1.

STOP THE DRUG ADDICTION

The drug addiction is a more and more massive phenomenon. It attracts young, sensitive people, who frequently cannot cope with their own personalities and problems of everyday life. The media stress the growing number of addicts. Young people are especially exposed to it because they have an easy access to newer and newer drugs distributed by dealers already in primary schools.

The Polish Post wishes also to stress the growing problem that can refer to each one of us.

On the day of introducing the stamps into the market, there will be sold first day envelopes (FDC) with a special date seal in the Post Office Warsaw 1.

KRAKÓW - EUROPEAN CITY OF CULTURE OF 2000

Authors of the presented series of the stamps depict old times and their course up to the contemporary age. A real tribute is paid to the old times by the block representing the oldest panoramic view of Cracow, according to a wood engraving made probably by a German humanist from the Renaissance Age, historian, poet, and dramatist, staying in Cracow from 1489, i.e., Konrad Celtes (Celtis). The wood engraving was placed by Hartmann Schedl in the "World Chronicle" (Opus de histories aetatym mundi …) of 1493. A central part of the panorama with the view of the Royal Castle of Wawel was separated in the stamp. On the other hand, stamps represent also persons and events important for the city in a specific sequence:

The annotation "Cracow 2000 European City of Culture" is placed in each stamp.
The fact of granting such a prestigious title to Cracow offers an exceptional opportunity to promote the city and its region, as well as the whole country, world-wide, which is taken advantage of during the ongoing Festival Cracow 2000.

On the day of introducing the stamps into the market, there will be sold two types of first day envelopes (FDC) with a special date seal in the Post Office Cracow 1.

Polish manor houses

On the day of introducing the stamps into the market, there will be sold two types of first day envelopes with a special date seal in the Post Office Warsaw 1.

THE CHURCH AT THE TURN OF THE THIRD MILLENNIUM

The door opening was a heavily symbolic gesture. It can be connected with the call heard during the whole pontificate of John Paul II "Open the doors to Christ". The Pope stated in his Incornationis mysterium that Christ is the gate, that He is the only gate. This is why, the opening of the doors, the opening of the gate has a very deep theological sense. By connecting with Christ and crossing the Gate, we are connected with the One who is the way to God. There is a deep symbolism of a meeting of the man with God.

There are very many symbols in the gesture of opening the Holy Doors. It is worth remembering that Pope John Paul II states in his letter Tertio millennio adveniente that "the Church cannot pass the new millennium threshold without urging its sons to purify of their sins, infidelity, inconsequence, and neglects by means of a expiation."

The Pope is kneeling at the threshold of the Holy Doors in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome in the presented stamp.
The doors symbolize salvation, passing from the state of sin to the state of mercy that each man is called for in the Christian symbolism. The act of passing through the gate means a selection of a man to give up sins, egoism, his own weaknesses, and defects to choose a co-operation with the God's mercy.
By opening the "Porta Sancta" on the Christmas Even, the Pope passed its threshold and showed the Church and the world the Gospel as the source of life and hope for the new millennium.
The event is based in the interpretation of words of Christ who said: "I am the gate, it somebody passes through me, he will be saved." (J (10,9).

On the day of introducing the stamps into the market, there will be sold first day envelopes (FDC) with a special date seal in the Post Office Warszawa 1.