The Martial Law and the Post

The introduction of the Martial Law and the period of the delegalization of NSZZ "Solidarno¶ć" caused much opposition among the society. One of them included the issuance of "stamps" and "stamp-like labels". Some of these publications can be found in the original correspondence, which passed the mail. They are usually single "stamps" placed in-between official stamps.

The biggest interest among philatelists is aroused up to now by the stamp entitled "the 40th anniversary of the foundation of the Polish Worker's Party, issued on January 5th, 1982, which entered the mail market in 1983 as a diversion publication, with the imprint: "December 13th, 1981, WRON war against the Nation December 13th, 1982."

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

100 years of Zachęta in Warsaw

The best period in the history of Towarzystwo Zachęty Sztuk Pięknych started together with the erection of the building. There were presented masterpieces of numerous Polish and foreign artists, including: Wojciech Gerson, Jan Matejko, Józef Chełmoński, Józef Brandt, Stanisław Wyspiański, Józef Mehoffer, Jan Stanisławski, Paul Cezanne, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Pablo Picasso, Max Ernst, Francis Bacon.

The Ministry of Culture and Art founded the Central Office of Artistic Exhibitions in the building of Zachęta in 1949. It existed until 1989. At present, Zachęta is one of the biggest and one of the most prestigious galleries of the contemporary art in Poland.

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

Christmas

Christmas is the time, when apart from the joy for the birth of the Savor, we give one another presents, decorate our houses according to the customs, meet family members and close persons at the tables.

The presented series of stamps has been realized in the convention of the Medieval stained-glass window. They represent important events from the life of Christ:

• PLN 0.70 - Christmas
• PLN 0.80 - Galilean Cana
• PLN 1.10 - Eucharist
• PLN 1.55 - Ascension

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.

60^th anniversary of the Katyń Crime

The crime was committed by NKWD soldiers on the basis of a decree on the liquidation of war prisoners signed by Stalin on March 5th, 1940.

For almost 50 years, authorities of the Soviet Union had not wanted to acknowledge the fact of committing the crime named after the first discovered cemetery Katyń, while the authorities of the People's Republic of Poland participated in the lie. Thus, the truth about the tragic events was not rendered in the official history interpretations. However, the memory about the crime preserved. Three Polish war cemeteries in the East: Charkov, Katyń, Miednoye, the place of a murder of the prisoners, constitute a fulfillment of the duty towards the victims and their families.

Individual stamps represent:

• PLN 0.70 - the image of a priest against the background of the cross in Katyń
• PLN 0.80 - the image of Pope John Paul II kneeling in front of the monument "To the Killed and Murdered in the East" in Muranów in Warsaw.

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

Polish Kings and Princes

• PLN 0.70 - August II Mocny (the Strong) (1670-1733), Sas king from the Wettin dynasty, reigning in the period 1697-1706 and after 1709.
• PLN 0.80 - Stanisław Leszczyński (1677-1766), elected King of Poland twice in 1704-1709 and 1733-36, father of may, wife of King of France, Luis XV.
• PLN 1.10 - August III (1696-1763), Sas king, son of August II the Strong. King of Poland in the years 1733-1763.
• PLN 1.55 - Stanisław August Poniatowski (1732-98), King of Poland in the years 1764-1795.

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 Wrocław 1.

50 years of the Polish Philatelic Union

The year 2000 was a special year for the biggest association of Polish philatelists, Polski Zwi±zek Filatelistów. 50 years ago, i.e. on June 21st, 1950, there was founded an association unifying enthusiasts of the philatelics, acting in various clubs and societies so far, at the initiative of philatelic centers in Kraków, Warsaw, and Wrocław.

The goal of PZF includes a unification of philatelists from Poland to facilitate them a professional collection of postal stamps, a popularization of philatelics in Poland, propagating Polish postal stamps in Poland and abroad, an assistance in obtaining specialist knowledge for members of the Union, as well as a protection against forgeries. Several new philatelic clubs and societies started their activities after 1990. However, the number of their members is rather small.

The Polish Post will commemorate the 50th anniversary by introducing a postal stamp in the form of a block into the trade on October 12th, 2000.

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

Wold Post Day - Post in the eyes of children

The sent competition works represent the world of an unlimited imagination of children and they render postal services in an interesting way. Awarded works are represented in the stamps:

• PLN 0.70 - Tomasz Wistuba
• PLN 0.80 - Katarzyna Chrzanowska
• PLN 1.10 - Joanna Żbik
• PLN 1.55 - Katarzyna Łonak

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 Wrocław 1.