Liechtenstein: EUROPA - "Think Green" Official First Day Cover

Europa stamps are special stamps issued by European postal administrations/ enterprises under the aegis of PostEurop in which Europe is the central theme. EUROPA stamps underlines cooperation in the posts domain, taking into account promotion of philately. They also build awareness of the common roots, culture and history of Europe and its common goals. As such, EUROPA stamp issues are among the most collected and most popular stamps in the world. Since the first issue in 1956, EUROPA stamps have been a tangible symbol of Europe’s desire for closer integration and cooperation and in 1993, PostEurop became responsible for issuing EUROPA stamps. Over the years, EUROPA stamp has gained more interest within the Postal community as well as with philatelist, and reflects the engagement from the members in diligently participating in the competition.

This year EUROPA Stamps is celebrating its 60th Anniversary with a common design: Ecology in Europe - "Think Green". I ordered this official FDC and the stamps from the Liechtenstein Post Shop.

Stamps:
EUROPA - "Think Green" (whole set) - Issued: 07-03-2016 with special first day of Issue Postmark

Germany: The 500th Anniversary of the German Beer Purity Law

The Reinheitsgebot ( literally "purity order"), sometimes called the "German Beer Purity Law" in English, is the collective name for a series of regulations limiting the ingredients in beer in Germany and its predecessor states. The most well-known version of the law was adopted in Bavaria in 1516, but similar regulations predate the Bavarian order, and modern regulations also significantly differ from the 1516 Bavarian version.

Stamp:
The 500th Anniversary of the German Beer Purity Law - Issued: 07-04-2016 with special first day of issue postmark

Germany: The Moselle

The Moselle (German: Mosel) is a river flowing through France, Luxembourg, and Germany. It is a left tributary of the Rhine, which it joins at Koblenz, Germany. A small part of Belgium is also drained by the Moselle through the Sauer and the Our. It flows through a region that has been influenced by mankind since it was first cultivated by the Romans. Today, its hillsides are covered by terraced vineyards where some of the best Rieslings grow and numerous ruined castles dominate the hilltops above wine villages and towns that line the riverbanks.

Stamps:
Tourism - Germany's Most Beautiful Panoramas 'Moselle' (whole set) - Issued: 07-04-2016 with special first day of issue postmark

Germany: The 100th Anniversary of the Death of Franz Marc

Franz Marc (February 8, 1880 – March 4, 1916) was a German painter and printmaker, one of the key figures of the German Expressionist movement. He was a founding member of "Der Blaue Reiter" (The Blue Rider), a journal whose name later became synonymous with the circle of artists collaborating in it. With the outbreak of the Great War in 1914, Marc was drafted in the German Army as a cavalryman. After mobilization of the German Army, the government identified notable artists to be withdrawn from combat for their own safety. Marc was on the list but was struck in the head and killed instantly by a shell splinter during the Battle of Verdun in 1916 before orders for reassignment could reach him.

On the card you can see one of the most famous paintings of Franz Marc. Its called Blaues Pferd I, (or Blue Horse I) from 1911.

Stamp:
Centenary of World War I - Issued: 07-08-2014 with special postmark

Germany: Baby Animals

I received this two cards some days ago. On the cards you can see the new german Baby Animals stamps. The first one is the European hare (Lepus europaeus), also known as the brown hare, is a species of hare native to Europe and parts of Western Asia and Central Asia. It is related to and looks very similar to the European rabbit, which is in the same family but in a different genus. Hares are larger than the European rabbit, have longer ears and hind legs and breed on the ground rather than in a burrow. They rely on speed to escape from predators.

Stamp:
Baby Animals (from a set of two) - Issued: 01-03-2016 with a special first day of issue postmark


The second card is actually not showing the greylag goose (or Anser anser), because I couldn't find a matching card. But at least the stamps does. The greylag goose (Anser anser) is a bird in the waterfowl family Anatidae. It has mottled and barred grey and white plumage and an orange beak and legs. A large bird, it measures between 74 and 91 centimetres (29 and 36 in) in length, with an average weight of 3.3 kilograms (7.3 lb). Its distribution is widespread, with birds from the north of its range in Europe and Asia migrating southwards to spend the winter in warmer places.

Stamp:
Baby Animals (from a set of two) - Issued: 04-03-2016 with a special first day of issue postmark

Germany: Sanssouci

Sanssouci is the former summer palace of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, in Potsdam, near Berlin. It is often counted among the German rivals of Versailles. While Sanssouci is in the more intimate Rococo style and is far smaller than its French Baroque counterpart, it too is notable for the numerous temples and follies in the park. The palace was designed/built by Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff between 1745 and 1747 to fulfill King Frederick's need for a private residence where he could relax away from the pomp and ceremony of the Berlin court. The palace's name emphasises this; it is a French phrase (sans souci), which translates as "without concerns", meaning "without worries" or "carefree", symbolising that the palace was a place for relaxation rather than a seat of power.

Stamps:
Castles - Sanssouci, Potsdam - Issued: 01-03-2016 with special postmark

Germany: Happy Easter

Wishing you all a Happy Easter!

Or as in german: Frohe Ostern!

Stamp:

Cartoons by Peter Gaymann (from a set of two) - Issued: 01-03-2014 with special cancellation from the Easter Bunny Bureau in Ostereistedt

Germany: Imperial Abbey of Corvey

The Imperial Abbey of Corvey or Princely Abbey of Corvey (German: Stift Corvey or Fürstabtei Corvey) was a Benedictine abbey on the River Weser, 2 km northeast of Höxter, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was one of the Imperial abbeys of the Holy Roman Empire from the late Middle Ages until 1792 when the abbey was dissolved and Corvey converted into a prince-bishopric. It was in turn secularized in 1803 and absorbed into the newly created Principality of Nassau-Orange-Fulda. In 2014, the former abbey was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Stamp:
UNESCO World Heritage - Imperial Abbey of Corvey - Issued: 01-03-2016 with matching postmark

Germany: Expo 2000 Hannover

This time I would like to show an old cover, which I got in my collection. Its from the Expo 2000. The Expo 2000 was a World's Fair held in Hannover, Germany from Thursday, June 1 to Tuesday, October 31, 2000. It was located on the Hannover fairground (Messegelände Hannover), which is the largest exhibition ground in the world. In total, 155 nations took part in this World's Fair.

Stamps:
4x EXPO 2000 Hannover - Issued: 13-01-2000 with special postmark of the opening day

Germany: Martin Luther

Martin Luther (10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German professor of theology, composer, priest, former monk and a seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He proposed an academic discussion of the power and usefulness of indulgences in his Ninety-Five Theses of 1517. His refusal to retract all of his writings at the demand of Pope Leo X in 1520 and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in 1521 resulted in his excommunication by the Pope and condemnation as an outlaw by the Emperor. His translation of the Bible into the vernacular (instead of Latin) made it more accessible, which had a tremendous impact on the church and German culture. Luther died in 1546 in Eisleben, Germany. The card shows him around 1540.

Stamp:
ATM Stamp "Post Tower - Bonn" (0, 45 €) - Issued: 24-10-2008 with special postmark commemorating the 470. Anniversary of his day of death

Germany: The 25th Anniversary of the 112 European Emergency Number

112 is the common emergency telephone number that can be dialed free of charge from most mobile telephones and, in some countries, fixed telephones in order to reach emergency services (ambulance, fire and rescue, police). 112 was first standardised by a Recommendation by the CEPT in 1972 and later by a decision of the EU Council in 1991 and subsequently reaffirmed in 2002 by article 26 of the Universal Service Directive and its subsequent amendments.

Stamps (left to right):
ATM Stamp "Brandenburg Gate – Berlin" (0,05 ct) - Issued: 24-10-2008
Definitive Issue - Flowers "Tagetes erect" - Issued: 07-07-2005
The 25th Anniversary of the 112 European Emergency Number - Issued: 11-02-2016 with special first day of Issued postmark

Germany: The 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Ernst Litfaß (1816-1874)

Ernst Amandus Theodor Litfaß (11 February 1816 – 27 December 1874) was a German printer and publisher. He invented the free-standing cylindrical advertising column which bears his name in German (Litfaßsäule). In 1854 Litfaß proposed putting up columns in the streets of Berlin for announcement and advertising purposes. Allegedly, he was disgusted by the unsystematic and ubiquitous posting of pamphlets, notices and other materials on walls, doors, fences and trees. In December that year he was granted permission to erect such Annoncier-Säulen columns, and on 1 July 1855 the first 100 Litfaß-Säulen were presented in Berlin. Litfaß had a monopoly on his advertising columns and grew rich fast. After his death in Wiesbaden in 1874, the idea of putting up Litfaßsäulen (Litfaß columns or Litfaß pillars) quickly spread to other German cities. Today, they can be found in other countries as well.

Stamps:
2x The 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Ernst Litfaß (1816-1874) - Issued: 11-02-2016 with special first day of Issue postmark

Germany: Little Red Riding Hood

"Little Red Riding Hood", or "Little Red Ridinghood", also known as "Little Red Cap" or simply "Red Riding Hood", is a European fairy tale about a young girl and a Big Bad Wolf. The story has been changed considerably in its history and subject to numerous modern adaptations and readings. The story was first published by Charles Perrault and later reedited by the Grimm Brothers.

Stamps:
Charity Stamps - Little Red Riding Hood (whole Set) - Issued: 11-02-2016 with special first day of Issue postmark

Germany: Schwetzingen

Schwetzingen is a german town situated in the northwest of Baden-Württemberg, around 10 km (6.2 mi) southwest of Heidelberg and 15 km (9.3 mi) southeast of Mannheim. Schwetzingen was mentioned as "Suezzingen" for the first time in 766, therefore the city is celebrating its 1250th Birthday this year. To commemorates this event the German Post issued a special stamp and postmark. Both you can see on the back of this card.

Stamp:
The 1250th Anniversary of the City of Schwetzingen - Issued: 02-01-2016 with special postmark

Germany: Bavarian Forest

The Bavarian Forest (German: Bayerischer Wald) is a wooded low-mountain region in Bavaria, Germany. It extends along the Czech border and is continued on the Czech side by the Šumava (Bohemian Forest). Geographically the Bavarian Forest and Bohemian Forest are sections of the same mountain range. A part of the Bavarian Forest belongs to the Bavarian Forest National Park (Nationalpark Bayerischer Wald) (240 km²), established in 1970 as the first national park in Germany. The highest mountain in the region is the Großer Arber ("Great Arber", 1,456 m)

Stamp:
Wild Germany - Bavarian Forest - Issued: 02-01-2016 with special postmark

Thanks to Julia for sending me this card in an envelope!

Switzerland: Lufthansa Airbus A319-100

On the card you can see a Airbus A319-100. The Airbus 319-100 is a single aisle, twin-engine jet manufactured by Airbus Industrie, the European consortium. It is part of the Airbus 320 family, the world’s best selling aircraft line. The A319 has the longest flying range in its category. The A319 is a shortened derivative of the highly successful A320, it is shorter by seven fuselage frames and otherwise almost identical in all other aspects.

On the back of the card you can see the new 2016 postmark of the Zürich Airport.

Stamps:
left: PTT-Series (from a set of four) - Issued: 05-09-1980
right: Tennis - Roger Federer - Issued: 10-04-2007


Many thanks to Hansjürg for this nice card and postmark!

Germany: Classic Cars

I received this two covers yesterday. On the covers you can see the current stamp issue from the german stamp series "Classic Cars". On the first cover you see the Ford Capri 1. The Ford Capri 1 is a fastback coupé that was built by Ford Motor Company from 1969 to 1973. Using the mechanical components from the Ford Cortina and intended as the European equivalent of the Ford Mustang for the European markets, the Capri went on to be a highly successful car for Ford, and sold nearly 1.9 million units in its lifetime.

Stamp:
Classic Cars "Ford Capri 1" (from a set of two) - Issued: 02-01-2016 with special first day of Issue postmark

On the second cover you can see the Porsche 911 Targa. This car is also known as the “safety cabriolet”. At its world premiere in 1965 at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt, Germany  it caused a stir; its “roll-over bar” was its unique selling point. The background: this was designed to protect the occupants' head area in the event of overturning.

Stamp:
Classic Cars "Porsche 911 Targa" (from a set of two) - Issued: 02-01-2016 with special first day of Issue postmark

Germany: Dresden Striezelmarkt

The Striezelmarkt in Dresden is one of Germany's oldest documented Christmas markets. Founded as a one-day market in 1434, it celebrated its 580th anniversary in 2014. The annual market lasts throughout the Advent season until Christmas Eve. Today the most famous features of Dresden Striezelmarkt are the world's largest usable Christmas arch with a breadth of 13.5 metres and a height of more than 5 metres and the 14-metre high Erzgebirge Christmas pyramid. One very well-loved tradition on a cold December night in Dresden is drinking steaming mugs of mulled wine at the Striezelmarkt. The hot red wine spiced with cloves and cinnamon is served in specially decorated mugs.

Stamp:
Merry Christmas (from a set two) - Issued: 27-11-2007 with special postmark (06.12.)

Germany: Freiberg

Freiberg is a university and mining town in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Its historic town centre has been placed under heritage conservation and is a chosen site for the proposed UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Ore Mountain Mining Region. Until 1969, the town was dominated for around 800 years by the mining and smelting industries.

The stamp on the card commemorates the 250th Anniversary of Freiberg University of Mining and Technology. It is a small German University of Technology with about 6000 students and established in 1765, by Prince Franz Xaver, regent of Saxony, based on plans by Friedrich Wilhelm von Oppel and Friedrich Anton von Heynitz, and is the oldest university of mining and metallurgy in the world. The chemical elements Indium (1863) and Germanium (1886) were discovered by scientists of Freiberg University.

Stamp:
The 250th Anniversary of Freiberg University of Mining and Technology - Issued: 03-12-2015 with special first day of Issue postmark


UPDATE 09-01-2016

Today I got another card. Its the same one like above, but this time with a different postmark

Åland: EUROPA Cover w/ Christmas Postmark

Today I also received a cover from Åland. I set up this cover myself. Buyed it at the Åland Post Webshop, added a stamp, sent it to Åland Post and asked for the special christmas postmark and to send it back to me. After a few weeks I got my cover back cancelled. And of course, I would like to show it here.

Stamp:
EUROPA "Old Toys" - Issued: 08-05-2015 with special christmas postmark


If you also like to send a cover to yourself from Åland, here is the address to send it to:

Posten Åland Frimärken
PB 1100
AX-22111 Mariehamn
Åland

Good Luck!