Friday, July 21, 2017

Russia: Russian Museum of Photography

Yesterday I got four postcards: one from Russia, one from Germany and two from South Africa.

The card from Russia shows a World War I photo from the collection of the Russian Museum of Photography. The Russian Museum of Photography is located in Nizhny Novgorod and was opened in 1992. It houses unique collections of photographs.


With a related stamp:
100 years of the Great Russian Revolution (from set of four) (issued 02-03-2017)
The Great Russian Revolution includes several historical events, such as the February Revolution which resulted in the overthrow of the monarchy, the establishment of the Russian Provisional Government, the proclamation of Russia as a republic, the October Revolution and the establishment of the Soviet regime. The February Revolution took place in the context of heavy military setbacks during World War I, which left much of the Russian Army in a state of mutiny. In March 1918 the new Bolshevik leaders signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany, which ended Russia's participation in World War I.


Thank You very much Iuliia!

South Africa: Namaqualand

Yesterday I got four postcards: two from South Africa, one from Russia and one from Germany.

One of the cards from South Africa shows Namaqualand. Namaqualand is an arid region and popular tourist destination. It is known for its wild flowers blossoming between August and October.


With a great stamp:
50 years Krugerrand (from set of three) (issued 03-01-2017)
The coin design is relief embossed onto gold foiling.


Thank You very much Kyle!

South Africa: Old Vishuis in Yzerfontein

Yesterday I got four postcards: two from South Africa, one from Russia and one from Germany.

One of the cards from South Africa shows the Old Vishuis in Yzerfontein. Yzerfontein is a small harbour town on the west coast of South Africa about 90 km north of Cape Town. It is known for the longest uninterrupted sandy beach on the South African coastline.


With a great stamp:
50 years Krugerrand (from set of three) (issued 03-01-2017)
The coin design is relief embossed onto gold foiling.


Thank You very much Kyle!

Germany: History of Dinkelsbühl

Yesterday I got four postcards: one from Germany, two from South Africa and one from Russia.

The card from Germany is the Chronicle card of Dinkelsbühl. Dinkelsbühl was first mentioned in 1188 and in 1273 it became a Free Imperial Town. During the Thirty Years' War it repeatedly changed hands. Since 1806 it is a part of Bavaria. Due to its well-preserved Medieval town centre it is a popular tourist destination.


Stamp:
Saxon Switzerland (issued 02-06-2016)


Thank You very much Steffi!

Thursday, July 20, 2017

Germany: Hamburg with G20 Postmark

Yesterday I got two postcards: one from Germany and one from Finland.

The card from Germany shows the Nikolaifleet in Hamburg. The Nikolaifleet was the cradle of Hamburg's port in the 12th century. It is known for its old buildings.

On 7th and 8th July Hamburg hosted the G20 Summit, the twelfth meeting of the Group of Twenty. The summit was accompanied by violant riots and ended with a vague summary paper.  


Stamp:
German G20 Presidency (issued 01-03-2017)
with a special postmark about the G20 Summit


Finland: Moomin

Yesterday I got two postcards: one from Finland and one from Germany.

The card from Finland is a shaped Moomin card.


Stamp:
Sound of Silence (from set of three) (issued 24-02-2017)


Thank You very much Mirva!

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Japan: Dogo-onsen Hot Spring

Yesterday I got two postcards: one from Japan and one from Germany.

The card from Japan shows the Dogo-onsen Hot Spring in Matsuyama. The Dogo-onsen Hot Spring is the oldest spa in Japan and a popular tourist attraction. The Main Building is known as the model of the bathhouse in Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away.


With a nice stamp:
Super Mario (from set of ten) (issued 28-06-2017)
with a special postmark


Thank You very much Keiko!

Germany: Erfurt

This is my 100th postcard from a Postcrossing Meet-up. Big Thanks to everyone who thought of me during these special events! ^___^

Yesterday I got two postcards: one from Germany and one from Japan.

The card from Germany shows an aerial view of Erfurt. Erfurt is the capital and largest city of the German State of Thuringia. It is a logistics hub and rail junction. In 1501 Martin Luther started his studies in Erfurt and in 1505 he joined the Augustinian Monastery in Erfurt.

To commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation a group of Postcrossers organises a series of Meet-ups at important places in Martin Luther's life. The second of four was held on Saturday in Erfurt.


The card was signed during the Meet-up.
Stamp:
100th birthday of Heinz Sielmann (issued 08-06-2017)


Thank You very much Thomas!

cover from the USA

Yesterday I got not only two postcards but also a cover from the USA.

Stamp:
The Moon (issued 22-02-2016)


Inside were two postcards.

The first card shows the Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in the US State of Alaska. The Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve was established in 1980. It is a part of the largest non-polar icefield in the World and an important habitat for grizzly bears, caribou and dall sheep. Kluane / Wrangell-St. Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek are since 1979 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.


The second card shows the Petrified Forest National Park in the US State of Arizona. The Petrified Forest National Park was established in 1962. It is known for its large deposits of fossils and petrified wood.


Thank You very much Morgan!

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Thailand: old photo

Yesterday I got a postcard from Thailand.

It shows the photo "Solemn Procession of the King on the occasion of Buddha-Festival" by William Kennett Loftus.


Stamps:
72nd Birthday of King Bhumibol (from set of nine) (issued 21-10-1999)
Palaces (from set of six) (issued 05-12-1990)
International Letter Writing Week (from set of four) (issued 06-10-1996)


Thank You very much Jobbo!

Sunday, July 16, 2017

Germany: Villa Erckens in Grevenbroich

Yesterday I got a postcard from Germany.

It shows the Villa Erckens in Grevenbroich. The Villa Erckens was built in 1887 for an industrialist and his family. Due to the bankruptcy of their company after World War II the city bought the villa. In 1989 a museum was opened there and since 2012 it houses the Museum of the Lower-Rhenish Soul.


Stamp:
500th birthday of Lucas Cranach the Younger (issued 01-10-2015)


Thank You very much Marcel!

Belgium: Antwerp, Brugge and Brussels

On Thursday I got a postcard from Belgium.

It shows Antwerp, Brugge and Brussels.


Stamp:
Medical Breakthroughs (from set of five) (issued 12-06-2017)


Thank You very much William!

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

New Zealand: World War I poster

Today I got a postcard from New Zealand.

It shows the World War I poster "Boys! Come along You're Wanted" from the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington. The poster was created in 1915 by an unknown artist.


With related stamps:
1917 The Darkest Hour (three from set of ten) (issued 05-04-2017)
By 1917 soldiers and the home front had begun to lose faith in the ongoing war. During the Battle of Passchendaele in October 1917 New Zealand experienced the deadliest day in its military history.


Thank You very much Sharon!

cover from Germany

Today I got not only a postcard but also a cover from Germany.

Stamp:
250 years Freiberg University of Mining and Technology (issued 03-12-2015)


Inside was a postcard.

It shows Prince Hermann von Pückler-Muskau. You can read more about the Prince on my History Blog.


Thank You very much Babett!

Sunday, July 9, 2017

Germany: Branitz Park

Yesterday I got a cover from Germany.

Stamp:
250 years Freiberg University of Mining and Technology (issued 03-12-2015)


Inside was a postcard.

It shows the Branitz Park. The Branitz Park is a landscape garden in Cottbus in the German State of Brandenburg. It was created from 1845 onwards by Prince Hermann von Pückler-Muskau and there he spent the last years of his life. In the park there are two special pyramids which are unique in the World. Some years ago attempts failed, which planned an addition of the Branitz Park to the UNESCO World Heritage List.


Thank You very much Babett!

Friday, July 7, 2017

Germany: King's House on Schachen

Yesterday I got a postcard from Germany.

It shows the King's House on Schachen. The King's House on Schachen was built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria between 1869 and 1872. It is the least-known of his palaces. The exterior and the ground floor of the palace are rather modest, but the complete upper floor is occupied by the prestigious Turkish Room, which is decorated in an Oriental fashion. At the palace Ludwig often spent his birthday and namesday. Together with Neuschwanstein Castle, Linderhof Palace and Herrenchiemsee Castle the King's House on Schachen seeks for the inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List.


Stamp:
Saxon Switzerland (issued 02-06-2016)


Thank You very much Uschi!

cover from Germany

Yesterday I got not only a postcard but also a cover from Germany.

Stamp:
Christmas (issued 30-11-2016)


Inside were a postcard and a cover.

The postcard shows Moyland Castle. Moyland Castle was first mentioned in 1307. It is a moated castle and one of the most important neo-Gothic buildings in North Rhine-Westphalia. In 1696 Frederick I of Prussia bought the castle and used it as hunting lodge. In 1740 Frederick the Great met Voltaire at Moyland Castle. A charity acquired the castle in 1990 and renovated it. Since 1997 it houses a museum of modern art.


The cover was printed for the Tour de France 2017 and was cancelled with a special postmark about the second stage in Neuss.


Thank You very much Marcel!

Thursday, July 6, 2017

Italy: World War I in the Trentino

On Tuesday I got a postcard from Italy.

It shows three fortresses and one cemetery of World War I in the Trentino. At the beginning of World War I the Trentino was at the border between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Italy. To secure the border the Austro-Hungarian Empire built many fortresses along it. In 1915 Italy declared war on the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the border became a frontline. It was the first time that a war was fought in the high mountains. This part of the war became known as Gebirgskrieg ("Mountain War") in German and Guerra Bianca ("White War") in Italian. Around 11500 soldiers from the Trentino lost their lives and many towns and villages were destroyed. After World War I the Trentino became a part of Italy.


Stamps:
25 years National Association of Italian Singers (issued 17-03-2006)
Tourism (from set of three) (issued 24-03-2006)
Stamp Day (from set of three) (issued 29-11-1981)


Thank You very much Luciana!

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Germany: Market Church in Halle an der Saale

On Monday I got a postcard from Germany.

It shows the Market Church in Halle an der Saale. The Market Church was built between 1529 and 1554. Actually the church was planned as prestigious church for Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg and as bulwark against the sprawling Lutheran ideas, but in fact it became the place where Justus Jonas introduced the Reformation to Halle in 1541. Also Martin Luther preached in the church and after his death his corpse was laid out there. The church is also connected to the beginnings of Pietism and Enlightenment. Destroyed during World War II it was rebuilt shortly after.
I got this card a few weeks ago in a cover.


Stamp:
500 years Reformation (issued 13-04-2017)
with a special postmark also showing the Market Church


Thank You very much Amelie for sending me the card in an envelope!

covers from Germany

On Monday I got not only a postcard but also two covers from Germany.

Stamp:
500 years Reformation (issued 13-04-2017)
with a special postmark showing Hans Lufft


Stamp:
500 years Reformation (issued 13-04-2017)
with a special postmark from Zeitz


Monday, July 3, 2017

Netherlands: Giant Pandas at the Ouwehands Dierenpark

On Saturday I got two postcards: one from the Netherlands and one from France.

The card from the Netherlands shows the Giant Pandas at the Ouwehands Dierenpark. The Ouwehands Dierenpark is a zoo in Rhenen. It opened in 1932. By the end of the 1990s the zoo was practically bankrupt, but after a change of ownership in 2000 the zoo was modernised. The new owner also started attempts to get Giant Pandas for the zoo. On 12th April 2017 two Giant Pandas, Wu Wen (female) and Xing Ya (male), arrived at the zoo as loan from China. Since 30th May they can be visited by the public.


With matching stamps:
Personalied stamps "Giant Pandas"


Thank You very much Mike!

France: Gâteau Battu

On Saturday I got two postcards: one from France and one from the Netherlands.

The card from France shows a Gâteau Battu. Gâteau Battu is a type of Viennoiserie and a regional specialty of Picardy.


Stamp:
Centenary of the Entry of the USA to World War I (issued 23-06-2017)
with First Day Special Postmark
The USA remained neutral during World War I until they declared war on Germany on 6th April 1917, although they had already supplied the Entente countries earlier. Reasons for the entry included the resumption of the unrestricted submarine warfare and a secret offer to help Mexico regain territories lost in the Mexican-American War in the German Zimmermann Telegram. The USA were an independent power and did not officially join the Entente, but they closely cooperated militarily. American soldiers arrived in large numbers on the Western Front in the summer of 1918. 110000 US soldiers lost their lives during the war. 


Thank You very much William!

cover from Germany

On Saturday I got not only two postcards but also a cover from Germany.

Stamp:
Chocolate Cosmos (issued 03-12-2015)
with a special postmark about the 250th death anniversary of Georg Philipp Telemann

Georg Philipp Telemann was born in Magdeburg in 1681. He was a German composer of the Baroque and had big influence on the music of the first half of the 18th century. In 1721 he became musical director of Hamburg's five main churches. He had personal contacts with Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel. Georg Philipp Telemann died in Hamburg in 1767. 


Sunday, July 2, 2017

United Kingdom: Stonehenge

On Wednesday I got three postcards: one from the United Kingdom, one from Australia and one from Italy.

The card from the United Kingdom shows Stonehenge. Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument in England, whose purpose is still uncertain. It consists of a ring of menhirs and is said to have been used between 3000 BC and 2000 BC. Today it is one of the most famous landmarks in the United Kingdom and probably the best known prehistoric monument in Europe. Stonehenge, Avebury and the Associated Sites are since 1986 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.


Stamp:
Queen's Head


Thank You very much Claas and Christine!

Italy: Museo della Guerra in Vermiglio

On Wednesday I got three postcards: one from Italy, one from the United Kingdom and one from Australia.

The card from Italy shows the Museo della Guerra in Vermiglio. The Museo della Guerra in Vermiglio is a museum about the Mountain War during World War I and is based on the collection of Emilio Serra.


Stamps:
Fonte Avellana Monastery (issued 03-09-1980)
Juventus (issued 18-05-2002)
Tourism (from set of three) (issued 24-03-2006)
Artists (from set of five) (issued 27-06-1977)


Thank You very much Luciana!