World War II Overrun Nations Stamps: First Day of Issue Covers

On October 26, 1943, the U.S. issued a stamp to honor Yugoslavia in the Overrun Nations series of thirteen postage stamps. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt had been a stamp collector who had participated in the choice of subjects for stamps and their designs. He requested in 1942 that the U.S. Postmaster General Frank C. Walker contemplate the issuance of a series of stamps to honor the European nations which had been overrun or occupied by the Axis.

Yugoslavia had been invaded, occupied, and dismembered by Nazi Germany and the other Axis countries on April 6, 1941. A guerrilla resistance movement emerged under Draza Mihailovich who conducted a guerrilla war against the Axis occupation. Yugoslavia was an ally of the U.S., Great Britain, and the U.S.S.R. during World War II. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt had acknowledged the value of the Yugoslav resistance movement as early as 1941 in the context of American national interests. As a result, in 1943 Roosevelt sponsored the issuance of a U.S. postage stampt to honor and to commemorate Yugoslavia and the resistance movement in what was known as the “Overrun Nations” or “Occupied Nations” series of stamps.

FDR’s message to the overrun or occupied nations of Europe such as Yugoslavia was that the U.S. was a committed ally: “It might tell those suffering victims in Europe that we are struggling for their own regeneration.” In the border surrounding each national flag, Roosevelt suggested depicting the Phoenix, which is an ancient symbol of rebirth. The other side of each flag pictured a kneeling woman “breaking the shackles of oppression.” In 1943, stamps were issued for the following European countries overrun and occupied by the Axis powers: Poland, Czechoslovakia, Norway, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Greece, Yugoslavia, Albania, Austria, and Denmark. A U.S. postage stamp for Korea was issued in 1944. A sheetlet was also produced using this design. All of the stamps were of 5-cent denomination, 84/100 by 1 44/100 inches in dimension, arranged horizontally, and issued in sheets of 50 stamps each. 14,999,646 were issued of the Yugoslavia stamp. The Overrun Nations Stamps were designed, engraved, and printed by the American Bank Note Company of New York, NY. The first stamp issued was for Poland on June 22, 1943 while the last stamp issued was for Korea on November 2, 1944. In 1943, the U.S. postage rates were as follows: Domestic Letter Rate: 3¢ per oz.; Postcard Rate: 1¢; Air Mail Rate: 6¢ per oz.

A first day of issue cover is a stamped envelope or post card that was available at the post office where the stamp was first issued and which contained a cancellation stamp. The cancellation was usually specifically designed for the issue and had the words “First Day of Issue” stamped on the envelope or stamp. There were also official ceremonies to commemorate the first day of issue of a postage stamp.

First Day of Issue Covers (FDC) are highly sought after by stamp collectors. The major component of the First Day Covers are the cachets. Cachets are the artwork or graphics that are added to the envelope to tie-in or complement  the stamp subject. The cachets were designed and created by commercial artists and firms that specialized in the production of graphics for the postal service.  Cachets are sought after by collectors.

A First Day of Issue envelope or cover (FDC) from October  26, 1943, 9 AM, Washington, D.C., was issued in conjunction with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Overrun Nations series of stamps, John Walter Scott Catalogue #917. This one on Yugoslavia with the cachet by Smartcraft designed by Ludwig W. Staehle has an image of Draza Mihailovich based on the May 25, 1942 Time magazine cover by Vuk Vuchinich (1901–1974). The quote on the left, bottom, reads: “‘We will not give up!’ Gen. Draja Mihailovich.” (Click on image to enlarge.)

October 26, 1943 First Day of Issue cover in the Occupied Nations Series featured a photograph of Gen. Draza Mihajlovich and a man and a woman meeting on a street in a Yugoslavian town. On the right lower side is an image of two Chetnik guerrillas with rifles on a mountain crag overlooking a strategic point. The following description appears on the lower left corner: “Yugoslavia: Homeland of the ‘Chetnicks’ and other liberty loving groups.” The cachet is by Art Craft whose logo appears on the bottom left of the envelope. The cover was released in conjunction with the issuance of the 5 cent Yugoslavia stamp by the U.S. Postal Service in Washington, D.C.

A third First Day of Issue envelope or cover from October 26, 1943 for the U.S. Postal Service stamp on Yugoslavia featured Draza Mihailovich as the theme. The cachet or cover graphics are by Day Lowry for Aristocrat featuring a white eagle carrying the coat of arms of Yugoslavia past a flag of Yugoslavia with the following quote by Draza Mihailovich on the lower left corner: “‘Until the final Allied victory and until the unconditional surrender of the Axis we shall continue our fight.’ General Dragoljub Mihailovich.”

“Yugoslavia Fights For Liberation.” The cachet is by Ludwig W. Staehle for Cachet Craft. A map of Yugoslavia is depicted with the capital Belgrade in red and a Yugoslavian red, white, and blue flag in the background. An eagle is shown on a crag above the letter “V” in red under chains and a red Nazi swastika.

The October 26, 1943 First Day of Issue cover presented a cachet drawn by Dorothy W. Knapp for Fleetwood with the statement: “Salute to Yugoslavia: A valiant spirit is unconquerable.”

A First Day of Issue cover from October 26, 1943 featured the red, white, and blue flag of Yugoslavia under the title “Yugoslavia” above the coat of arms. The central subjects of the stamps, all surface printed, reproduce in natural colors the national flags of the thirteen countries with the name of the country appearing underneath. Rays of light emanate out from behind the central subjects to the outer frames. The main frames of the stamps, all steel engraved, are printed in purple and portray on the left the Phoenix, a mythological bird symbolizing the rebirth and the renewal of life. On the right, an image is shown that balances the left side image of a kneeling female figure depicting the breaking of the shackles or iron chains of oppression and enforced servitude. Both figures stand on pedestals which contain oval-shaped panels with dark ground wherein the numeral “5″ is shown in white. The pedestals rest on a panel, in which is displayed the word “Cents” in a white-faced Roman font. In the back of the wording the panel is of a darker shade which gradually fades out at each end. At the top of the stamps are the words “United States Postage” in white-faced Gothic font, which is within a ruled panel with ornamental scroll ends.

The First Day of Issue cover featured a cachet by House of Farnum with a coat of arms of Yugoslavia in red with the statement: “Yugoslavia: The United States honors the over-run countries of Europe. First Day Cover.” There were no new Regular Issue stamps, no new Special Delivery stamps, and no new Air Mail stamps issued in 1943 in the U.S. Three commemorative stamps were issued in 1943: The 2¢ Allied Nations United for Victory stamp, The 1¢ Four Freedoms Issue stamp, and the twelve Overrun Nations “Flag” stamps. A 5¢ denomination, which was the foreign rate for first class postage in 1943, was selected so the stamps could be used on overseas mail.

October 26, 1943 First Day of Issue cover: A U.S. and a Yugoslavian flag are intertwined above the statement: “United States of America honoring the oppressed nation Yugoslavia”. The cachet is by Grimsland. The Michael A. Mellone Catalogue listing is #8.

The First Day Issue Cover featured the title “Occupied Nations: Honoring Yugoslavia” with the statement: “Yugoslavia, its territory center of dispute and war from days of Christ down, has been no freer of trouble since its statehood was launched around the peace table of World War I. Of Slavic forbears, its constituent peoples have kindred origin and leanings. And during its statehood, while groups within have ever been at each others’ throats, when the enemy of peace was outside its border, the wranglers have invariably rallied to the common cause. And now, the common enemy the Axis powers, and the country ‘conquered,’ its people give the least evidence of being subjugated of any of the over-run countries. Never has there been a period when arms were laid down by all Yugoslav factions! Certainly Yugoslavs make poor slaves, to the yokes of Hitler and Mussolini!”

“U.S. Honors the Occupied Nations in Europe.” The cachet is by Ludwig W. Staehle in New York, N.Y. The flag of Yugoslavia is on the bottom right. There are twelve countries and flags in all. In 1944, a stamp would be issued for Korea, which was occupied by Japan.

“Honoring the ‘Overrun’ Nations of Europe now occupied by the Axis Powers. They shall be free!” A 1943 sheetlet in the Overrun Nations Series featuring Yugoslavia was designed by the artist and cachetmaker Ludwig W. Staehle and published by Frederick H. Dietz. The sheet has the designation: National Poster Stamp Society Certificate No. 161. The sheet is listed as Design A2 on page 77 of The Cachet Catalog of Staehle & Knapp by M. Douglas Parks, Ogllala, Nebraska, 1981. The approximate sheet size is 3.6in x 4.95mm.

The “Overrun Nations” First Day of Issue cover was drawn by Dorothy W. Knapp for Fleetwood, featuring U.S. Postage Stamps #909 to #920 in the John Walter Scott Catalogue for the 12 European nations occupied by the Axis: “Salute to the overrun nations: Freedom will prevail.” A country stamp for Korea was issued in 1944, #921 in the Scott Catalogue. This sheet was issued on December 7, 1943, the second anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. From 1894 to 1943, all U.S. postage stamps had been produced by the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP). The BEP, however, did not have the production facilities needed to do the multi-color printing on the national stamps. Instead, the task was assigned to the American Bank Note Company. In place of the usual plate number on each pane, the name of the country was printed, so that the covers in the series display a complete set of “plate blocks ” of the stamps in the set.

“They will rise and be free again!” The 1943 poster stamp series was drawn by Ludwig W. Staehle and published by Frederick H. Dietz: “A Set of 12 Different Poster Stamps, in 5 Colors, Honoring the 12 ‘Overrun’ Nations of Europe, now Occupied by the Axis Powers, with Year of Occupation. A Series of 12 5c Mulitcolored postage Stamps Will be issued by the U.S. Government, Starting with Poland on June 22, 1943, And, the Other Countries on Various other Dates, in their fight for Liberation.” Approved by The National Poster Stamp Society, Chicago, Ill., Certificate No. 162.

“Free Yugoslavia”: October 26, 1943 FDC with the cachet artwork hand-drawn and hand-painted by Mae Weigand. A man in chains is shown with the flag of Yugoslavia in the background.

“Free Yugoslavia”: October 26, 1943 FDC hand-drawn and hand-painted by Mae Weigand. A flag of Yugoslavia is shown with the double-headed white eagle symbol of Serbia.

The Flag of Yugoslavia Stamp, Scott Catalogue #917, U.S. Postal Service 5¢ Stamps issued on October 26, 1943, in Washington, D.C. One of the thirteen in the Overrun Countries Series that honored the 12 European countries and Korea, which were overrun and occupied by the Axis powers during World War II. The inclusion of Austria was controversial, however, because of the 1938 Anschluss or union with Germany. Popular support for a union with Germany was strong even before the March 11, 1938 coup. A referendum on union had been planned and after the annexation by Germany a plebiscite was held that affirmed public support for the union. Austria was Adolf Hitler’s birthplace and support for his regime remained strong there throughout the war.

The stamps emphasized the post-war period when the occupied countries would re-emerge as independent and united once again. On the left was a Phoenix symbolizing national regeneration while on the right was the symbol of a captive breaking their chains. In the center was the national flag under “United States Postage”. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing, a part of the U.S. Treasury Department, contracted with the American Bank Note Company of New York, N.Y., to have the stamps printed because they possessed special multi-color printing equipment. All the nations represented by the stamps were regarded as allies of the United States during the war.

The issuance of the “Overrun Nations” series of stamps by the United States government in 1943 and 1944 exemplified the support, commitment, and solidarity for the European and Asian countries overrun and occupied by the Axis powers during World War II.

Bibliography

Baur, Brian C. Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Stamps of the United States 1933-1945. Sidney, OH: Linn’s Stamp News, 1993.

Baur, Brian C.  Franklin D. Roosevelt: The Stamp Collecting President. Sidney, OH: Linn’s Stamp News, 1999.

Johl, Max G. United States Commemorative Stamps of the 20th Century. NY: H.L. Lindquist, 1947.

Kloetzel, James E. “Proofs of Overrun Countries Stamps in National Postal Museum Archive.” Scott Stamp Monthly, 27: 12 (December, 2009), pp. 12-14.

Lawrence, Ken. “U.S. Stamps that Went to War: The Overrun Countries of 1943 and 1944 .” American Philatelist, 112: 1 ( January, 1998), pp. 48-74.

Stiles, Kent B. “U.S. Series Honors Allies.” New York Times, May 16, 1943.