Famous Women On Stamps And Covers

Countess Ilona Zrínyi (Croatian: Jelena Zrinska, 1643-1703) is a national heroine of Hungary and Croatia for her leadership in the 17th century struggle for liberation from the absolutist Austrian Habsburg dynasty. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of the combative countess, designed by Hungarian artist György Konecsni (1908-1970), printed by photogravure, and issued by Hungary on June 1, 1944 as one of six stamps in a "famous women" set, Scott No. 630, plus an image of a 19th century likeness of Ilona Zrínyi.

- nethryk

Yuk (aka Yook) Young-soo (1925-1974) was the wife of Park Chung-hee (1917-1979), the third president of South Korea, and the mother of incumbent South Korean president Park Geun-hye. On August 15, 1974, South Korean Independence Day, Yuk was shot and killed by a North Korean sympathizer during an attempt to assassinate her husband. Here are images of a souvenir sheet issued in memory of Yuk Young-soo, designed by Chun Hee-han, printed by photogravure, and issued by (South) Korea on November 29, 1974, Scott No. 922a, plus images of one of the four similar stamps contained within the sheet featuring a portrait of Yuk Young-soo, Scott No. 919, a photo of the First Lady, and a translation of a poem her husband composed the day after Yuk's state funeral. Historical note: Five years later, President Park Chung-hee was also assassinated, shot dead by the director of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA).

- nethryk




Like a Long Magnolia Blossom Bending to the Wind
Under heavy silence
Of a house in mourning
Only the cry of cicadas
Maam, maam, maam
Seem to long for you who is now gone
Under the August sun
The Indian Lilacs turn crimson
As if trying to heal the wounds of the mind
My wife has departed alone
Only I am left
Like a lone magnolia blossom bending to the wind
Where can I appeal
The sadness of a broken heart.

- Park Chung-hee

Happy Birthday to German educator and politician Christine Teusch (1888-1968)! Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Teusch, designed by German artist Gerd Aretz (1930-2009), engraved by Polish engraver Jacek Kanior (1952- ) and German engraver Wolfgang Mauer, and issued by Germany (West Berlin) on November 13, 1986, Scott No. 9N520, Michel No. 770, plus a photograph of Christine Teusch in 1925.

- nethryk

Happy Birthday to Belva Ann Bennett Lockwood (1830-1917), an American attorney, politician, educator, author and women's rights activist who was the first woman to appear on official ballots as a candidate for President of the United States (in 1884 and 1888, on the ticket of the National Equal Rights Party). Here is an image of a definitive stamp featuring a portrait of Lockwood, designed by American artist Christopher Calle (1961- ), engraved by Joseph S. Creamer, Jr. (1923-2000), and issued by the USA on June 18, 1986, plus an image of a first day cover bearing this stamp, and a detail from a portrait of Belva A. Lockwood by American photographer Mathew B. Brady (1822-1896) which was surely the model for this stamp's design.

- nethryk

Micaela Bastidas Puyucahua (1745-1781) was an important indigenous leader against Spanish rule in South America and a martyr for Peruvian independence. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Bastidas, printed by lithography, and issued by Peru on September 8, 1975 to commemorate International Women's Year and Year of Peruvian Women, Scott No. 626, plus an image of a painting of Micaela Bastidas Puyucahua.

- nethryk

Here is an image of an airmail stamp featuring a portrait of María de Jesús Páramo de Collazos, a Colombian educator who founded Colombia's first normal school for women in 1875, designed by Hungarian-born Colombian artist Imre von Mosdóssy (1904-1995), printed by lithography (De la Rue de Colombia), and issued by Colombia on August 31, 1975 to publicize International Women's Year (IWY), Scott No. C624.

- nethryk

Happy Birthday to Maria Ilyinichna Ulyanova (1878-1937, a Russian Bolshevik, and a younger sister of Vladimir Lenin, who in 1935 was appointed to the Central Executive Committee of the Soviet Union. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Ulyanova, designed by Russian artist Yuri A. Lukianov, printed by photogravure, and issued by Russia (USSR) on January 30, 1968, Scott No. 3238, Zagorski No. 3512, plus an image of a photograph of Maria Ilyinichna Ulyanova.

- nethryk

Jeannette Ryder (?-1931 ) was an American philanthropist who lived in Cuba and in 1906 founded Bando de Piedad de Cuba, a humanitarian organization also known as the Humane Society of Children, Animals and Plants. Here is an image of a se-tenant pair of stamps (the second of which is airmail) depicting, respectively: a boy with dogs and a cat, and a portrait of Jeannette Ryder, engraved by Cia. P. Fernandez, S.A., Havana, and issued by Cuba on July 17, 1957 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of Bando de Piedad, Scott No. C163a.

- nethryk

Happy Birthday to German pedagogue and feminist Helene Lange (1848-1930). Here is an image of a stamp honoring Lange, designed by H. and S. Förtsch, von Baumgarten, combined engraved and lithography, and issued by Germany on January 15, 1974, Scott No. 1129, Michel No. 792, plus an image of an 1899 portrait photo of Helene Lange by the Hofatelier Elvira photo studio.

- nethryk

Ludwika Wawrzynska (1908-1955) was a Polish teacher who became a national hero for sacrificing her life to rescue four children from a burning house in which they had been locked by their parents when they left for work. Here is an image of one of a set of two similar stamps honoring Wawrzynska, printed by photogravure, and issued by Poland on September 17, 1956, Scott No. 742, plus an image of a photograph of Ludwika Wawrzynska which was a model for this stamp's design.

- nethryk

Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Portuguese teacher, journalist, feminist, and spiritualist Maria Veleda (pseudonym of Maria Carolina Frederico Crispim (1871-1955), designed by Vasco Marques after a photograph, printed by lithography, and issued by Portugal on October 5, 2009 as one of a set of eight stamps honoring "Women of the Republic," plus an image of another photo of Maria Veleda.

- nethryk

Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Indira Gandhi (1917-1984), the only female Prime Minister of India, designed by Yuri Bronfenbrener, printed by lithography, and issued by Russia (USSR) on December 28, 1984, a couple of months after her assassination by two of her Sikh bodyguards, Scott No. 5325, Zagorski No. 5519, plus an image of an autographed photograph of Indira Gandhi in 1983.

- nethryk