Refugees On Stamps

Carl Lutz, a diplomat and second-in-command at the Swiss Embassy in Budapest, saved tens of thousands of persecuted Hungarian Jews from death during World War II. His humanitarian action is considered the greatest civil rescue operation of Jews during the Holocaust. Lutz negotiated directly and shrewdly with Adolf Eichmann, the deviser of the Holocaust and issued thousands of fake passes for Jews. He was awarded the title of 'Righteous Among the Nations' by Yad Vashem.

Bulgaria commemorated the work of the UNHCR in 2001 with a stamp showing what appear to be African refugees and a rainbow of hope. In 2015 Bulgaria's border to Turkey was closed to refugees trying to reach European countries further north.

June 20th is World Refugee Day. I think this is one of the best designs for honoring the UNHCR to have been issued. People of all parts of the world make the sign of protection. South Korea, 2010.

Each of the three UN centers, New York, Geneva and Vienna issued a "Protection for Refugees" stamp in April 1994. They, and the cancellations, were drawn by the French artist Francoise Peyroux. (They are among my favorites in my 'hands' collection.)

Belgium did not leave its colony Congo peacefully. In the early 1960s Belgians and people of Belgian descent feared for their lives and had to leave; an airlift/airbridge brought out many civilians and brought in many UN peacekeepers. The US Air Force was also involved in the airlift.

The charity stamp issued by Greece 2001, commemorating 50 years of UNHCR. (Bonus: the barbed wire, which looks like razor wire)

Panama overprinted an earlier stamp (1953) for the UN International Year of Refugees (1959-60).

Here are images of the two semi-postal (charity) stamps in a set depicting the World Refugee Year uprooted oak tree emblem, designed and engraved by French artist Albert Decaris (1901-1988), and issued by Togo on April 7, 1960, Scott Nos. B15 & B16.

- nethryk

The design on this Bangladesh commemorative for 50 years of UNHCR has a distinct similarity to the ones on the UN stamps of a few days ago (1/23), note cliffs at the bottom corners.



(Hi Nethryk, nice Decaris, so similar to the earlier ones - I wonder how many he did? K.)

Way back in 1974 Egypt expressed its sympathy for Palestinian Refugees on this stamp.

Morocco 7 April 1960

Germany
40 Years of the Geneva Refugee Convention
July 9, 1991
The 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees is a United Nations multilateral treaty that defines who is a refugee and sets out their rights and the legal obligations of states.
A key provision of the Convention makes clear that refugees should not be returned to a country where they fear persecution. The Convention also defines refugees' obligations towards their host government and spells out that certain categories of people such as war criminals, shall not qualify for refugee status.

Belgium
World Refugee Relief
March 11, 1967
The semipostal sheet (6F + 14F) raises fund for the UN Refugee Agency. The designs show refugees from Tibet and Africa.
(Designer: Herman Verbaere)

Pakistan
The 50th Anniversary of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
December 14, 2000
The stamp commemorates the formation of UNHCR on December 14, 1950.