Refugees On Stamps

Honduras issued a stamp honoring the 50th anniversary of the UNHCR and calling for respect toward refugees (2001). The international day of refugees on the 20th of June is mentioned.

Here are images of the two similar stamps in a set depicting the Holy Family's Flight to Egypt, designed after a painting by Spanish Neoclassic painter Francisco Bayeu y Subias (1734-1795), printed by photogravure, and issued by Spain on January 23, 1961 to publicize World Refugee Year, Scott Nos. 969 & 970, plus an image of Bayeu's original oil on canvas painting, La Huida a Egipto (1795).

- nethryk

1989, almost 30 years ago, Jordan called attention to the plight of refugees. Today Jordan houses and helps several million refugees, some in camps like Zaatari (part of which is shown in the photograph) in the north of the country, uncounted others spread across the entire nation. Support from the UN is indicated by the logo. (bonus: Hand supporting a small family)





(Hi Nethryk, your Bayeus are nice additions at this time of year. K.)

Kris Rascher - Thanks! Glad you liked 'em.

Here are images of three stamps depicting, respectively, a seated dancer; a religious scholar; and a metalworker, designed by J. Barde, overprinted with the World Refugee Year uprooted oak emblem (Aide aux réfugiés), and issued by Mauritania in 1962. Notes: These three stamps were originally issued without the overprints on December 15, 1960, Scott Nos. 129, 130 and 132. The first two stamps were engraved by Georges Bétemps (1921-1992), and the third stamp was engraved by Claude Hertenberger (1912-2002).

- nethryk

The Bridge of Daphne in Syria can already be seen on the bridge thread (11/21/2014). The red overprint seen on this issue of 1926 was done for charity to refugees of the Great Syrian Revolt of 1925-1927. Thousands of Druse were killed and many more made homeless in their attempt to become independent of French rule. The French did not leave until after the 2nd World War.

The 27th of January is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. A good day to remember Oskar Schindler who helped over 1200 Jews escape deportation. Many settled in Israel after the war. "And whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world." from the Talmud was dedicated to him. (The stamp of 2008 has a very similar color to that of the original list.)

Pope Francis extends a welcome to refugees (2016).



(I know that this stamp appeared on the thread for hands, but on this day, it seems proper to submit it here as well. K.)

It's worth reading up on some of the many international agreements, conventions and accords relating to the status of refugees. Swiss stamp of 2009 commemorating the Geneva Convention of 1949.

It has been decades since the people of Somalia were able to live in peace in their own land. Over a million are refugees in Kenya and Ethiopia.

Burundian refugees in Tanzania receive some aid from Oxfam and from the UNHCR - but their means are rapidly dwindling. Tanzania now provides for over 110,000 Burundians in for example, camp Nyagurusu.

Romania
The 50th Anniversary of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
July 26, 2001
The design shows UNHCR50 logo and a portrait of George Palade (1912 - 2008), a refugee from Romania after it came under the Soviet Union in 1947, and later became a Nobel Prize laureate in 1974.

Hungary
The 50th Anniversary of UNHCR
April 18, 2001
UNHCR50 emblem, stylized group of refugees

Jordan continues to be a safe haven for hundreds of thousands of refugees, at present primarily from Syria, for example at the Al Za'atari camp. Stamps belong to a huge set of 58 issued in 1969, when Jordan was safe haven to Palestinians. Data 2017.

Shortly after the Three Magi visited the Holy Family, they had to flee from the Roman soldiers of Herod. The Palestinian Authority issued a set of stamps (1999) featuring one of the murals by Giotto which can be seen in the church of Scrovegni, Italy. (See also the Spanish set above, 10/28/2016.)

During the freezing final days of January 1945, thousands of refugees, mostly women and children but also wounded soldiers had fled to the harbor of Gdynia, close to Danzig, Poland. An estimated 10,000+ people boarded the liner Wilhelm Gustloff, hoping to reach the safety of German ports. The ship was torpedoed by a Russian submarine and sank that night of the 30th of January. Some counts of lost lives go beyond 9,000 people, making this the greatest marine disaster in history. The stamp of 1934 shows the Gustloff before it was launched but with Mediterranean flowers because she was meant to be a cruise ship.


(Photo: Scene from docudrama made in 2008)