Sweden 1960 - Hjalmar Branting

Karl Hjalmar Branting was a Swedish politician born on 23 November 1860. In fact, to say he was a successful politician would be somewhat of an understatement. He held the position of Prime Minister of Sweden not once or even twice, but three times (1920, 1921–1923, and 1924–1925)! Not only that, he was the leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party from 1907 to 1925.

Interestingly, Branting's career didn't begin in politics. Branting attended Uppsala University in Stockholm, where he studied mathematical astronomy. He even worked as an assistant at the Stockholm Observatory. But in 1884 he gave up this burgeoning career to work as a journalist. It was in this capacity that he published an article written by the radical socialist, Axel Danielsson. This landed both himself and Danielsson in prison. Branting eventually served three months in prison in 1888.

 In 1889, a year after his incarceration, Branting's career focus shifted yet again when he became one of the main organizers of the Swedish Social Democratic Party. And he was the first member of this party in Parliament from 1896. From this point he never looked back and went on to have a stellar political career. In 1921 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in the League of Nations, sharing the prize with the Norwegian Christian Lous Lange. Karl Hjalmar Branting died on 24 February 1925.

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On 23 November 1960 Sweden issued a set of two stamps to commemorate the birth centenary of Karl Hjalmar Branting. The designer of the issue was H. Sallberg. Czeslaw Slania was the engraver. The issue consisted two stamps of the same design in two values - 15o and 1,70k. The issue was printed in vertical coil format (pictured below) and booklet format.

I have seen the portrait that this design is based on, and I must say Slania has done a superlative job capturing the details in this engraving. From the intensity of the eyes to the superb moustache this is indeed another great engraved portrait by the master. 

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

Poland 1953 - Kościuszko Uprising

Tadeusz Kościuszko, full name Andrzej Tadeusz Bonawentura Kościuszko, was a famous Polish military leader born on either 4 or 12 February 1746 in the  Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, in a village now located in Belarus. Kościuszko fought in the American Revolutionary War and he was the Commander-in-Chief of Polish forces in an uprising against imperial Russia. This uprising has been quite logically called 'The Kościuszko Uprising'. The uprising began on 24 March 1794, when Kościuszko announced his intention to lead a rebellion against the Russians in the Krakow town square. He rounded up the population into an army, hoping to counteract the superior number of Russian forces. He vowed as leader of the uprising:

"not to use these powers to oppress any person, but to defend the integrity of the borders of Poland, regain the independence of the nation, and to strengthen universal liberties."

After an early success at Racławice on 4 April 1794, the Russians re-gathered and managed to push Kościuszko and his forces into Warsaw. After defending Warsaw for several months the Russians broke through and captured Kościuszko on 10 October. He was subsequently imprisoned and the Russians took control of the city, massacring over 20,000 Warsaw citizens in the process. This began what was known as the Third Partition of Poland. And the country of Poland ceased to exist for the next 123 years.

Several geographic features bear his name, including Mount Kościuszko, the tallest mountain in Australia. There is also a Kościuszko Island in Alaska. See HERE for more information on Kościuszko.

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On 30 November 1954 Poland issued a set of three stamps commemorating the 160th Anniversary of the Kościuszko Uprising. One of the values, the 60 GR, was engraved by Czeslaw Slania. This stamp is, in my eyes, a supreme work of art.

The design of this stamp is based on a painting by Jan Matejko. It depicts Commander-in-Chief Kościuszko riding among his insurgent army as they cheer him on. 

As if the general detail in this stamp were not enough, Slania has gone a step further and add a few of his 'hidden' words for which he is now famous. Below is a copy of the stamp with the areas in which the hidden words or 'microprints' can be found highlighted in boxes marked 1 to 3.

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If we zoom in on box 1 the date I.X.54 can be discerned.

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Box 2 reveals the name 'Majewska', which is the name of Slania's sister.

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Box 3 contains the name of his sister 'Lodzia', the diminutive for 'Leokadia.

The zoomed images have been taken from the Heindorffhus website.

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!