The International Website for People Interested in Netherlands+Philately!
Special situations in history, such as war-time conditions and pre-philately
After the September 1944 Battle of Arnhem hospitals were evacuated in early 1945. One location for the patients was an emergency hospital in Nunspeet, unfortunately some 60 kilometers away from Arnhem. It was situated in an empty barack camp of the Arbeidsdienst. It was in …
During the Second World War Winterhelp, short for “Stichting Winterhulp Nederland” (the Netherlands Winterhulp Foundation), was the national-socialist organization that took over all social aid from the government in the Netherlands. Part of the funds came from lotteries and stamps.
The outbreak of Second World War didn’t came as a real surprise. On August 28, 1939 the mobilization in the Netherlands was announced. Also larger enterprises were prepared and the Dutch Post Office launched in September 1939 a booklet ‘Luchtbescherming’ (Air protection). It was issued …
In the old days workers for P.T.T. started young and had a life long career at the post office. Newcomers got a good training and in 1955 a book was published (95 pages!) ‘Wegwijzer voor jeugdig ptt personeel’ (Guide for youthful PTT staff).
Belgium, together with Luxembourg, sent a UN-contingent to Korea in 1951. This contingent, the Belgian United Nations Command (BUNC), consisted exclusively of volunteer soldiers: 3.171 Belgians and 78 Luxembourgers.
Sending a telegram used to be the best way to get a message across quickly. In the age of the (steam) ship it could take weeks or months before normal mail arrived. Airmail was faster of course, but even that could still take quite some …
The 35th president of the United States of America, John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) was murdered on November 22nd, 1963. The whole world was in shock, however it was not unique that a U.S. president was murdered when still on service. He was the fourth U.S. …
Censorship in wartime is nothing special. What happened with this postcard from the occupied Netherlands (31-05-1940) to Batavia, Dutch East Indies, is therefore not rare. The two-line red stamp “Gecensureerd” (censored) is very common.
In case the sender needed a proof of delivery he could pay for an Avis de réception. The addressee had to sign this Avis de réception and the post office of arrival stamped the card on the day of arrival and sends the card back …
After the Second World War Dutch business men tried to continue their business with foreign clients as before. This was not always easy, as postal connections were disturbed. Also with the Czech capital Prague, which had been with Bohemia and Moravia a protectorate of Nazi …
door 
door 
