A postal history of Valenciennes, in “La Philatélie française”

Lhe president of the French Federation of Philatelic Associations (FFAP), Claude Désarménien, takes stock of the health consequences suffered by the activity of clubs specializing in the editorial of French Philately dated March-April. The Stamp Festival is well postponed from March 13-14 to September 25 and 26, provided the situation improves. Collectors are sure to follow the “News feed” on the FFAP website. Or is already, Phila-France 2021 which was to take place in Valenciennes (North), from May 21 to 24, 2021 is postponed to October 8 to 10.

M. Désarménien recalls that this site “Is an essential tool for properly promoting associations and our passion (…). The awarded collections [lors des compétitions philatéliques] can be put online and thus complement those already present for a long time ”, before calling for goodwill: “Philately in virtual mode cannot be done without arms”…

Echoing these concerns, Henri Taparel signs the first part of a six-page dossier entitled “The Federation of Philatelic Societies: The Difficult Years”, in which he evokes the consequences of the economic crisis of 1929, noting that “The 1930s are always a golden age for philately”. The many events, although paying, attract the world, the specialized trade “Is doing very well”, as evidenced by the many advertisements that flourish in the many specialized magazines, today there are only three.

The Federation of French Philatelic Societies (FSPF, ancestor of the FFAP), founded in 1922, took advantage of this enthusiasm. Later, “Despite all the problems linked to the occupation, the philatelic activity resumed in the spring of 1941. It even became one of the most popular derivatives in the difficult period the French were going through”. Henri Taparel evokes the particular situation of the associations of Alsace and Moselle, “Automatically attached to the Reichsbund der Philatelisten, the German philately federation”.

For its part, the State French “will also be interested in philatelists, a source of additional financial income”, with broadcasts “Promoting the cult of the leader and the ideology of the national revolution”.

And the “Fédé” in all of this? The FSPF, which has “Since the national congress of Montpellier in 1939 suspended its activities at the national level”, sees demonstrations flourish. “The resumption of federal activities begins to be really effective in November 1942 with the authorization to reappear from the Official bulletin of the Federation of French Philatelic Societies », the review of the FSPF. A publication which sanctions a resumption on the ground with for “climax” the organization of the Day of the stamp (interrupted since 1939) on April 19, 1942.

War or not, “The year 1942 only confirms this recovery” with the organization of numerous trade fairs and exhibitions “For almost all of a patriotic and / or ideological nature: prisoner’s salons, anti-Bolshevik exhibition, etc.” ».

And, the supreme reason for the stamp craze is “Fueled, among other things, by numerous stockbrokers speculating on metropolitan and colonial broadcasts. The stamp even becomes for some a safe haven in this troubled period ”. To illustrate his article, the author varies in the choice of documents: “subscription card to the review La Liaison philatélique for the year 1941, published by a philatelic association, Le Légionnaire philatéliste, whose head office is located in Nice” ; large format date stamp illustrated with the exhibition L’art du timbre, from November 29, 1941 in Paris; stamped souvenir card of the European France exhibition of April 12, 1942; Federal stamp day 1942 card, canceled with the large format illustrated date stamp from Toulouse…

The bimonthly review offers three themes: the first on the Cantal department illustrated by the stamps – Pope Gerbert, for example, who studied at the Benedictine abbey of Aurillac, or the famous volcanoes of Auvergne – and cancellations; the second on the Statue of Liberty and its many “replicas” in France, in Poitiers, Saint-Etienne, etc. ; the third titled “Promenade de Breteuil à Grenelle”, in Paris (stamps on Joséphine Baker, on Citroën or the Pasteur Institute; postcards on Necker hospital, the artesian well of Grenelle on place Georges-Mulot, or the viaduct bridge of Bir-Hakeim)…

Postal history with two pages on the Swiss automotive post, created in 1937, inaugurated at the Geneva Motor Show from March 12 to 21.

There are many special date stamps and “Between 1937 and 1967, there were three vehicles put into service” found on a stamp and postal stationery.

We end with a “postal history of Valenciennes”, which was to host the French philately championship in May. The file produced by Robert Dedecker focuses on postmarks in use before 1830. He recalls that “From the 14th century, the city’s accounts show the existence of communal messengers. The Tassis post office was created in the 16th century. This family carries mail across Europe and more particularly the Empire of Charles V (…). When Valenciennes joined France in 1678, the post office already existed. Gradually, from the second half of the 17th century, we see the place of departure appear on the front of the letters ”. The author presents a letter of November 9, 1666 taxed at 4 patards as well as a first known date with handwritten mark, letter dated July 31, 1675 for Lille taxed 3 sous…

The letters presented illustrate the appearance of various postal rules and tariffs calculated according to the distance traveled (varieties of stamped marks, linear numbered marks from 1792, stamps from February 1828, etc.).

Finally, Pascal Bandry went to meet Pierre Morel, who recounts his philatelic journey, starting with a father who gave him a stamp album when he was ten years old. Then, “In 1982, thanks to a friend of the family who was very well known in the philatelic world, Michel Liphschutz, I participated in Philexfrance with the FFAP team (…). I joined the Métrophilatélie association which I have not left since and whose workforce I regret (…). I continued to put myself at the disposal of the FFAP and Gaphil [dont il a intégré le bureau] to participate in the assembly and dismantling of various exhibitions (…) ”.

Pierre Morel collects France, Andorra and Monaco, even if he does not exhibit. He said to himself “Proud to be part of the team of small hands of the FFAP”.

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