1320) Concentration Camps, Liberation, Israel : 75 years ago (1945-2020): A commemorative postage stamp issued by Israel Post on Concentration Camps, Displaced Person's Camps and creation of Eretz Israel (The "Land of Israel") : Date of Stamp issue: 21.04.2020:
About Concentration Camps - Liberation - 75 Years Ago:
After the annihilation of six million Jews, some three million Jews remained in Europe, including Concentration Camp survivors.
The liberation of the camps began with Auschwitz in Poland, which was liberated on 27.01.1945, followed by camps in Germany, until the German's final surrender on 08.05.1945.
However, the liberation of Europe and of the Concentration Camps from the Nazi regime did not bring about the freedom longed for by Jews seeking to escape from the horror and establish new lives for themselves.
The gates of immigration to America and Aliyah to Eretz, Israel (meaning "the Land of Israel") under the British mandate were locked.
Extended stay in the erstwhile Concentration Camps converted into "Displaced Persons Camps":
Concentration Camp survivors who refused to return to their native countries were considered "displaced persons" and placed in camps under the auspices of the Western Allies in Germany, Austria and Italy.
Thus, Concentration Camp survivors found themselves once again behind barbed wire fences where they were "liberated but not free".
They were joined by tens of thousands of Jewish survivors and refugees from countries that had been conquered by the Nazis, including many who survived and returned from the USSR to Poland, only to encounter murderous anti-Semitism which forced them to flee to the displaced persons camps. The number of displaced persons and refugees in these camps reached 250,000, mostly in Germany and mainly in the American-held area of Bavaria.
Turning the Displaced Persons Camps into centres of social, cultural, educational & political activity:
Extended stay in the erstwhile Concentration Camps converted into "Displaced Persons Camps":
Concentration Camp survivors who refused to return to their native countries were considered "displaced persons" and placed in camps under the auspices of the Western Allies in Germany, Austria and Italy.
Thus, Concentration Camp survivors found themselves once again behind barbed wire fences where they were "liberated but not free".
They were joined by tens of thousands of Jewish survivors and refugees from countries that had been conquered by the Nazis, including many who survived and returned from the USSR to Poland, only to encounter murderous anti-Semitism which forced them to flee to the displaced persons camps. The number of displaced persons and refugees in these camps reached 250,000, mostly in Germany and mainly in the American-held area of Bavaria.
Turning the Displaced Persons Camps into centres of social, cultural, educational & political activity:
Despite the harsh conditions and while struggling against the occupying regimes, the Jewish survivors created an autonomous authority of sorts and turned the displaced persons camps into centres of widespread social, cultural, educational and political activity. They considered themselves to be the "surviving remnants" of European Jewry and strove towards national resurrection, uniting to fight to open the gates of Eretz Israel (the "Land of Israel") and establish the State of Israel.
Their efforts were supported by envoys from Jewish Aid Organisations, especially those sent from Eretz Israel, who came together to demand a solution to the problem of the displaced Jews by allowing Aliyah and forming the State of Israel.
Liberation on the way:
Displaced Jews played an active role in the illegal immigration to Eretz Israel "Ha'apala", despite being deported from the shores of Eretz Israel to internment camps in Cyprus. The height of this struggle was symbolised by the ship Exodus in 1947 and victory was achieved with the passing of the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine on 29.11.1947.
When the State of Israel was established, Holocaust survivors became free, rather than only liberated, completing the journey from Holocaust to Resurrection.
The Bergen-Belson Declaration:
The Bergen-Belson Concentration Camp was liberated by the British Army on 15.04.1945. The largest concentration camp on German soil, it was the only camp that was turned into a displaced persons camp, once it was liberated and it became the nerve centre for survivors in the occupied British zone.
Bergen-Belson was the model for the survivors' initiative, national organisation, for the creation of a self governing system as a sort of nation in-the-making and for the fight for Aliyah to Eretz Israel. Participants in the Congress for the Surviving Remnant held in 09/1945 in Bergen-Belson were met with the Central Committee's Declaration - "Open the Gates of Eretz Israel".
These included representatives of the survivors, envoys from Eretz, Israel and Jews from Western countries, representatives of the British authorities and journalists from around the world.
The Declaration, as featured on this stamp, also appeared on the cover of the festive edition of the Bergen-Belson surviving remnant journal called - "Our Voice".
The Commemorative Stamp:
At right is the commemorative stamp cancelled with a Special Handstamp/postmark titled "75 years Concentration Camp Liberation". The Cancellation is dated -"21.04.2020".
The Souvenir Leaf is titled "75 Years Concentratiuon Camp's Liberation and bears a cancelled Commemorative Stamp.
The Technical Details:
Stamp issue Date: 21.04.2020
Printer: Cartor Security Printing, France
Process: Offset
Stamp size: H30/W40
Links to more posts from ICMC, Israel:
Gates of Jerusalem Coin Series:
1) "Jaffa Gate, Jerusalem", Israel: First Coin in the "Gates of Jerusalem" Coin Series: Gold & Silver Bullion Coins issued by the Israel Coins and Medals Corporation (ICMC) and minted by the Holy Land Mint in 2017:
3) "Damascus Gate", Jerusalem, Israel: Third Coin in the "Gates of Jerusalem" Coin Series: Gold and Silver Bullion Coins issued by the Israel Coins and Medals Corporation (ICMC) and minted by the Holy Land Mint in 2018 (with the year of issue as 2019):
4) "New Gate", Jerusalem, Israel: Fourth Coin in the "Gates of Jerusalem" Coin Series: Gold and Silver Bullion Coins issued by the Isral Coins and Medals Corporation (ICMC) and minted by the Holy Land Mint in 2019
5) "Golden Gate", Jerusalem, Israel: Fifth Coin in the "Gates of Jerusalem" Coin Series: Gold and Silver Bullion Coins issued by the Israel Coins and Medals Corporation (ICMC) and minted by the Holy Land Mint in 2019
"Views of Jerusalem" Gold and Silver Bullion Coin Series:
2) The City of David: Fourth Coin in the Gold and Silver Bullion Coin Series issued by ICMC, Israel & the Holy Land Mint, Israel (2019)
"Ancient Cities of the Holy Land Gold and Silver Bullion Coin Series":
1) Old Jaffa, Israel: The "Ancient Cities of the Holy Land" Gold & Silver Bullion Coin Series minted by the Israel Coinsand Medals Corporation (ICMC) through the Holy Land Mint: Date of issue: 01.03.2020
Gates of Jerusalem Coin Series:
1) "Jaffa Gate, Jerusalem", Israel: First Coin in the "Gates of Jerusalem" Coin Series: Gold & Silver Bullion Coins issued by the Israel Coins and Medals Corporation (ICMC) and minted by the Holy Land Mint in 2017:
3) "Damascus Gate", Jerusalem, Israel: Third Coin in the "Gates of Jerusalem" Coin Series: Gold and Silver Bullion Coins issued by the Israel Coins and Medals Corporation (ICMC) and minted by the Holy Land Mint in 2018 (with the year of issue as 2019):
4) "New Gate", Jerusalem, Israel: Fourth Coin in the "Gates of Jerusalem" Coin Series: Gold and Silver Bullion Coins issued by the Isral Coins and Medals Corporation (ICMC) and minted by the Holy Land Mint in 2019
5) "Golden Gate", Jerusalem, Israel: Fifth Coin in the "Gates of Jerusalem" Coin Series: Gold and Silver Bullion Coins issued by the Israel Coins and Medals Corporation (ICMC) and minted by the Holy Land Mint in 2019
Birds of Israel Coin Series:
Other interesting posts from Israel:
2) Centenary of the Battle of Haifa, Israel: Eretz, fought in September 2018 by the Indian cavalry comprising Jodhpur and Mysore Lancers against German and Turkish troops: A commemorative stamp brought out by Israel Post on 06.02.2018:
3) Butterflies of Israel: A Series of Eight Coins issued by the Israel Coins and Medals Corporation (ICMC), minted by the Holy Land Mint (2018)
3) Butterflies of Israel: A Series of Eight Coins issued by the Israel Coins and Medals Corporation (ICMC), minted by the Holy Land Mint (2018)
5) "Jerusalem Windmill", Israel: The Ninth Coin in the Jerusalem of Gold Bullion Coin Series: Issue Year: 2019
6) "The Twelve Spies", ICMC, Israel: 23rd Coin in the Biblical Art series: Gold 10 & 1 New Israeli Shekel (NIS) and Silver 2 & 1 New Israeli Shekel (NIS) Coins issued by the Holy Land Mint:
7) Ancient Roman Arenas (in Israel): A set of three Stamps issued by Israel Post on 19.12.2017
8) Banknotes of the New Israeli Shekel (NIS): Series "A" (1985-1989), Series "B" (1999-2017) and Series "C" (2014 to Present Day)
9) Flowers of Israel: A set of eight Silver Medals issued by Israel Coin and Medals Corporation (ICMC) featuring the - Poppy Anemone, Cyclamen, Common Narcissus, Bristly Hollyhock, Common Caper, Crown Daisies, Steven's Meadow Saffron and Dark Purple Iris: Issue Year: 2019
10) Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel: 50th Anniversary Celebrations: A stamp of NIS 5.0 issued by Israel Post: Date of Stamp issue: 05.01.2020
11) Concentration Camps, Liberation, Israel: 75 years ago (1945-2020): A commemorative postage stamp issued by Israel Post on Concentration Camps, Displaced Person's Camps and creation of Eretz Israel (The "Land of Israel"): Date of Stamp issue: 21.04.2020:
6) "The Twelve Spies", ICMC, Israel: 23rd Coin in the Biblical Art series: Gold 10 & 1 New Israeli Shekel (NIS) and Silver 2 & 1 New Israeli Shekel (NIS) Coins issued by the Holy Land Mint:
7) Ancient Roman Arenas (in Israel): A set of three Stamps issued by Israel Post on 19.12.2017
8) Banknotes of the New Israeli Shekel (NIS): Series "A" (1985-1989), Series "B" (1999-2017) and Series "C" (2014 to Present Day)
9) Flowers of Israel: A set of eight Silver Medals issued by Israel Coin and Medals Corporation (ICMC) featuring the - Poppy Anemone, Cyclamen, Common Narcissus, Bristly Hollyhock, Common Caper, Crown Daisies, Steven's Meadow Saffron and Dark Purple Iris: Issue Year: 2019
10) Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel: 50th Anniversary Celebrations: A stamp of NIS 5.0 issued by Israel Post: Date of Stamp issue: 05.01.2020
11) Concentration Camps, Liberation, Israel: 75 years ago (1945-2020): A commemorative postage stamp issued by Israel Post on Concentration Camps, Displaced Person's Camps and creation of Eretz Israel (The "Land of Israel"): Date of Stamp issue: 21.04.2020:
"Views of Jerusalem" Gold and Silver Bullion Coin Series:
2) The City of David: Fourth Coin in the Gold and Silver Bullion Coin Series issued by ICMC, Israel & the Holy Land Mint, Israel (2019)
"Ancient Cities of the Holy Land Gold and Silver Bullion Coin Series":
1) Old Jaffa, Israel: The "Ancient Cities of the Holy Land" Gold & Silver Bullion Coin Series minted by the Israel Coinsand Medals Corporation (ICMC) through the Holy Land Mint: Date of issue: 01.03.2020
For some other interesting posts from Italy/The Vatican, please visit the following links:
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