*Published Summer 2024
Poland issued its first stamp in 1860, when it was ruled by the tsar of Russia (1). The stamp is modeled after the first Russian stamp, is inscribed in both Polish and Russian, and paid the postage for a one-ounce letter within Poland or to Russia. The tsar ended the use of this stamp in 1865, in response to an unsuccessful Polish insurrection. Although these stamps are over 160 years old, they cannot be considered scarce, since over 5 million were printed during the five years of usage.
1. This 10-kopeck stamp issued in 1860 was Poland’s first stamp. The “1” in the cancel shows that this stamp was used in Warsaw.
From 1865 until the end of World War I, postal services in Poland were provided by the empires occupying Poland: Russia, Germany, and Austria-Hungary (2). Collectors look for stamps with Polish postmarks from these empires.
2. These stamps were used in Poland during three different occupations before World War I. The 80-pfennig German stamp was used in Poznań. The 15-kreuzer Austrian stamp was used in Rzeszów. The 1-kopeck Russian stamp was used in Warsaw.
During World War I, German forces occupied the Polish areas formerly ruled by Russia. The Germans overprinted German stamps with “Russisch Polen” (Russian Poland) for these Polish areas (3). These were replaced by German stamps overprinted “Gen. – Gouv. Warschau” (General Government Warsaw, 4). These overprinted stamps are easily found, and give the collector a taste of World War I history.
Poland’s first stamps as an independent nation were created in 1918 by overprinting stamps originally designed for the local post in Warsaw (5). This issue was followed by the stamps issued by the German General Government occupation regime, overprinted with a second overprint reading “Poczta Polska” (Polish Post, 6). These stamps are also easily found, and provide the collector a souvenir of the second Polish republic.
Overprinting of Austrian stamps with “Poczta Polska” occurred in Kraków (7). These stamps are quite scarce, and counterfeits abound.
Similar to Germany and other countries of central Europe, Poland suffered extreme inflation in 1923. Stamp denominations reached as high as 2 million marks (8).
3. When Germany invaded Russian-occupied Poland during World War I, it first used German stamps overprinted “Russisch Polen,” meaning “Russian Poland.”
4. The “Russisch Polen” stamps were replaced by German stamps overprinted “Gen.-Gouv. Warschau,” meaning “General Government Warsaw.”
5. The newly independent republic of Poland issued its first stamps in November 1918 by overprinting stamps prepared for a local city post in Warsaw. The mermaid seen on the stamp is the symbol of Warsaw.
6. Newly independent Poland also overprinted stamps prepared by the Germans for use in their occupied area of the former Russian empire.
7. With the declaration of Polish independence in November 1918, postal authorities in Kraków overprinted Austrian stamps with “Poczta Polska” using a linotype machine.
8. A period of hyperinflation led to the printing of this 2 million Polish mark stamp in 1924. It was worth $0.21 in U.S. dollars when it was issued. Postally used copies are extremely scarce, since the stamp was in use only for a few days before the Polish mark was replaced by the złoty.
At the start of World War II, Germany annexed much of Poland that it had previously only occupied, and left the remainder of the country under another General Government regime. Many of the stamps issued in this period mocked Polish culture; for example, by describing Copernicus as a German astronomer (9).
9. This souvenir sheet issued by the Germans for occupied Poland during World War II describes Copernicus as a German astronomer.
Near the end of World War II in 1944, the Polish government, established in territory occupied by the Russians, issued a set of three stamps honoring Polish national heroes. The stamps featured Romuald Traugutt, who led the unsuccessful insurrection against the Russians in 1863; Tadeusz Kościuszko, who, after helping the United States in the Revolutionary War, led an unsuccessful insurrection against the Russians in 1794; and General Jan Dąbrowski, who fought with Kościuszko in the insurrection of 1794 and composed the Polish national anthem (10). These stamps are quite scarce, with a very strong demand from collectors, because within a week, the set was replaced by stamps printed in Moscow (11).
10. This is one from a set of stamps issued by the Polish Committee of National Liberation in Lublin in September 1944. At that point, the Germans still controlled Poland west of the Vistula river.
11. This stamp is one of a set printed by the Russians in Moscow to replace the three stamps described in stamp 10.
12. This stamp epitomizes the communist control of Poland in the 1950s. The 45-groszy stamp showing Stalin honors Polish-Russian friendship month. Showing Stalin on a postage stamp was particularly galling to most Poles, since Stalin ordered the murder of 22,000 Polish officers at Katyn in 1940.
Stamps of post-World War II Poland reflected communist control of society (12). Besides the stamps with overtly political themes, Poland issued many stamps with high artistic merit and quality (13). The renowned Czesław Słania started his career engraving stamps for the Polish post office in this period (14). One stamp (15) was even printed on silk! These stamps would be an asset to any collection.
13. An enormous stamp for an enormous painting. The 2.50-złoty stamp of 1960 measures 3¼ x 1⅝ inches. It shows “The Battle of Grunwald” by Jan Matejko. The original painting measures 32 feet 5 inches x 14 feet. It can be viewed at the National Museum in Warsaw.
14. The renowned stamp engraver Czesław Słania included himself on this stamp of 1952, as the automobile worker installing the front tire.
15. This 50-złoty stamp, printed on silk, marks the 400th anniversary of the Polish Post.
In 1979, the newly elected pope, John Paul II (born Karol Wojtyła in Wadowice, Second Polish Republic, and now venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church), made an official visit to Poland, an event recognized by the communist government with a stamp (16). How many other stamps are there showing a saint which were issued while the saint was still alive? Historians suggest that the enthusiasm generated by this visit may have started the process which led to the end of communism, not only in Poland, but eventually in Russia and its satellite countries.
In 1980, inspired in part by the pope’s visit, Lech Wałęsa founded the Solidarity trade union, independent from communist control (17). The communist regime reacted by imposing martial law in 1981, which in turn led to a massive increase in the number of Solidarity members. Solidarity printed labels, ostensibly for a clandestine post, which are now much sought after collectors’ items (18).
16. Pope John Paul II returned to Poland in 1979, and the Polish post office recognized his immense popularity with two stamps. The 1.50-złoty stamp shows him at St. Mary’s Basilica in Kraków. Pope John Paul II was canonized as a saint in 2014.
17. This 1500-złoty stamp marks the 10th anniversary of the formation of Solidarity. By 1990, the communist regime had been replaced by a democratically elected government.
18. Until free elections were held in 1989, the Solidarity trade union was forced to operate clandestinely. Numerous labels were printed in the name of Solidarity during this period. This one commemorates the deadly coal miners’ strike of December 16, 1981.
Besides telling the fascinating story of Poland’s history, the stamps of Poland also describe the geography and nature of Poland. Using stamps, a collector can travel from the scenic Tatra mountains in the south (19) to the Masurian lakes of northeast Poland (20) to the Baltic seacoast in the northwest (21) to a coal mine 1,000 feet underground in Silesia in the southwest (22). Poland is home to Europe’s only herd of native bison (23), and the nation has taken great pains to restore historic buildings like the Royal Palace in Warsaw (24) and Wawel Castle in Kraków (25). Stamps display various aspects of Polish culture, such as the celebrations of Christmas (26), Easter (27), and Dyngus Day (28). Collectors with an appetite for more should consider seeking out the item featured on stamp 29.
19. This 6-złoty miniature sheet of 2017 shows the Rysy peak of the Tatra mountains, the tallest in Poland.
20. This 40-groszy stamp of 1966 shows sailing on one of the numerous Masurian lakes of northeast Poland.
21. This 1.20-złoty miniature sheet of 1998 shows a gray seal on the shores of the Baltic Sea on the north coast of Poland.
22. Czesław Słania engraved this 90-groszy coal mine stamp of 1951.
23. This stamp of 1954 shows two members of the European bison herd native to Poland.
24. This 60-groszy stamp of 1971 celebrates the restoration of the Royal Palace in Warsaw.
25. This 40-groszy stamp, issued in 1925, shows Wawel Castle in Kraków on a hill overlooking the Vistula river.
26. This 1.35-złoty stamp of 2007 celebrates Christmas.
27. A carved wooden Easter egg decoration is shown on this 2.40-złoty stamp of 2007.
28. The cachet of this 2021 first day cover shows a Dyngus Day (the day after Easter) activity. Young men pursue young women by dousing them with water. Once doused, the women return the favor.
29. The 40-groszy stamp of 1959 depicts a boletus mushroom, known as borowik in Poland, an edible and choice mushroom.
Our Advice
For more information about the philately of Poland, contact the Polonus Polish Philatelic Society, www.polonus.org. Collectors seeking stamps of Poland are encouraged to check out the APS StampStore, or request circuit books from the APS circuit sales division.