This is a survey of the postage stamps and

postal history Postal history is the study of postal systems and how they operate and, or, the study of the use of postage stamps and covers and associated postal artifacts illustrating historical episodes in the development of postal systems. The term is at ...

Czechoslovakia , rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי, , common_name = Czechoslovakia , life_span = 1918–19391945–1992 , p1 = Austria-Hungary , image_p1 ...

. Czechoslovakia was a country in

Central Europe Central Europe is an area of Europe between Western Europe and Eastern Europe, based on a common historical, social and cultural identity. The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) between Catholicism and Protestantism significantly shaped the a ...

which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the

Austro-Hungarian Empire Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...

, until 1992. From 1939 to 1945 the state did not have

de facto ''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with '' de jure'' ("by l ...

existence, due to its forced division and partial incorporation into

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

, but the Czechoslovak government-in-exile nevertheless continued to exist during this time period. On 1 January 1993 Czechoslovakia peacefully split into the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

and

Slovakia Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the ...

Austria-Hungary

Before the establishment of the Czechoslovak Republic, stamps of the Austro-Hungarian Empire were used and remained valid until 15 March 1919.

First Republic

Stamps

The first stamps were issued in October 1918. The Hradčany Castle stamps illustrate the castle in

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

with the sun symbolically rising behind it is synonymous with the birth of the new state though the sun does not actually rise behind the castle. The stamps, designed by graphic designer Alphonse Mucha, an exponent of

Art Nouveau Art Nouveau (; ) is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. The style is known by different names in different languages: in German, in Italian, in Catalan, and also known as the Modern ...

living in Prague, was chosen from the more than ten submitted designs. Mucha's reason for choosing the castle motif was because: Osvobozeni3

The issue comes in two distinct sets with fifty-three different stamps that can be classified by five different types. The words ''Pošta Česko-Slovenská'' are arranged around the two sides and top of the first set while on the second set ''Česko-Slovenská'' is in one line under the main castle design. The different types show slight variations in the design but several errors exist that include plate faults and flaws as well as different printing plates. Fewer variations exist in succeeding issues because the Ministry of Posts' designers, engravers and print mills improved their skills with experience. The first of several stamps illustrate Thomas Masaryk, the country's first president, followed in 1920 with three denominations of 125h, 500h and 1000h designed by Max Švabinský. That year also saw two allegorical sets issued showing a stylised

carrier pigeon The homing pigeon, also called the mail pigeon or messenger pigeon, is a variety of domestic pigeons (''Columba livia domestica'') derived from the wild rock dove, selectively bred for its ability to find its way home over extremely long distan ...

in six values and referred to by some as ''Dove stamps'', and the ten denominations of ''The Chainbreaker,'' symbolising the country, shows a woman breaking free from the chain of bondage. Both these sets also exist in tete-beche pairs due to a booklet printing plate layout proposed by a private company who were going to use the gutter for advertising as well as pay the printing costs, however, even though the stamps had been printed, the booklet deal never happened. NespaperStampCzechoslovakia1918Michel13

Newspaper stamps

At the same time as the Hradčany Castle stamps were issued in 1918, two newspaper stamps in 2h and 10h denominations, also designed by Alphonse Mucha were released. More values were added over time; 6h, 20h and 30h in 1919 and 5h, 50h and 100h in 1920. A few design variations and varieties exist. The 5h value, first released in September 1920 holds the record for the largest number of stamps printed being 3.6 billion. These stamps were also overprinted for use in East Silesia in 1920 and for a discounted commercial printed matter rate in 1934 and a 2h was overprinted 5h to supplement the supply of that denomination. StampSilesienOriental1920Michel25

East Silesia

In 1920, Czechoslovak stamps overprinted ''S O 1920'' and Polish stamps overprinted ''S.O. 1920'' were issued for use in Cieszyn Silesia, an area disputed between Czechoslovakia and Poland.

Military post

In 1919 and 1920 the Czechoslovak Army in Siberia issued stamps for military posts and use on the Siberian Railway.

World War II

A German Protectorate was established over Bohemia and Moravia, the Czech areas of Czechoslovakia, between 1939 and 1945 following the

German occupation of Czechoslovakia German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **G ...

. Over 100 stamps were issued including definitive and

commemorative A commemorative is an object made to memorialize something. Commemorative may refer to: * Commemorative coin, coins that issued to commemorate something * Commemorative medal, a medal to commemorate something * Commemorative plaque, a plate typic ...

issues, charity stamps, newspaper stamps and official stamps.

Post war

After World War II, Czechoslovakia was re-established and regular issues of Czechoslovakia resumed in 1945.

Last stamps

The last stamp of Czechoslovakia was issued on 18 December 1992 and marked ''Stamp Day''. Although the Czech Republic and Slovakia officially separated on 1 January 1993, the stamps of Czechoslovakia continued to be valid for the payment of postage in both countries until the end of July 1993.

References

External links

Czechoslovak and Czech Republic stamps

Czechoslovak Philatelic Society of Great Britain

Society for Czechoslovak Philately
US based society

{{PostalhistoryEurope History of Czechoslovakia