Uruguay - 2013 - Tribute to Harald Edelstam
Options:
SERIE --- 4,20 EUR
SERIE [2X2] --- 15,00 EUR
BLOCK --- 35,00 EUR
FDC not Sent --- 5,60 EUR
FDC Sent on First Day --- 9,00 EUR
FDC Sent on First Day [1x2] --- 12,00 EUR
COVER Sent on First Day --- 6,00 EUR
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Issue information:
Country: Uruguay
Date: March 17th, 2013
Printed: 15.003 copies
Stamp Shape and Size: Rectangular [27 mm. x 39 mm.]
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated
Block Configuration: 9 stamps [3 x 3]
Block Shape and Size: Rectangular [117 mm. x 148 mm.]
FDC Type: Normal
FDC Shape and Size: Rectangular [165 mm. x 105 mm.]
Cover Shape and Size: Rectangular [241 mm. x 159 mm.]
Catalogue information:
Michel: No Data Available
Ivert: No Data Available
Scott: No Data Available
Stanley & Gibbons: No Data Available
Topics:
Issue:
This issue tribute the remarkable courage and moral integrity of swedish diplomat Gustav Harald Edelstam, that through all his career, saved many lives from the threat of different totalitarian regimes. For his work in Chile during Pinochet dictatorship, is particulary remembered in Uruguay, as many citizen of this county were saved by his help.
The stamp was issued the exact day in which Harald Edelstam would have been celebrating his 100 years birthday, if he had not passed away almost 24 years before, suffering cancer.
The desing of the stamps shows a nice portrait of Harald Edelstam, surely at age of fifty, wearing suit, shirt, and tie, made by plastic Artist Mary Porto Casas.
Then, besides the legend: "Homenaje a Harald Edelstam", in english "Tribute to Harald Edelstam", and the years of his birth and passed away, it also adds in the top-left corner, the map of Sweeden painted with the yellow over blue cross that shapes the sweedish flag.
Gustav Harald Edelstam, was born on March 17th of 1913, and passed away on April 16th of 1989, was a Swedish diplomat, remembered for his work on Norway during the Second World War, when he protected and rescued people of the Jewish faith and members of the resistance against pro-Nazi regime of Vidkun Quisling, and for his work later, in Chile in 1973, where he rescued and protected many political refugees from Augusto Pinochet's military dictatorship.
During World War II he earned the nickname "Svarta nejlikan", in english: "the Black Pimpernel", as a reference to the "Scarlet Pimpernel", a play and novel written by Baroness Emmuska Orczy, that represent the original hero with a secret identity. Later, he also was named "the Raoul Wallenberg of the seventies", as Raoul Wallenberg was also a Swedish man that is widely celebrated for his successful efforts to rescue tens of thousands to about one hundred thousand Jews in Nazi-occupied Hungary during the Holocaust from Hungarian Fascists and the Nazis during the later stages of World War II.
He came from a noble family in Sweden, his parents were Gustaf Fabian Edelstam-Chamberlain of the Svea Court - and Hilma Dickinson (1866-1945). He studied at the Military Academy Kalberg, graduating with high marks. In 1939 he studied law, graduating as a lawyer at the University of Stockholm. That same year he was recruited as a diplomatic attaché for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden and called to make his first official visit to Rome.
In 1941 he was sent to the Swedish embassy in Berlin in Nazi Germany. He was then transferred to Oslo, where he was assigned from 1942 to 1944. It is in these two places where Edelstam demanded the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, the right to help Jewish families in Berlin and protect those who fought in the resistance against the collaborationist Norwegian government. There he was given the nickname Black Pimpernel (Svarta nejlikan), who kept the rest of his life.
In 1969 he was sent as ambassador to Guatemala, also representing Sweden in other Central American countries. In those years the country was immersed in an armed conflict and most foreign diplomats feared for their safety. Protected by armed guards Edelstam met with various groups and popular organizations fighting for human rights for better know their living reality, and in order to denounce human rights violations in Guatemala.
He came to Chile in 1972, when he ruled the socialist president Salvador Allende Gossens, who represented the coalition of leftist parties and organizations Chileans. The popular and leftist government headed by Allende began to carry out various social reforms that were viewed negatively by the U.S. government, large corporations, politicians and a large part of Chilean society.
In 1973, Gen. Augusto Pinochet and other Chilean military troops deployed in different cities of Chile, starting a coup. Edelstam looked for ways to help people of Swedish nationality, asking for help from his diplomatic colleagues. Gave asylum to more than 500 Chilean political refugees, saved 40 Uruguayan refugees (including Raul Rodriguez Leles da Silva) to be shot at the National Stadium, developed by the coup government in a concentration camp for political prisoners. Edelstam personally responsible for moving the refugees in the embassy vehicle up to the steps of the plane that brought them out of Chile.
The military dictatorship declared Persona non grata and had to leave Chile in December 1973.
He ended his diplomatic career in Algeria, where he served as ambassador from 1974 to 1979.
One avenue of Montevideo bears his name since 2005.
A film about Edelstam's activities in Chile, named "The Black Pimpernel", was released in September of 2007. The film was directed by Ulf Hultberg, and Edelstam was portrayed by Michael Nyqvist.
Edelstam was married to Agneta Louise von Rosen in 1939-57, with Natascha Michew between 1959 and 1963, and with Christine Colmáin. He had three children from his first marriage: Carl, Hans and Erik . He died of cancer in 1989. His brother is a lawyer and Ambassador Ernst Axel Edestam (1924 -).
Sweden, in Swedish "Sverige", officially "the Kingdom of Sweden", is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. Sweden borders Norway and Finland, and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Øresund.
At 450,295 square kilometres (173,860 sq mi), Sweden is the third-largest country in the European Union by area, with a total population of about 9.5 million. Sweden has a low population density of 21 inhabitants per square kilometre (54 /sq mi) with the population mostly concentrated to the southern half of the country. About 85% of the population live in urban areas. Sweden's capital city is Stockholm, which is also the largest city.
Since the early 19th century Sweden has been at peace and has avoided war.
Today, Sweden is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy form of government and a highly developed economy. Sweden has the world's eighth-highest per capita income. In 2011, it ranked fourth in the world in The Economist's Democracy Index, seventh in the 2013 United Nations' Human Development Index (third on the inequality-adjusted HDI) and third on the 2012 Legatum Prosperity Index.
In 2012, the World Economic Forum ranked Sweden as the fourth-most competitive country in the world. According to the United Nations, it has the third-lowest infant mortality rate in the world. In 2010, Sweden also had one of the lowest Gini coefficients of all developed countries (0.25), making Sweden one of the world's most equal countries in terms of income. Sweden's wealth, however, is distributed much less equally than its income, with a wealth Gini coefficient of 0.85, which is higher than the European average of 0.8.
In 2013, The Economist declared that the Nordic countries "are probably the best-governed in the world," with Sweden in first place. Also in 2013, The Reputation Institute declared Sweden to be the 2nd most reputable country on earth.
The flag of Sweden is a Scandinavian cross that extends to the edges of the flag. This Scandinavian cross represents Christianity. The design and colours of the Swedish flag are believed to have been inspired by the present Coat of arms of Sweden of 1442, which is blue divided quarterly by a cross pattée of gold, and modelled on the Danish flag. Blue and yellow have been used as Swedish colours at least since King Magnus III's royal coat of arms of 1275.
Scandinavian cross is the term for a type of cross in vexillology, proliferent in the Nordic Cross flags, hence the name. However, Scandinavian crosses do not only appear in flags in the Nordic countries but all around the world and the term is used universally by vexillologists.
The cross design, which represents Christianity, is depicted extending to the edges of the flag with the vertical part of the cross shifted to the hoist side, rather than centred on the flag.
The first flag with the design was the Danish Dannebrog; thereafter, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, and some of their subdivisions used this as inspiration for their own flags. The Norwegian flag was the first Nordic cross flag with three colours. Though the flags share this pattern, they have individual histories and symbolism.
Mary Porto Casas, whose complete name is "María Esther Porto Casas" was born in Montevideo on December 22, 1960, and at a young age begins his first works in drawing and painting.
She took courses of Graphic advertising at the School of Applied Arts "Pedro Figari", getting there first prize with the creation of a logo for "Administración de Ferrocarriles del Estado (AFE)", the Goverment Railway Administration.
He also worked for the Church of Montevideo "St. Madeleine Sophie Barbat" (biblical themes).
Then, invited by "Junta Departamental de Montevideo", the Departmental Board of Montevideo, integrates with other painters an exhibition to honor the Afro-Uruguayans.
Also, for several years, holds a permanent exhibition in the "Mercado Central “Mundo Afro”", and in "Asociación Cultural Social Uruguay Negro (ACSUN)", two uruguayan Social and Cultural Association of afro-american people.
And provided his drawings for the book "Los Tambores del Candombe", in englis "Candombe drums" of Luis Ferreira and the cover of the book "Yeninyanya" of Oscar Montaño.
Block:
The block only decoration is the four maps of Sweeden to show the inks used in printing the issue, and the same legend that appears in the stamp "Homenaje a Harald Edelstam".
FDC:
The desing of the First Day Cancelation, shows a nice fusion of the Uruguayan and Swedish Flags inside a dotted oval, and besides the legend that appears in both, the stamp and the block, it also includes the phrase "Simplemente no tolero las injusticias", that in english means: "Simply I do not tolerate injustices", that is a well known quotation of Harald Edelstam, and surely the fuel of all of his heroic acts.
If you consider that there are another topics in this stamp, that were not spot in this review, you are encouraged to telling me about them, so please do not hesitate to post a comment. I would appreciate your help very much.
