12. 2. 2009

Kunc: Postal History of World War I



A letter sent by member of Indian troops fighting at Western Frontmailed at British field post office # 25 in 1918; franked with one stamp issued for Indian Expeditionary Forces (I.E.F.)

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CD book consisting of .PDF file, written in English language
Published in Prague in 2007
Price: EUR 14,-; GBP 12,-; UDS 23,-; CAD 23,-; AUD 23,- incl. worldwide postage
Contact: Lubor Kunc,
lubor.kunc@seznam.cz

I started to write this text to make stamp collectors more familiar with political, historical and postal aspects of the war. And not only with the WWI events occurred in Europe, but also in Overseas, because this war affected really whole world.

My intention was to make the book as a philatelic guide to the WWI. The reader finds information about military events, impact of the military operations on civil postal service incl. stamp production, field post offices of fighting countries, censorships, forgeries, new weapons used in the conflict etc.

The book briefly introduced the world before the Great War started in period 1870-1914: from the French-Prussian war through the American – Spanish War & Boxer Rebellion to the Balkan Wars. The text has been divided into individual chapters separately dealing with countries participating in the war showing their position in the conflict and any specific issues being unique only for them. This attitude pays attention not only to the large nations (like Germany, France, Great Britain or USA), but also to the smaller ones (Portugal, Greece, Bosnia etc.).

Important part of the text deals with events occurred in the Eastern part of Europe: Austro-Hungary, Poland, Balkan, Russia and Ottoman Empire. The author summarized the key players in the countries and briefly introduced difference military troops affecting the postal operation and political situation in the countries. Because the conflict continued in many of the territories after the WWI, this post-war development was included into the book: see for example the chapter on Civil War in Russia discussing the White, Red and Black Armies participating in the conflict, and its impact on issuance of local and military issues.

The chapter also discusses the foreign troops stationed at the Russian territory of that time.

All the chapters are accompanied with many illustrations in colours showing the postage stamps, civil and military covers, propaganda material, postcards and photos illustrating the military events, military equipment and so on.

I am proud to say that the CD book was displayed at world philatelic exhibition PRAGA 2008 and awarded with Silver Medal.

To give you a short view of the book, the enclosed 30 pages extract was prepared:
http://www.japhila.cz/hof/0481/index0481a.htm / http://www.exponet.info/

I hope you enjoy the book and find there new information and philatelic material.
Any comments and additions from the readers´ side are welcome !

Yours
Lubor Kunc
Czech Philately On Line:
http://www.czech-stamps.org