Focus on Stamps 04/2005 - Die Schweizerische Post

<strong>Focus</strong> on stamps 

The Collector’s Magazine Issue 4/2005 

A cultural microcosm: Meyrin and its special stamp 

Half a millennium: the Vatican’s Swiss Guard 

Heartwarming Christmas traditions 

Current forms of delivery 

for standing orders: Page 6

2 

Contents 

2 Editorial 

3 New products 

6 Service included 

Added value for our customers 

7 Zeppelin NT airmail jubilee 

Two special covers 

8 Special stamps pro juventute 

All children are equal 

12 Special Stamp, 

IOC Official Stamp 

and Picture Postcard 

Olympic Games Turin 2006 

15 2006 issue programme 

16 Stamp Day 2005 

Multicultural Meyrin 

18 Special cover USPS 

Stamp Day 

19 Picture postcard 

Stamp Day 

20 Joint Issue 

Vatican City/Switzerland 

500 years of the Swiss Guard 

24 Special Stamps 

Christmas Customs 

26 Year Book 

“la collection suisse 2005” 

28 Year Set and 

Year Set of FDCs 2005 

30 Christmas card and 

special cover 

Bethlehem 

31 Speaking for ourselves 

Cover page: 

Multicultural cohabitation – 

Theme of Stamp Day 

Photo: Keystone 

Editorial 

Committed to Swiss Youth 

Dear Reader 

For Swiss Post “credibility” is a key part 

of its public image – an image that is 

enhanced by its sponsoring programmes. 

“2 Weihnachten” (Christmas Twice 

Over) and “Aktion Christkind” (Christ 

Child Campaign) are Swiss Post social 

activities that have a high profile in 

Switzerland. Sometimes, however, people 

tend to forget one social field with a 

vital future impact in which Swiss Post 

has for decades been playing an 

indispensable role for Swiss youth: the 

pro juventute Foundation derives 

85 percent of its funds from the sale 

of about 12 million postage stamps with 

a premium, around 20 percent of them 

sold over post office counters and 

80 percent through the Foundation’s 

activities, mainly by schoolchildren. 

Being able to go on holiday for once – 

something certain parents were never 

able to afford; being able to pedal 

the long way to school on your own bike 

at last, despite a tight family budget; 

being able to talk to someone when 

there’s trouble at home or at school … 

People often don’t realize that pro juventute 

is behind these and many other 

good deeds. The telephone help-line 

147, the Internet platform tschau.ch, aid 

for the family, holiday passes and traineeships 

are just some of its many services. 

Yes – pro juventute does indeed sell 

stamps, as generations of Swiss well 

know. They all rattled door-knockers 

when they were young to sell these 

very stamps. But very few are aware of 

what is done with the stamp proceeds 

in pro juventute’s 190 districts, thanks to 

its 8000 volunteers. 

To ensure the general public does not 

associate pro juventute primarily with 

making money but, above all, with 

its actual services, the Foundation’s 

structures have been streamlined 

in recent years, under the direction of 

former Councillor of State Christine 

Beerli. The decentralized organization 

has been upgraded, while fresh blood 

has been brought into the Central 

Secretariat, especially in marketing and 

communication. 

Swiss Post supports the pro juventute 

Foundation in its efforts to promote children 

and their development. 

Photo: T+T Fotografie, Zurich 

pro juventute has had to change with 

the times, and now its motto is: Do good 

and let people know about it! This 

approach helps the Foundation, and 

at the same time strengthens the social 

reputation of Swiss Post. 

Peter Graf, 

Member of the foundation 

board pro juventute; 

Head of Public Affairs, 

Swiss Post

New Products 

First day of issue of stamps and postal stationery 

22.11.2005 

Zeppelin NT airmail jubilee 12.10.2005 

Set with 

2 special covers 

Special cover Berne– 

Basle and special cover 

Basle–Kreuzlingen 

each one franked 

with a “Zeppelin NT” 

postage stamp 

of CHF 1.80 

1090 911 only 

484 

Kinderrechte 

Droits de l'enfant 

Diritti del fanciullo 

Children’s rights 

85 + 40 c. Begegnung 

La rencontre 

Incontrarsi 

Encounter 

85 + 40 c. Spiel 

Le jeu 

Voglia di giocare 

Play 

100 + 50 c. Austausch 

L’échange 

Comunicare 

Exchange 

100 + 50 c. Vorfreude 

Le rêve de Noël 

La gioia dell’attesa 

Pleasure of anticipation 

Gestaltung/Conception/Realizzazione/Design 

Angelo Boog, Wallisellen 

Flexodruck/Impression flexographique/Stampa flessografica/Flexo printing 

Permapack AG, Rorschach, Schweiz 

Sondermarken 


Timbres-poste spéciaux 

Francobolli speciali 

Special stamps 

Pro Juventute 

Kinderrechte 

Droits de l'enfant 

Diritti del fanciullo 

Children’s rights 

85 + 40 c. Begegnung 

La rencontre 

Incontrarsi 

Encounter 

85 + 40 c. Spiel 

Le jeu 

Voglia di giocare 

Play 

100 + 50 c. Austausch 

L’échange 

Comunicare 

Exchange 

100 + 50 c. Vorfreude 

Le rêve de Noël 

La gioia dell’attesa 



Angelo Boog, Wallisellen 

Flexodruck/Impression flexographique/ 

Stampa flessografica/Flexo printing 

Permapack AG, Rorschach, Schweiz 

Die Schweizerische Post 

Briefmarken und Philatelie 

Kundendienst 

Ostermundigenstrasse 91 

3030 Bern 

CHF 32.00 (will be delivered with the orders of 22.11.2005) 

638 



Kundendienst 


3030 Bern 

Special stamps with surcharge 22.11.2005 

pro juventute “Childen’s rights – All children are equal” CHF 1.50 (1.00+0.50) Exchange 

CHF 1.25 (0.85+0.40) Encounter CHF 1.50 (1.00+0.50) Pleasure 

CHF 1.25 (0.85+0.40) Play of anticipation (Christmas motif) 

Set 

1083 150 

1083 550 

CHF 5.50 

Set of 

blocks of four 

1083 160 

1083 560 

CHF 22.00 

Folder 

1083 660 

1083 670 

CHF 6.40 

Collection sheet 

1083 680 

1083 690 

CHF 6.10 

Set on 

first-day cover 

1083 580 only 

CHF 6.40 

Single stamp 

on 


(4 covers) 


CHF 9.10 

Unstamped 

cover 

available 

from 8.11.2005 

1083 700 

CHF 0.90 

pro juventute stamp booklet 

Six CHF 0.85+0.40 self-adhesive stamps with the “Encounter” motif and 

six CHF 1.00+0.50 self-adhesive stamps with the “Exchange” motif, 

plus CHF 0.50 for the cover 

1084 300 

1084 800 CHF 17.00 

Block of four 



(4 covers) 


CHF 25.60 

Sheets 

of 20 stamps 

1.25 Encounter 

1083 111 

1083 511 

CHF 25.00 

1.25 Play 

1083 112 

1083 512 

CHF 25.00 

1.50 Exchange 

1083 113 

1083 513 

CHF 30.00 

1.50 Pleasure of 

anticipation 

1083 114 

1083 514 

CHF 30.00 

Special stamp 22.11.2005 

2006 Olympic Games Turin 

CHF 1.00 Curling 

Single stamp 

1080 150 

1080 550 

CHF 1.00 

Single stamp 


first-day cover C6 


CHF 1.90 

Sheetlet 




CHF 7.20 

487 

XX Winterolympiade Torino 2006 

XX Jeux Olympiques d’hiver Torino 2006 

XX Giochi Olimpici Invernali Torino 2006 

XX Olympic Winter Games Torino 2006 

100 c. Curling 


Karin Schiesser, Küsnacht 

Offsetdruck/Impression en offset/Stampa offset/Offset printing 

Österreichische Staatsdruckerei GmbH, Wien, Österreich 

Folder 

1080 660 

1080 670 

CHF 1.90 

Sheetlet 

of 6 stamps 

1080 311 

1080 351 

CHF 6.00 

Block of four 

1080 160 

1080 560 

CHF 4.00 

Block of four 




CHF 4.90 

Unstamped 

covers 

available 


1080 700 C6 

CHF 0.90 

1080 701 C5 

CHF 1.20 

Sondermarke 

Timbre-poste spécial 

Francobollo speciale 

Special stamp 






100 c. Curling 




Österreichische Staatsdruckerei GmbH, Wien, Österreich 


1080 680 

1080 690 

CHF 1.60 

Key = mint = cancelled 

641 

3

Official stamp 22.11.2005 

Official stamp of the International Olympic 

Comitee (IOC) 

2006 Olympic Games Turin 

CHF 1.30 Ice Hockey 

Single stamp 

1081 150 

1081 550 

CHF 1.30 

Single stamp 




CHF 2.20 

Sheetlet 




CHF 9.00 

488 

4 





130 c. Eishockey 

Hockey sur glace 

Hockey sul ghiaccio 

Ice hockey 




Bagel Security-Print GMBH & Co, Düsseldorf, Deutschland 

Folder 

1081 660 

1081 670 

CHF 2.20 

Sheetlet 

of 6 stamps 

1081 311 

1081 351 

CHF 7.80 

Dienstmarke 

Timbre de service 

Francobollo di servizio 

Official stamp 






130 c. Eishockey 

Hockey sur glace 

Hockey sul ghiaccio 

Ice hockey 




Bagel Security-Print GMBH & Co, Düsseldorf, Deutschland 

642 

489 

Tag der Briefmarke 2005 Meyrin 

Journée du timbre-poste 2005 Meyrin 

Giornata del francobollo 2005 Meyrin 

Stamp Day 2005 Meyrin 

85 c. Multikulturelles Meyrin 

Meyrin - cité des 5 continents 

Meyrin - crocevia di culture 



Dominique Hiestand, Genève 


Cartor Security Printing, La Loupe, France 

Postal stationery 22.11.2005 

Picture postcard “2006 Olympic Games Turin” 

1 picture postcard 

“2006 Olympic Games 

Turin” (postage 

value CHF 1.80 + 

CHF 0.40 per card) 

1094 841 

1094 849 

CHF 2.20 

Block of four 

1081 160 

1081 560 

CHF 5.20 

Block of four 




CHF 6.10 

Unstamped 

covers 

not available 


1081 680 

1081 690 

CHF 1.90 

Important note: The 

official stamps are not 

valid for private use. 

Official stamps are 

only sent to customers 

with a standing order 

for this article. 

Special stamp 22.11.2005 


CHF 0.85 “Multicultural Meyrin” 

Single stamp 

1087 150 

1087 550 

CHF 0.85 

Folder 

1087 660 

1087 670 

CHF 1.75 

Block of four 

1087 160 

1087 560 

CHF 3.40 

Sondermarke 

Timbre-poste spécial 

Francobollo speciale 

Special stamp 


Tag der Briefmarke 2005 Meyrin 

Journée du timbre-poste 2005 Meyrin 

Giornata del francobollo 2005 Meyrin 


85 c. Multikulturelles Meyrin 

Meyrin - cité des 5 continents 

Meyrin - crocevia di culture 



Dominique Hiestand, Genève 




1087 680 

1087 690 

CHF 1.45 

643 

485 

Gemeinschaftsausgabe Vatikanstadt – Schweiz 

Emission commune Cité du Vatican – Suisse 

Emissione comune Città del Vaticono – Svizzera 

Joint stamp issue Vatican City – Switzerland 

500 Jahre Päpstliche Schweizergarde 

Les 500 ans de la Garde Suisse Pontificale 

500o anniversario della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia 

500 years of the Pontifical Swiss Guard 

85 c. Wachablösung 

Relève de la Garde 

Cambio de la guardia 

Changing of the guard 

100 c. Antreten 

En rang 

Presentazione 

Fall in! 

0.62 E Wachablösung 




0.80 E Antreten 

En rang 


Fall in! 


Rudolf Mirer, Obersaxen 


OSD, Österreich 



















En rang 


Fall in! 






En rang 


Fall in! 





Postal stationery 22.11.2005 

Picture postcard “Stamp Day 2005 Meyrin” 

1 picture postcard 

“Stamp Day 2005 

Meyrin” (postage 

value CHF 0.85 + 

0.40 per card) 

1088 841 

1088 849 

CHF 1.25 

Single stamp 




CHF 1.75 

Unstamped 

cover 

available 


1087 700 

CHF 0.90 

639 

Block of four 




CHF 4.30 

Sheet 

of 20 stamps 

1087 111 

1087 511 

CHF 17.00 

Joint issue Vatican/Switzerland 22.11.2005 

Products with the Swiss postage stamps 

500 years of the Pontifical Swiss Guard CHF 0.85 Changing of the guard 

CHF 1.00 Fall in 

Set 

1069 150 

1069 550 

CHF 1.85 




CHF 2.75 

Set of 


1069 160 

1069 560 

CHF 7.40 

Single stamp 



(2 covers) 


CHF 3.65 

Block of four 



(2 covers) 


CHF 9.20 

Folder 

1069 660 

1069 670 

CHF 2.75 


1069 680 

1069 690 

CHF 2.45 

Sheetlet “Changing 

of the guard” on 



CHF 6.30 

Sheetlet “Fall in” 




CHF 7.20 

Set with the both firstday 

covers (C5) each 

one with a sheetlet 


CHF 13.50 

Unstamped 

covers 

available 


1069 700 C6 CHF 0.90 

1069 701 C5 CHF 1.20

Joint issue Vatican/Switzerland (continued) 22.11.2005 

Products with the Vatican and Swiss postage stamps 

First-day cover E6 

with the postage 

stamps 

of both countries 


CHF 5.10 

485 














En rang 


Fall in! 






En rang 


Fall in! 























En rang 


Fall in! 






En rang 


Fall in! 





Product with the Vatican stamps 

Important: These postage stamps are valid in the Vatican only 

Lithography “Swiss Guard” 

Lithography “Swiss Guard” 

Hand-signed, numbered, 

limited edition of 100 specimens 

1153 900 

CHF 1750.00 

Important 

indication 

on page 23 

Christmas special 2005 “Bethlehem” 22.11.2005 

Special cover 

“Bethlehem” with 

special cancellation 

franked with the 

pro juventute stamp 

“Pleasure of 

anticipation” 


CHF 2.40 

Folder with 

the postage stamps 


1070 660 

1070 670 

CHF 5.00 

Unstamped 

cover 

available 


1091 142 

CHF 0.90 

Sheetlet 

of 6 stamps 

0.85 

1069 311 

1069 351 

CHF 5.10 

Unstamped Christmas 

card 2005, Size A6, 

4 pages 

Text in Eng, Fr, Ger and It; 

available 


(illustrated on page 30) 

1091 143 

CHF 0.60 

Set with 

2 maximum cards 


CHF 2.85 

Collection sheet with 

the postage stamps 


1070 680 

1070 690 

CHF 4.70 

639 

Set with 

2 unstamped 

“maximum cards” 

1069 891 

CHF 1.00 

Official document of the USPS 22.11.2005 

Special cover 

franked with 

the special stamp 

“Stamp Day Meyrin” 


CHF 3.00 

Special products 22.11.2005 

Year Book 

“la collection suisse 

2005” 

(illustrated on 

pages 26/27) 

1057 830 

1057 831 

CHF 64.00 

Year Set 2005 


1095 320 

1095 820 

CHF 53.75 

Set with 

the first-day covers 

of 2005 



CHF 82.45 

Sheetlet 

of 6 stamps 

1.00 

1069 112 

1069 512 

CHF 6.00 

Unstamped 

cover E6 

available 


1070 700 

CHF 1.00 

Set with 2 sheetlets 

of 6 stamps each: 

0.62 Euro 

“Changing of 

the guard” 

0.80 Euro “Fall in” 


CHF 13.30 

Set of single stamps, 

Issue 4/2005 

The single stamps of 

the 4/2005 issue in a set 

(without the official 

stamp “IOC”) 

1142 150 

1142 550 

CHF 11.05 

Set of first-day covers, 

Issue 4/2005 

The first-day covers of 

the 4/2005 issue in a set 

with the Vatican and 

Swiss stamps (without 

the official stamp “IOC”) 


CHF 20.65 

Voucher 

871 399 

CHF 15.00 

Special stamps 22.11.2005 

Christmas customs 

CHF 0.85 Santa Claus in Fribourg 

CHF 1.00 “Grittibänz” 

Set 

1082 150 

1082 550 

CHF 1.85 




CHF 2.75 

Unstamped 

cover 

available 


1082 700 

CHF 0.90 

Sheets 

of 20 stamps 

0.85 

1082 111 

1082 511 

CHF 17.00 

1.00 

1082 112 

1082 512 

CHF 20.00 

486 

Weihnachtsbräuche 

Traditions de Noël 

Usi e costumi natalizi 


85 c. St. Nikolaus in Freiburg 

Saint-Nicolas à Fribourg 

Babbo Natale a Friburgo 

Santa Claus in Fribourg 

100 c. «Grittibänz» 

«Grittibänz» 


”Grittibänz” 


Michèle Haas, Basel 



Folder 

1082 660 

1082 670 

CHF 2.75 

Set of 


1082 160 

1082 560 

CHF 7.40 

Single stamp 



(2 covers) 


CHF 3.65 

Block of four 



(2 covers) 


CHF 9.20 






Weihnachtsbräuche 

Traditions de Noël 

Usi e costumi natalizi 


85 c. St. Nikolaus in Freiburg 

Saint-Nicolas à Fribourg 

Babbo Natale a Friburgo 


100 c. «Grittibänz» 



”Grittibänz” 


Michèle Haas, Basel 




1082 680 

1082 690 

CHF 2.45 

Swiss Post’s General Terms and Conditions 

of Business concerning the purchase of stamps 

and philatelic items form an integral part 

of individual orders and are tacitly accepted 

by each customer who sends an order. 

The updated version of these Terms and Conditions 

was published in <strong>Focus</strong> 3/2005 and can be ordered 

at any time by telephone (+41 [0]31 338 06 09) or 

with the enclosed order form. 

640 

5

Added value for our faithful customers 

The advantages of standing orders 

for Swiss postage stamps 

You set great value on a complete 

collection. You want to use your spare 

time efficiently and avoid missing new 

issues, you have a standing order for 

Swiss postage stamps. Many thanks for 

your loyalty! Being a customer with a 

standing order, you select the form of 

delivery in just about every case. 

Selection of form of delivery: You 

can choose between annual or issueby-issue 

delivery. 

Annual delivery: You receive one 

consignment with all the year’s new 

issues towards the end of the year, just 

before the new album sheets appear. 

Annual delivery is the standard form 

of delivery for standing orders of up to 

two items per type (example A in the 

table). Deliveries costing more than 

CHF 300.00 a year are sent postage 

free. 

Issue-by-issue delivery: Delivery 

of main issues occur four times a 

year on the pre-release date, to 

give you time to prepare your own 

6 

covers. You will be among the first 

to receive the new stamps. Issue-byissue 

delivery is the standard form for 

standing orders with at least 3 items 

per type (example B) and for standing 

order customers with special wishes 

(example C). 

Charges: Annual delivery is sent 

postage free. All over the world! 

A processing fee of CHF 3.00 may be 

charged in some cases on issue-byissue 

deliveries. 

Ex. Quantity Type of standing order Form of delivery Charge 

➧ 

➧ 

➧ 

Payment: We accept all the common 

credit cards as well as direct debit 

from a Swiss postal giro account. 

Customers residing abroad without 

a credit card can use a customer 

account (advance payment), while 

those residing in Switzerland may, on 

request, receive the goods with a 

bill. 

Free advice: Are you no longer sure 

what form of delivery your standing 

order comes under? You would like to 

switch from issue-to-issue delivery to 

annual delivery or vice versa? Just give 

us a call. We will be glad to advise 

you. Tel. +41 (0)31 338 06 09, Fax 

+41 (0)31 338 73 08, stamps@post.ch 

A 1 Block of four Annual delivery (standard) None 

2 Folder Issue-by-issue (on request) CHF 3.00 per delivery, if under 

CHF 300.00 a year 

B 3 Collection sheet Issue-by-issue (standard) None, as 3 items per type of standing 

1 Postal stationery order 

1 Maximum card Annual delivery (on request) None 

C 2 Sets with Only issue-by-issue possible CHF 3.00 per delivery 

corner edge None, if over CHF 300.00 a year or 

1 Block of four at least 3 items in one type of standing 

order

Zeppelin NT Airmail Jubilee 

Two special covers 

The two special covers are available exclusively as a set. 



Kundendienst 


3030 Bern 



Kundendienst 


3030 Bern 

As announced in the July issue of <strong>Focus</strong>, 

a Zeppelin NT airmail jubilee flight has 

been arranged for 12 October 2005 

to commemorate the 75th anniversary 

of the Swiss Berne–Basel–Kreuzlingen 

airmail flight. Both covers for this flight 

were created by Angelo Boog, the 

designer of the “Zeppelin NT” special 

stamp issued in 2004, and are available 

exclusively as a set as of now. They have 

been produced in a limited edition 

and should on no account be missing 

from your collection as a souvenir of this 

exceptional event. As usual, the proceeds 

from the sale of the on-board cachet 

will go to the Pestalozzi Children’s Village 

in Wahlwies, Germany. 

75 years ago, on 12 October 1930, 

Airship LZ 127 set off from Friedrichshafen 

at 8.07 a.m. and landed in Berne 

at 1.43 p.m. to exchange passengers 

and mail. At 2.35 p.m., the airship 

set off again for Basel, where it arrived 

at 4.07 p.m. Further passengers boarded, 

and mail was unloaded and loaded. 

The airship finally headed back to Friedrichshafen 

on the Lake of Constance 

at 4.18 p.m. Some 30,000 spectators 

gathered in both Berne and Basel to see 

the Zeppelin LZ 127. You can find out 

more about this anniversary in “<strong>Focus</strong> 

on stamps”, No. 3/2005. 

Sales: from 22.11.2005, 

while stocks last 

Post offices: no sales 

Philatelic 

salespoints: until 30.6.2006 

Price CHF 32.00 

(2 covers): (of which CHF 16.00 goes 

to the Pestalozzi Children’s 

Village, Wahlwies) 

Printing: Offset, 1-side, 4-colour 

Sizes: 

Covers: C6 (162114 mm) 

Imprinted stamp: 3328 mm 

Layout: Angelo Boog, 

Wallisellen ZH 

7

Special Stamps pro juventute 

Give every child a chance 

The pro juventute stamps are again 

devoted to the Rights of the Child, 

continuing the theme of the last two 

years. Following the “Right to leisure 

and play” and the “Right to education”, 

the 2005 stamps highlight the 

principle that “All children are equal”. 

In its daily work, pro juventute 

implements numerous local and 

national projects and services to 

ensure that these Rights of the Child 

are put into effect. 

Although Switzerland is a wealthy 

country, the people here are not immune 

to poverty. The poverty rate of gainfully 

employed households is over 4.5 percent. 

A large number of children and young 

people feel the effects as they do not 

have the same chances and opportunities 

as children from wealthy backgrounds. 

Here, too, with its assistance for individuals 

and families, pro juventute provides 

important and efficient support, pro- 

Making friends is easy at play 

8 

viding funds, for instance, for a child 

to attend a school camp or to buy a 

bicycle to get to school faster. The pro 

juventute holiday fund gives low-income 

families the chance to go on holiday 

for a few days. 

The gap between rich and poor is only 

one aspect of many inequalities. Poor 

performance at school, appearance or 

ethnic origin can give rise to hostility and 

lead to social isolation. So that children 

and young people do not have to face 

their cares and fears alone, the telephone 

help-line 147 with its professional 

counsellors is available for them 24 hours 

a day, 365 days a year. 

The same service has also been available 

for over a year now on the Internet 

platform www.tschau.ch which is 

directed by pro juventute. The importance 

of these contact points for children 

and young people is reflected in the 

Continued on page 10 

Article 2 of the UN Convention 

on the Rights of the Child 

1. States Parties shall respect and 

ensure the rights set forth in the 

present Convention to each child 

within their jurisdiction without 

discrimination of any kind, irrespective 

of the child’s or his or her parent’s 

or legal guardian’s race, colour, sex, 

language, religion, political or other 

opinion, national, ethnic or social 

origin, property, disability, birth or 

other status. 

2. States Parties shall take all appropriate 

measures to ensure that the 

child is protected against all forms of 

discrimination or punishment on the 

basis of the status, activities, expressed 

opinions, or beliefs of the child’s 

parents, legal guardians, or family 

members. 

CHF 0.85+0.40 

Encounter 

Getting to know different cultures 

and customs expands horizons and 

lessens prejudices and conflicts. 

Little children are models for adults 

because they are not biased against 

strangers. 

CHF 0.85+0.40 

Play 

Differences are quickly forgotten 

when children play together. Boys or 

girls, rich or poor – in happy moments, 

everybody is the same.

CHF 1.00+0.50 

Exchange 

Getting to know and appreciate 

common interests. Profiting from each 

other, realizing one’s own strengths 

and weaknesses. 

CHF 1.00+0.50 


The pleasure of anticipating exciting 

new experiences makes children and 

young people more receptive and 

tolerant. 

Discovering the world together Photos: T+T Fotografie, Zurich 

9



Post offices: until 31.1.2006 

Philatelic 


Pre-release: from 15.11.2005 

Validity: unlimited from 22.11.2005 

Unstamped covers will be available for 

CHF 0.90 each at all philatelic salespoints and 

the Stamps and Philately Customer Service from 

8.11.2005. 

Printing: Flexo printing, 4-colour; 

Permapack AG, 

Rorschach, 

Switzerland 

Sizes: 

Stamps: 3328 mm 

Sheet: 156164 mm 

(5 rows of 4 stamps) 

Paper: white stamp paper, self-adhesive 

on backing paper, 

220 gm 2 

Perforation: serpentine cut 

(4 sides) 

First-day 

cancellation: 

10 

First-day cover motif 

Designer: Angelo Boog, Wallisellen ZH 

Author: Isabelle Schiess, 

pro juventute Headquarters, 

Zurich 

Learning 

together, 

learning 

from each 

other 

Continued from page 8 

figures: In 2004, the telephone help-line 

147 fielded 25 000 calls – 10 000 more 

than two years ago. 

The calls and e-mail inquiries cover a 

wide range of topics. Frequent questions 

concern sexuality, first love or problems 

at school or with finding an apprenticeship 

training position. Pro juventute 

combats high unemployment among 

young people – the rate for 15- to 

19-year-olds was 3.4 percent at the 

beginning of 2005 – through traineeships, 

because companies’ increasingly 

exacting demands make it difficult to 

find a suitable training position. 

The traineeship system is pro juventute’s 

response to the need for a meaningful 

bridge that provides experience after 

completion of compulsory schooling. The 

young people have an opportunity to 

actively support a family for six to twelve 

months. They learn what it means to 

take responsibility and show flexibility 

and openness when faced with new and 

unknown situations. 

Alongside the themes of “poverty” and 

Info 

For more information about the above-mentioned 

pro juventute services and projects, see: 

www.projuventute.ch or call 044 256 77 77 

Complete UN Convention on the Rights of 

the Child and more about the rights of the child: 

www.projuventute.ch 

Stamp booklet 2005 

Always to hand. A neat stamp booklet with 6 self-adhesive A-stamps and 6 self-adhesive B-stamps – 

folded to credit-card size – ensures you always have the right stamp with you. The stamp booklet 

is on sale at all philatelic salespoints, from Swiss Post’s Stamps and Philately Customer Service, from 

the pro juventute Foundation, at all Swiss post offices and from stamp dealers for CHF 17.00.

“health”, extra-curricular education is 

one of the focal points of pro juventute’s 

work. Strengthening young people’s 

social and personal competence promotes 

their development into healthy and 

independent personalities. So that they 

all have the same chance – whether 

they are boys or girls, rich or poor, 

religious or not, from intact or broken 

families. Because all children are equal. 

A man will respect the individuality 

of another 

If he wishes to be respected himself. 

Samuel Smiles, Writer (1812–1904) 

Gaining fresh experience together Photos: T+T Fotografie, Zurich 

11

Special Stamp and IOC Official Stamp 

Olympic Games Turin 2006: a sporting and logistical 

challenge 



Post offices: while stocks last 

Philatelic 




Unstamped covers will be available for CHF 0.90 (C6) 

and CHF 1.20 (C5) each at all philatelic salespoints 

and the Stamps and Philately Customer Service from 


Printing: offset, 4-colour; 

Austrian State Printing Office, 

Vienna 

Sizes: 


Sheetlet: 19595 mm 


Paper: white stamp paper, with optical 

brightener, mat gummed, 

110 gm 2 

Perforation: 13 3 ⁄4 

First-day 


12 


Designer: Karin Fanger Schiesser, 

Küssnacht ZH 

Text: Swiss Olympic 

Swiss Post 

The 20th Winter Olympics open in 

Turin on 10. February 2006 and 

Switzerland will be represented by its 

biggest team ever. As both national 

ice hockey teams have qualified, 

43 athletes will be competing in that 

sport alone. 

It’s still too early for Werner Augsburger, 

Head Coach of the Swiss delegation at 

the Winter Olympics, to say how many 

athletes he’ll be taking to Turin. The 

Technical Director of Swiss Olympic is 

currently thinking in terms of about 130. 

Since the end of last year, it’s already 

been known that both the men’s and 

women’s national teams of the Swiss Ice 

Hockey Federation have qualified for 

Turin. So 43 Swiss ice hockey players of 

both sexes will be marching into the 

stadium at the opening ceremony on 

10 February. They have not been named 

yet, as is the case with the stars in other 

disciplines. They will all be fighting for a 

place over the next few weeks and 

months. 

The role of Swiss Olympic 

Swiss Olympic, the umbrella organization 

for 81 Swiss sports federations, is 

responsible for all Olympic matters in 

Switzerland. This includes the administrative, 

organizational and logistical preparations 

(accommodation, travel, transport, 

team dress etc.), the representatives 

sent to the Games (incl. selections) as 

well as management of the Swiss teams 

on the spot. 

Three Olympic Villages 

The biggest logistical challenge is the 

decentralized organization of the events. 

The ice hockey tournaments and the 

skating, speed skating and short track 

events will be held in Turin, while all the 

ski races will be staged in Sestrière 

(2035 m above sea-level) some 100 km 

Members of the 2006 Swiss Olympic Team (from 

left): Martin Annen (bob-sleigh), Mirjam Ott 

(curling), Nadja Styger (Alpine skiing), Laurence 

Rochat (cross-country skiing), Daniela Meuli 

(Alpine snowboarding), Simon Ammann (ski 

jumping), Julien Vauclair (ice hockey), Stéphane 

Lambiel (figure skating). Photo: Swiss Olympic 

Special stamp curling 

Sheetlet curling

Official stamp ice hockey 

Sheetlet ice hockey 

away. Bardonecchia with all the snowboard 

events, Sauze d’Oulx (freestyle 

skiing), Cesana Torinese (biathlon, bobsleigh, 

skeleton, luge), Pragelato (crosscountry 

skiing, ski jumping, Nordic 

combined) and Pinerolo (curling) are 

the other venues. The considerable 

distances from Turin are the reasons why, 

for the first time in the history of the 

Olympic Games, there will be three 

Olympic Villages (Turin, Sestrière, and 

Bardonecchia). 

See the Olympic Games live 

If you want to see the next Olympic 

Games live, you can order tickets from 

the following addresses: 

Tickets for admission to the events (not 

including travel and accommodation) 

from the Homepage of the organizers: 

www.torino2006.org 

(Payment with Visa credit card only) 




Post offices: no sales 

Philatelic 




valid for IOC official mail 

only 

Not valid for 

private use 

Unstamped covers are not available. 


Bagel Security-Print, 

Düsseldorf, Germany 

Sizes: 






110 gm 2 

Perforation: 13 1 ⁄2:13 1 ⁄4 

First-day 




Küssnacht ZH 

The special stamp curling, the official stamp ice 

hockey and the picture postcard are also available at 

the Olympic Museum in Lausanne while stocks last. 

13

Picture Postcard 

Olympic Games Turin 2006 


Tickets for admission and appropriate 

package deals (travel, accommodation) 

from Kuoni: Tel. +41 (0)31 329 43 43 

www.kuoni.ch/turin.html 

brn-groups.k@kuoni.ch 

Facts and figures about the 

20th Winter Olympic Games in Turin 

Date: 10 to 26 February 2006 

3 Olympic Villages (Turin, Bardonecchia, Sestrière) 

2 Houses of Switzerland (Turin, Sestrière) 

15 Disciplines with a total of 84 sets of medals 

7 venues (Turin, Bardonecchia, Cesana, Pinerolo, 

Pragelato, Sauze d’Oulx, Sestrière) 

85 nations 

2500 athletes, 2500 officials, 650 judges 

10 000 media representatives 

Further information can be 

obtained from 

www.swissolympic.ch 

www.torino2006.org 

www.olympic.org 

14 

There is little likelihood you’ll meet 

athletes outside the events. Security at 

the Olympic Villages is extremely tight, 

for obvious reasons, so admission is 

for accredited persons only. However, 

if you call in at the House of Switzerland 

in Sestrière or Turin, you might actually 



Post offices: not available 

Philatelic 




Printing: offset 

Sizes: 

Card: 148105 mm 


Paper: white offset board, 260 gm 2 

First-day 



Küssnacht ZH 

The front shows the Swiss figure skater Stéphane Lambiel; 

Karin Schmid (Swiss Short Track Champion) and Florian 

Schär (Third in the 2005 Swiss Championship) feature on 

the stamp. 

come across one or other of the Swiss 

sports greats – as all Swiss medal winners 

will be honoured in these two Houses. 

The four motifs of the 2006 Turin Olympics 

Winter sports that take place on ice: that’s the idea behind the motifs on the Swiss Post products marking 

the 2006 Turin Olympics. 

Curling: This is the first time that curling, invented in Scotland in the 16th century, has featured on a Swiss 

stamp. Switzerland always goes into international competitions with great hopes of taking a medal. In 1998 in 

Nagano, the men’s team “Lausanne Olympic”, led by Skip Patrick Hürlimann, won the first gold medal for curling 

in the history of the Olympics, while the Swiss team came away from Salt Lake City with silver and bronze. 

Ice hockey: The IOC official stamp is dedicated to ice hockey. Switzerland has taken part in Olympic tournaments 

since 1924 and is currently among the top ten teams in the world. The Swiss team won bronze 

medals in 1928 and 1948. 

Figure skating: The front of the picture postcard features the reigning world figure skating champion, 

Switzerland’s Stéphane Lambiel, in a typical pose. The International Skating Union ISU was founded in 1892. 

As the first Winter Olympics were not held until 1924 in Chamonix, figure skating before then was included in 

the Summer Olympics (1908 London, 1920 Antwerp). 

Short track: The stamp on the picture postcard is dedicated to short track skating. Unlike classical speed 

skating, short track has something of the aura of an extreme sport about it. The competitions over the 111 

metre oval track have had Olympic status since 1992 and were initially dominated by North and South Koreans 

and Chinese. However, Australians, Canadians and Europeans have started to chip away at this supremacy.

2006 Issue Programme 

Swiss Post stamps and postal stationery 

Interesting topics – fascinating story/ies 

We have some surprises in store for you. The “100th anniversary of PostBus 

Switzerland”, the philatelic highlight of the year at “naba 2006”, a children’s cookery 

course by “Cocolino” or an entertaining series on how a foreign artist sees 

Switzerland. These are just a few of the many topics which will feature on stamps in 

2006. Come and see now what Swiss Post will have to offer next year. 

And one last thing: this programme may be changed or modified – especially for 

definitive stamps. You will always find the latest version on www.swisspost.ch/ 

philashop. 

Order it on tel ++41 (0)31 338 06 09 or by e-mail www.swisspost.ch/philashop. 

Day of issue: 7.3.2006 

Pre-release: 28.2.2006 

No. Value Description 

1 0.85 Special stamp 

Youth football 

3 3.15 Special stamps 

Centenary of PostBus 

Switzerland 

0.85 Enjoy your excursion 

1.00 Get to work on time 

1.30 Get to school safely 

1 4.20 Set of picture postcards 

Centenary of PostBus Switzerland 

(3 1.40) 


Railway anniversaries 

0.85 Centenary of the opening of the 

Simplon tunnel 

1.00 Centenary of BLS 

1 2.85 Set of Maximum cards 

Railway anniversaries (2 cards) 


Centenary of the reintroduction 

of the ibex 


Modern Style 

1.00 Fir 

1.80 Petal 




4 5.50 Special stamps with surcharge 

Pro Patria 

Historical gardens and parks 

0.85+0.40 Château de Prangins, VD 

0.85+0.40 Schloss Heidegg, Gelfingen LU 

1.00+0.50 Villa Garbald, Castasegna GR 

1.00+0.50 Schloss Birseck, Arlesheim BL 

1 1.00 Special stamp Europa 

Integration 


Sights of Switzerland – 

Mountain panorama 

0.85 Eiger 

0.85 Mönch 

0.85 Jungfrau 


Children’s puppet “Kasperli” 

1 2.80 Set of picture postcards 

Children’s puppet “Kasperli” 

(2 1.40) 

1 3.50 Miniature sheet with 

surcharge naba I 

Wettingen monastery 3 stamps 

(2 85+15; 1 100+50) 


Switzerland through the eyes 

of foreign artists 

0.85 Cow in springtime 

1.00 Cow in summer 

1.30 Cow in autumn 

1.80 Cow in winter 




1 3.00 Miniature sheet with 

surcharge naba II 

Baden city tower 

2 stamps (2 100+50) 


Traditional Swiss products – 

Pocket knife 

1.00 Origin 

1.30 Present 

2 7.00 Definitive stamps 

Traditional fruits 

3.00 Apple “Spätlauber” 

4.00 Cherry “Gelterkinder” 

1 8.50 Stamp booklet 

Children cook with “Cocolino” 

(10 0.85) 


Dimitri 




4 5.50 Special stamps with surcharge 

Pro Juventute 

Drawing and designing with 

Ted Scapa – My dream 

profession 

0.85+0.40 Value 1 

0.85+0.40 Value 2 

1.00+0.50 Value 3 

1.00+0.50 Christmas Angel 



0.85 Advent wreath 

1.00 Carol-singing in Lucerne 


Stamp Day 2006 Olten 

150th anniversary of Olten the 

railway town 

1 1.25 Picture postcard 

Stamp Day 2006 Olten 

We expressly reserve the right to make changes 

Position at 7.9.2005 

15

Special stamp marking Stamp Day 2005 

Dominique Hiestand designs 9.2 cm 2 of multiculture 

Who submitted the best design in 

this year’s competition “Multicultural 

Meyrin”? The public has decided: 

the motif created by Geneva-based 

graphic artist Dominique Hiestand 

will feature on the special stamp 

marking “Stamp Day 2005”. 

From December 2004 to mid-March 

2005, Swiss Post conducted a competition 

for the 85-centime special stamp 

to mark Stamp Day 2005. As Meyrin, 

near Geneva, is the venue for this year’s 

“Stamp Day”, the subject of this sixth 

edition of the competition was “Multicultural 

Meyrin”. The public was able to 

“This was the first time I entered a national design competition – and I was the winner!”, 

says the 48-year-old graphic artist from Geneva. 

16 

vote on the Internet or by postcard 

and choose from eight designs submitted 

by artists in western Switzerland. The 

motif of Geneva-based graphic artist 

Dominique Hiestand won the most votes. 

Federal Councillor Pascal Couchepin 

reveals the winning design 

Federal Councillor Pascal Couchepin 

unveiled the motif at the opening ceremony 

of the 19th International Book 

and Press Fair in Geneva on 27 April 

2005. 

Dominique Hiestand is delighted to have 

won: “This was the first time I entered 

a national design competition – and I 

was the winner!”, enthuses the 48-year- 

Profile of Dominique Hiestand 

Dominique Hiestand is 48 years old, and he and 

his wife Hélène have two children. The family lives in 

the Geneva municipality of Lancy. After leaving 

school he completed an apprenticeship as a typographer. 

From 1971 to 1987 he worked in the 

pre-print processing department of Roto-Sadag SA 

in Geneva, where the daily “Tribune de Genève” 

was produced at that time. An enthusiastic computer 

user, he trained as a polygraphic artist and later 

as a graphic artist. In 1988 he decided to set up his 

own business. Together with his wife he runs the 

PARFAB SA communications agency in Geneva. 

His hobbies include reading and everything to do 

with aviation. 

old graphic artist from Geneva. His 

communications agency produces 

brochures, flyers, posters and magazines 

in all sizes, shapes and colours. And 

stamps? Not stamps, the special stamp to 

mark “Stamp Day” was his first such 

attempt. “For me, stamps are wonderful 

miniature works of art. We use them 

every day, so I’m absolutely thrilled to be 

able to design one myself”, says 

Dominique Hiestand. 


He has a special relationship with Meyrin, 

the municipality near Geneva, which is 

the subject of the design competition. 

Dominique Hiestand has worked together 

with the municipality’s culture department 

for several years. Whereas the 

other entrants focused on the fact that 

people from 105 countries and five 

continents live together in Meyrin, he 

chose a different approach. With his 

motif he shows not only the diversity of 

cultures but also that Meyrin encompasses 

the aspects of town and country. 

To incorporate these various forms of 

multiculturalism in this smallest of 

formats, he created his design in postcard 

style. 

The special stamp will appear on 

22 November 2005 

The 85-centime special stamp featuring 

the design by Dominique Hiestand 

will appear on 22 November 2005. 

He has also designed the accompanying 

special cancellation and first-day cover. 

Collectors can take advantage of advance 

sales from 15 November 2005. The 

special stamp will be available at all post 

offices in Switzerland, at the philatelic 

salespoints in Basel, Berne, Lausanne, 

Lugano, St. Gallen and Zurich and at 

www.swisspost.ch/philashop. 

The “Stamp Day 2005” exhibition – 

PHILAMEYRIN ’05 – will be held from 

2–4 December 2005 at the ForuMeyrin. 

Swiss Post will be setting up a special 

post office on site.

The winners of the public 

competition 

Swiss Post held a draw to select the 

winners from the thousands of participants 

in the public competition. The first 

prize – the winner’s choice of Yellow 

Fund from PostFinance worth 2000 Swiss 

francs – went to Jolanda Heller from 

Zug. Second and third prize, a Yellow 

E-Deposito Account from PostFinance 

with an initial deposit of CHF 1,500, 

went to Otmar Frank from Rümlang and 

Beatrice Schneider from Bayreuth. Many 

congratulations! 

19th International Book and Press Fair in 

Geneva: the ceremonious unveiling of the 

winning motif by Federal Councillor Pascal 

Couchepin attracted a large crowd at the 

Swiss Post stand. Photos: Fred Merz, 

Rezo photographic agency, Geneva 

Photo by Didier Béguelin from the 

“Meyrin 1999–2001” photo collection: 

Daniel (Spain), Jonathan (Switzerland/Congo) 

and Karim (Morocco). 




Philatelic 









Cartor Security Printing, 

La Loupe, France 

Sizes: 






110 gm 2 


First-day 



Designer: Dominique Hiestand, Geneva 

Text: Morf Communication AG, 

Berne 

17

Special Cover marking Stamp Day 2005 

The official Union of Swiss Philatelic Societies cover 

Meyrin is celebrating – come and 

join in! 

Stamp Day 2005 will be celebrated 

on Sunday, 4 December 2005, as 

part of the PHILAMEYRIN ’05 stamp 

exhibition. 

The façade of the ForuMeyrin culture, 

conference and meeting centre adorns 

this year’s special cover marking 

“Stamp Day 2005”. This year, the 

ForuMeyrin at Place des Cinq-Continents 

is not only celebrating its 10th anniversary 

but is also the venue for both 

the PHILAMEYRIN ’05 stamp exhibition 

and “Stamp Day 2005”. 

Free admission to PHILAMEYRIN ’05 

PHILAMEYRIN ’05 is being organized 

by the philatelic club of Meyrin. The 

exhibition will run from 2–4 December 

2005. Stamp Day 2005 will be celebrated 

on Sunday, 4 December. Visitors can 

enjoy a varied programme of free events 

during the three days of the exhibition. 

The stamp exchange, with over 

20 dealers from Switzerland and abroad 

in attendance, will be a treasure trove 

for young and old alike, and Swiss Post’s 

18 

special post office at the exhibition will 

be offering an attractive special cancellation 

for Stamp Day 2005. 

You can read about the latest developments 

and find background information 

on PHILAMEYRIN ’05 in French at 

www.philameyrin.ch. 

Stamp Day 2005 in Meyrin – 

PHILAMEYRIN ’05 

Dates and Fri, 2 Dec. 2005 2 – 7 p.m. 

opening hours: Sat, 3 Dec. 2005 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. 

Sun, 4 Dec. 2005 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. 

Admission free! 

Venue: ForuMeyrin, 

1 place des Cinq-Continents, 

1217 Meyrin 

How to get there: 

By bus: bus No. 9 or No. 29 (direction 

“Meyrin”) from Geneva Cornavin 

station to “ForuMeyrin” stop. 

By car: take motorway from Lausanne 

(towards Geneva), exit No. 5 

“Meyrin”, follow signs to 

“Meyrin-Cité”. Please use parking 

spaces at the shopping centre 

opposite ForuMeyrin. 

Programme Competition exhibition 

overview: Stand for young people 

Stamp exchange 

Swiss Post special post office 

offering special cancellation 

Book sale “Regards inédits 

sur … Meyrin” 

Sale of souvenir wine from the 

region 

Restaurant 

Highlights: 2 Dec. 2005 from 5 p.m.: official 

opening of exhibition 

4 Dec. 2005 from 11 a.m.: prizegiving 

ceremony, from 12 noon 

reception sponsored by the municipality 

of Meyrin 

Special 


During the exhibition Swiss Post will set up a special 

post office, which will use the special cancellation 

illustrated here. 

Individual envelopes should be sent to the following 

address by 28 Nov. 2005 at the latest: 


“Stamp Day” 

Philatelic Salespoint 

Av./Place de la Gare, 1000 Lausanne 1 

Important: 

Customers with a standing order for Swiss Post 

special cancellations will automatically receive the 

special cancellation/cover shown here in the 

usual quantities

Stamp Day picture postcard 

Meyrin: lively, colourful, diverse 

On the “Stamp Day 2005” postcard, 

the diversity and multifaceted 

character of Meyrin are represented 

through lively colours and simple 

shapes. It was designed by Céline 

Riegler from Geneva, who also took 

part in this year’s “Multicultural 

Meyrin” design competition organized 

by Swiss Post. 

“Multicultural Meyrin” was the topic 

of this year’s “Stamp Day” design 

competition. Although they share the 

same point of departure and similar 

ideas, the resulting special stamp and 

picture postcard are very different. Like 

Dominique Hiestand, the designer of the 

special stamp, Céline Riegler from 

Geneva, reflected the cultural, social, 

religious and natural diversity of Meyrin 

in her designs for the picture postcard 

and stamp. The 39-year-old designer 

actually lived in Meyrin for five years and 

came to love and appreciate the many 

faces of the community. “Simple shapes 

and lively colours represent the people 

from different cultures who live and work 

in Meyrin”, says Céline Riegler about her 

picture postcard. “An ear of corn, the 

church and the ForuMeyrin stand for the 

tangible and intangible wealth of the 

community.” 

The picture postcard will be available 

from the philatelic salespoints in Basel, 

Berne, Lausanne, Lugano, St. Gallen 

and Zurich or from www.swisspost.ch/ 

philashop from 15 November 2005 at 

a cost of CHF 1.25. 




Philatelic 




Printing: Offset 

Sizes: 

Card: 148105 mm 


Paper: White offset board, 

260 gm 2 

First-day 


Designer: Céline Riegler, Geneva 

Text: Morf Communication AG, 

Berne 

19

Joint Issue Vatican City/Switzerland 

The Swiss Papal Guard celebrates its 500th anniversary 

Inspection of the Guard Photos: Stefan Meier 

Many Renaissance rulers hired 

mercenary troops from time to time 

and paid them out of the proceeds 

of conquered territory, ransoms, 

confiscation of property and looting. 

Alongside mercenary troops as 

such, many rulers also surrounded 

themselves with guards for their 

personal protection. 

The model for the Swiss Papal Guard was 

the “Compagnie des Cent Gardes du 

corps du roi Suisses” (Company of the 

King’s Hundred Swiss Bodyguards, also 

known as “the Hundred Swiss”) established 

in 1496/97 by King Charles VIII 

of France. The unit consisted of 106 

men under the command of a French 

Capitaine-colonel. Pope Julius II, who, 

as a cardinal, had spent some time 

at the French Court and had accompanied 

the King on a campaign in Italy, 

in which Swiss mercenaries also took 

part, may well have remembered this 

when – after his election as Pope in 

1503 – he decided to set up a guard 

for his own protection. 

20 

On 21 June 1505, he wrote to the 

“geliebten Söhnen Eidgenossen Oberalemanniens” 

(dear Confederate sons of 

Upper Germany) asking them to provide 

200 infantrymen, whom he wished to 

use for the protection of the Apostolic 

Palace and hence for the safety of 

his own person. The actual words in the 

papal breve read: “We trust that your 

loyalty and experience with weapons 

will meet our requirements”. Loyalty and 

experience with weapons made the 

“gwardiknechte”, as they were called, 

highly desirable to the Pope. And the end 

of the 15th and the beginning of the 

16th centuries saw the apogee of the 

Swiss “Art of War”. 

To persuade the Swiss authorities to 

accede to his request, the Pope concluded 

his letter with the words: “It will 

bring fame to your entire nation that 

your men were preferred over all others 

to guard the Apostolic Palace”. However, 

his words appear to have been of 

little avail. The authorities had long 

realized the pernicious effect of foreign 

military service (Reislaufen) and had 

promulgated a “Pensionenbrief” in July 

1503 requiring authorization for the 

hiring of mercenaries. 

When, however, France again offered 

tempting money in 1505, member after 

member of the Confederation withdrew 

Sheetlet franked with Swiss stamps (top) and franked with Vatican City stamps (bottom)

from the agreement. And when suddenly 

people were free to hire mercenaries 

for France, Peter von Hertenstein, the 

papal mediator, did not feel it was 

necessary to wait for official authorization. 

He started to hire mercenaries 

himself but, instead of the desired 

200 infantrymen, only managed to 

muster 150. French efforts were apparently 

more successful. Admittedly, 

there was more danger in French service 

but there was a chance of more booty 

and this was more tempting than the 

prospect of probably peaceful but boring 

guard duty. 

Cancellation 

If the special stamps of the two countries are 

used on the same cover, the following cancellation 

conditions apply: 

If the stamps are so arranged that the stamps 

of both countries can be simultaneously cancelled 

with one cancellation mark, the cancellation 

stamp of one of the countries whose stamps are 

applied will be selected. However, covers bearing 

the Vatican City cancellation cannot be sent unenclosed. 

In such cases, a return envelope should 

be provided franked with Swiss stamps. 

Individual stamps of one of the countries will 

not be cancelled with the cancellation mark of the 

other country. On the other hand, the stamps of 

the two countries can be cancelled with the appropriate 

cancellation mark provided that the stamps 

are so arranged that the individual cancellation 

marks do not overlap. For items to be sent through 

the normal post, only Swiss stamps are valid for 

franking purposes. 

In the case of mixed franking (stamps from 

other issues), the Vatican City stamps will not be 

cancelled. 

Guards taking the oath 

Marching to Rome 

After the men were hired, Peter von 

Hertenstein together with the Commander 

of the new Guard, Kaspar von 

Silenen, who stemmed from a distinguished 

family in Uri, set out for Rome 

with the Guards. They must have started 

off in late 1505 and it can be assumed 

that, in spite of its being winter, they 

went over the Gotthard Pass. The Guards 

marched via Milan to Pavia, where 

they joined the “Road of the Franks”, 

the mediaeval pilgrims’ road, crossed 

the Apennines via the Cisa Pass and 

continued along the Road of the Franks 

to Rome. 

On 22 January 1506, the Swiss entered 

the Eternal City through the Porta del 

Popolo. The Pope was there to welcome 

them at the old Church of St. Peter and 

gave them his blessing; the new Guard 

moved into their quarters that same 

evening. The 22 of January 1506 is therefore 

regarded as the day on which the 

Swiss Papal Guard was founded. 





(only Swiss stamps) 

Philatelic 




Unstamped covers will be available for CHF 0.90 

(C6), CHF 1.00 (E6) and CHF 1.20 (C5) each at all 

philatelic salespoints and the Stamps and Philately 

Customer Service from 8.11.2005. 

Printing: offset, 

5-colour; 

Austrian State Printing Office, 

Vienna 

Sizes: 

Stamps: 4032.5 mm 





110 gm 2 

Perforation: 13 3 ⁄4 

First-day 

cancellation 

Switzerland: 

First-day 


Vatican: 

Designer: Rudolf Mirer, Obersaxen GR 

Author: Dr. Robert Walpen, Historian 

(Author of “Die Päpstliche 

Schweizergarde – acriter et 

fideliter – tapfer und treu”, 

published by Buchverlag 

Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 2005) 

21

Maximum and Picture Postcards 

First-Day Cover Vatican City/Switzerland Joint Issue 

The two cards focus on the traditional 

Swiss Guard uniform. Maximum 

cards each have the appropriate 

Swiss stamp and Swiss first-day 

cancellation. These are sent automatically 

to customers with standing 

orders. 

The two cards are also available as 

unfranked picture postcards. They can 

be used as postal items or to create 

maximum cards with the two Vatican 

City stamps, which will have the 

Vatican City first-day cancellation 

applied to them if sent to Swiss Post’s 

Cancellation Service in Berne. This 

article must be ordered separately as 

a set. 

Maximum and picture postcards 




Philatelic 



Printing: Offset 

Sizes: 

Postcard: 148105 mm 

Stamp: 4032.5 mm 

Paper: White offset board, 

260 gm 2 

First-day For the first-day 

cancellation: cancellation, 

see page 21 

Layout: Rudolf Mirer, Obersaxen GR 


In commemoration of this first march 

to Rome, another is to be carried out in 

the anniversary year. In April 2006, 

some 80 former Guards will march from 

Bellinzona to Rome along the historic 

route. 

“Sacco di Roma” 

Little has come down to us about the 

service of the Guards in the early years, 

apart from their near annihilation during 

the “Sacco di Roma” in 1527. From 

1517, the Guard had had a new Commander 

in the shape of Kaspar Röist, 

a son of Lord Mayor Marx Röist of Zurich. 

His hometown of Zurich had mean- 

22 

First-day cover of 

the joint issue with 

the two Vatican City 

stamps and the two 

Swiss stamps, cancelled 

with the appropriate 

first-day cancellation: 

This cover will be sent 

automatically to 

customers with standing 

orders for first-day 

covers. It is also part 

of the issue 4/2005 

FDC set. The same 

applies to folders and 

collection sheets (mint 

and/or cancelled), 

which will also be 

sent automatically to 

customers with standing 

orders. 

while changed over to the new creed 

(Protestantism) and in January 1527 

called on its citizens in the Guard to 

return home. Kaspar Röist assembled 

the 43 guards from the Zurich area and 

together they decided that, as loyal 

warriors and serving men, they could not 

leave the service of the Pope in such 

dangerous times. Nor could they leave 

their old, sick comrades – some of whom 

had been in the service since the Guard 

was founded - and their families in 

the lurch. 

And the danger came, when the 

Emperor’s army forced its way into the 

city of Rome on 6 May 1527. What 

followed passed into history as the 

“Sacco di Roma”, or “Sack of Rome”. 

147 Guards lost their lives that day in 

loyal devotion to duty. They had pledged 

their loyalty to the Pope and set this 

loyalty higher than the order from the 

First-day cover motif

Anniversary lithograph 

“Changing of the Guard” 

To mark the 500th anniversary 

of the Swiss Papal Guard, 

Grison artist Rudolf Mirer has 

created an impressive lithograph 

depicting a troop of 

Guards preparing for the 

changing of the guard. The 

striking traditional uniform 

of the Swiss Guard in the 

“Medici colours” of yellow, 

red and blue is effectively 

captured. The colours date 

back to Pope Julius II, a 

Medici and the founder of 

the Swiss Guard. The Guards 

are shown with their traditional 

weapon, the halberd, 

which was the favoured 

weapon of the Swiss mercenaries. 

Rudolf Mirer, who was himself 

a Swiss Guard in Rome for 

two years, experienced many such a 

changing of the guard and his lithograph 

aims to express the discipline and 

accuracy that are part and parcel of 

the Guards’ service. The importance 

of division of space in the service is 

underlined by bold ruled lines. Nothing 

is left to chance and the emphasis is 

on conscientiousness. 

authorities in Switzerland to leave their 

service and return home. 

42 Swiss Guards survived the butchery; 

they had been detailed off that day for 

the personal protection of the Pope and 

fled with him to San Angelo Castle. 

According to the Chronicles, about two 

hundred people, many of them Swiss 

(referred to as the Pope’s bodyguards) 

were slain in St. Peter’s Church and in 

front of St. Peter’s altar. 

The Swiss Guard today 

In memory of the victims among the 

Guards, newly recruited members have 

been sworn in on 6 May, since the 

beginning of the 20th century. The 

historical link lends the ceremony its 

dignity and profound gravity. The inten- 

This original graphic is being issued in a limited, 

hand-signed and numbered edition of 100 copies 

on handmade deckle-edge paper from the Basel 

Paper Mill. The artist uses nine colours in his lithograph, 

which measures 6542 cm. The price, 

including VAT, is CHF 1750.– per sheet. We charge 

CHF 6.– towards defraying the cost of insurance, 

postage and packing. 

Important notice: The illustration shows the 

fair copy of the lithograph. When the fair copy 

was transferred to the stone, slight changes 

may have been made by the artist. 

tion is to remind the “newcomers” 

that their pledge of loyalty could require 

them to sacrifice their lives, so that 

they know exactly what they are letting 

themselves in for. This willingness to lay 

down their lives, if need be, for another 

person, the successor to St. Peter, is 

still the truly convincing aspect of the 

Swiss Guard to this day. In this voluntary 

commitment, present-day Guards are 

no different from their 16th century 

predecessors. Admittedly, the Guard has 

been spared such experiences since 

the “Sack of Rome”, but the attempt on 

the life of Pope John Paul II in 1981 

shows how quickly an emergency can 

arise. 

On the 500th anniversary of the Swiss 

Papal Guard in 2006, a whole series 

The painter Rudolf Mirer 

Born in 1937, Rudolf Mirer is a well-known and 

successful Swiss artist, with a wide range of artistic 

talent, extending from affection for his native region 

of the Grisons, with its mountains, nature and fauna 

to sacral themes and abstract art. 

Rudolf Mirer took the decision to become an artist 

while he was serving as a Swiss Guard in Rome. 

On his return to Switzerland, he put this decision 

into effect. Success was not slow in coming and has 

now lasted for some forty years. 

of commemorative events will be 

staged, in which Switzerland will also 

be involved. The Swiss Guard at the 

centre of the Catholic Church, an international 

organization, is still today an 

invaluable advertisement for Switzerland 

or, as is often said “the best visiting 

card at the best address”. 

For further information see: 

www.gsp06.ch 

23

Special Stamps Christmas Customs 

Santa Claus (St. Nicholas) in Fribourg and “Grittibänz” 

The Advent, Christmas and New Year 

period has a wealth of customs. 

Beside the ones widely known 

throughout Europe, there are some 

regional – and even purely local – 

traditions. Swiss Post is therefore 

launching its new four-year “Christmas 

Customs” series with the special 

stamps “Santa Claus in Fribourg” 

and “Grittibänz”. 

In the Christian churches, there are few 

saints as important as the Holy Bishop 

Nicholas of Myra. The starting point for 

his veneration is Myra (present-day 

Demre, Turkey). That was where, sometime 

around 300 A.D., a pious and 

charitable Bishop lived about whom 

24 

many legends started to grow over the 

next few centuries. Although his fame 

had already reached Western and 

Northern Europe by the year 1000, it was 

not until 1087 that widespread veneration 

of him began, when merchants 

from Bari in Southern Italy stole his bones 

and brought them to their hometown 

where a basilica was then erected in his 

honour. A Lorraine crusader’s deed was 

hardly less illegal. He brought a bone 

from St. Nicholas’s finger to the markettown 

later known as St. Nicolas-de-Port 

(near Nancy in France), and this town 

developed into a major place of pilgrimage, 

particularly after the Burgundy 

Wars in the late 15th century, especially 

as the Holy Bishop was chosen as the 

patron saint of Lorraine. 

An ecumenical Saint 

St. Nicholas is also the patron saint of 

Russia and Greece as well as of the City 

and Canton of Fribourg – a clear indication 

of the great importance attached 

to him both in the Eastern and in the 

Western Church. So he not only survived 

the 1054 Schism of the Church but also 

the Reformation, which made him an 

ecumenical Saint. 

The Feast of St. Nicholas is celebrated on 

6 December, but profane tradition rather 

than religious ceremony mark this day, 

as customs involving masks and noise 

which originally had nothing to do with 

the Saint coexist with the advent of the 

Bishop who distributes gifts. The latter 

is explained by the legends which made 

St. Nicholas the patron saint of children 

and students in the Middle Ages. 

And it is from those days that St. Nicholas’s 

entrance into Fribourg in the flesh 

dates: a schoolboy, dressed as a Bishop, 

Two exhibitions about St. Nicholas 

100 Saint Nicholas 

3.12.05–29.1.06; Tues.–Sun. 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., 

Tues. until 8 p.m. 

Art and History Museum / Musée d’art et d’histoire, 

Rue de Morat 12, Fribourg, www.fr.ch/mahf 

Santa Claus & Co. – Vom grossen Heiligen zur 

Ikone des Weihnachtskommerzes 

12.11.05–8.1.06; Tues.–Sun. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. 

Museum der Kulturen (Museum of Ethnology), 

Augustinergasse 2, Basel, www.mkb.ch 

rides into the city on the evening of 

the Feast acting as if he were an ecclesiastical 

dignitary. The “la Saint-Nicolas” 

was banned in 1784, and the custom 

was quickly forgotten until 1906 when 

the Fribourg Collège St-Michel revived 

the school children’s procession, which 

will be performed for the hundredth time 

this year. 

A seasonal treat with many names 

Nowadays, St. Nicholas’s gifts include, 

among many other delectable items, 

bread baked in the shape of a man with 

legs apart, called “Grittibänz”, “Grättimaa”, 

“Elggermaa”, “Chlaus” or “petit 

bonhomme”, depending on the region. 

As late as the 1930s, the figure made

out of bread was known 

almost exclusively (and then 

not everywhere) in the 

German-speaking Central 

Plain, the Basel area, the 

Neuchâtel Jura and Fribourg. 

Today’s wide distribution is 

due to bakers (and their 

Federation), supermarkets and 

the media. 

The term mostly used in 

Western Switzerland “Benz/ 

Bänz” is the short form of the 

Christian name Benedikt, 

while “Gritti/Grätti” refers to 

the figure’s legs being apart. 

“Elggermaa”, on the other 

hand, refers to the place Elgg 

in Canton Zurich, where a 

baker is said to have produced 

the bread 100 years ago and sold 

it on Frauenfeld market around Christmas-time. 

“Chlaus”, of course, is a 

reference to Santa Claus. Bread in human 

form is also found at Christmas-time, 

New Year and at local fairs. 

Legs apart 

As a rule, the figures are made by hand, 

both at home and in the bakery, using 

the special white bread dough used 

for festive day loaves, rolls or plaited 

bread. The men (occasionally women, 

too) have their legs apart, with arms 

akimbo or sometimes held at an angle 

away from the body. Raisins or juniper 

berries are used for eyes, nose and 

mouth, while buttons are made of 

The assembled 

spectators listen 

to the words 

of “St. Nicholas” 

(drawing on the 

left); the Grittibänz 

is the typical 

dainty eaten on 

St. Nicholas Day. 

Drawing: 

Hélène Sauvain 

Photo: Federation 

of Swiss Bakers and 

Confectioners 

A Basel recipe for “Grättimannen” from 1935 

500 g flour, 1 tablespoon salt, 70 g sugar, 70 g butter, 

2 dl milk, 1 egg, 25 g yeast, 1 egg for coating. 

For the decoration: raisins, shelled almonds, candied 

fruit, possibly coarse granulated sugar. 

Cream the yeast with a little sugar in a cup. Place the 

flour in a bowl and mix it with salt, sugar, slightly 

warmed butter, lukewarm milk, the egg and the 

yeast to a dough. Knead the dough until it is smooth 

and elastic. Cover and leave to rise to twice the 

amount in a warm place. Knead the dough again, 

use a knife to cut off pieces of dough in the desired 

size and roll out to an oval shape. Mark the head by 

pressing the dough together slightly and turn the 

head to the back to make the neck. Cut out the arms 

and legs with scissors and place them in the required 

position. Decorate the figures with raisins, shelled 

almonds and candied fruit and trim the hat with 

remnants of dough. Leave to rise and put in a cold 

place for 20 to 30 minutes. Before baking, brush 

with egg and possibly sprinkle with coarse granulated 

sugar. In a preheated oven, bake for 20 to 30 

minutes at medium temperature. 

almonds or small round pieces of dough 

and clothing is indicated with strips of 

dough. 

There is some dispute about how far 

this bread figure dates back, but it has 

definitely been known since the 16th 

century. The widely held view is that the 

figure represents Santa Claus in a very 

simplified form. 


A special post office using a special cancellation 

will be in operation on Tuesday, 6 December 2005, 

on the occasion of the issue of the Santa Claus in 

Fribourg stamp. 

Place: Fribourg Centre, av. de la Gare, 1700 Fribourg 

Opening hours: 9 a.m. – 6.30 p.m. 




Philatelic 









Cartor Security Printing, 

La Loupe, France 

Sizes: 






110 gm 2 


First-day 



Designer: Michèle Haas, Basel 

Author: Dominik Wunderlin, 

Cultural Scientist and Curator 

of the Europe/Folklore 

Department at the Basel Museum 

of Ethnology 

25

“la collection suisse 2005” 

The Year Book of Swiss Stamps complete 

with an exclusive vignette 

26

This year’s edition of the “la collection suisse” Year Book invites you to 

embark on another journey through part of Switzerland’s cultural history. On 

a record 116 pages, the Year Book contains all “the smallest works of art in 

the world” (as stamps are often called) issued by Swiss Post in 2005. 

“How time flies!” How often have you heard or even said this, or something 

similar? The passage of time lies in the nature of things. Clocks tick at 

the same rate for everyone, but time goes by at different speeds for each 

of us. 

Time, in the shape of clocks or watches, was the theme of one of our 2005 

stamp issues. But the focus was not on a philosophical discussion of time 

but rather on the fact that Swiss watches have enjoyed an excellent international 

reputation for many years. 

Can people be ahead of their time? Yes, indeed, and not just in their mind. 

You’ll find some examples of this in the current “la collection suisse”. 

Creatively designed stamps are already heralding events that won’t happen 

until next year. We cordially invite you to take another trip through time, 

both into the past and into the near future, and wish you lots of fun and, 

above all, plenty of time. 



at all philatelic salespoints, 

PostShops, via the Internet 

(www.swisspost.ch/philashop) 

or from Swiss Post, 

Marketing and Sales, 

3030 Berne, 

using the enclosed order form 

Price: CHF 64.00 

Available mint or cancelled 

Printing: multi-coloured offset 

Size: 116 pages 

Contents: 37 stamps, 2 miniature sheets 

and the exclusive vignette 

label 

Text: in four languages 

(English, French, German and 

Italian) 

Design: 

Cover 

and content: Swiss Post, Berne 

Author: Christian Scheuner, 

Swiss Post, Berne 

27

2005 Year Set and Year Set of First-Day Covers 

Simple and convenient 

All the 2005 Swiss stamps at a glance 

All this year’s Swiss Post gems feature in the 2005 Year Set. The stamps, machine 

stamps, miniature sheets and official stamps are displayed on four backing cards, i.e. 

one card per issue, to make it easier for you to place them in your own album. 

The cost of the Set is the sum of the stamp face values and premiums. There is no 

charge for the backing cards. The Year Set comes either mint or cancelled and is also 

available as a standing order. 

Year Set of First-Day Covers 




via the Internet 


or from 

Swiss Post, 


3030 Berne, 



Contents: 27 covers featuring all 2005 

stamp issues, cancelled with 

the appropriate first-day 


Sizes: 24 C6 covers 

(162114 mm) 

and 3 E6 covers 

(200140 mm) 

Design: Swiss Post, Berne 

28 

Some first-day covers are 

not illustrated. 

2005 Year Set of First-Day Covers 

All 27 of this year’s first-day covers (FDCs) with the appropriate stamps, stamp sets 

or miniature sheets, combined in one set – what could be simpler or more convenient? 

The FDC of the Vatican City/Switzerland joint issue is also included with the stamps 

of both countries. With this set, which is also available by standing order, you won’t 

miss a single first-day cover, and it also makes an excellent gift. 

Be honest: 

can you think of a better gift? 

Year Set 




PostShops, via the Internet 


or from 

Swiss Post, 


3030 Berne, 



(face value of stamps 

plus premiums) 

Size: A5 black presentation backing 

card (210148 mm) 

Contents: A total of 43 stamps and 

2 miniature sheets from 

the four 2005 issues 

Presentation: Stamps inserted into four cards, 

with a protective cellophane 

wrapping 

The Year Set comes both mint and 

cancelled. 

Design: Swiss Post, Berne 

German: 031 338 06 06 www.post.ch/philashop 

French: 031 338 06 07 www.poste.ch/philashop 

Italian: 031 338 06 08 www.posta.ch/philashop 

English: 031 338 06 09 www.swisspost.ch/philashop

Anniversary offer for the readers of THE FOCUS ON STAMPS: 

The wonderful first day cover Vatican «Swiss guards» with special stamp, 

its vignette and the first day postmark of 20 th March 1997 at only Fr 2.50! 

4 different official commemorative coins 

«Pope John Paul II» of the Republic of Congo in 

the coloured and informative blister at the special 

price of only Fr 27.80. For each coin you pay only 

Fr 6.95! 

Pope 

John Paul II 

ø 30 mm 

SRH AG 

Hardhofstrasse 15 

8424 Embrach ZH 

You may order directly: 

Phone: 01 865 78 38 

Fax: 01 865 70 85 

E-Mail: service@srh-ltd.ch 

www.srh-ltd.com 

«500 years Swiss guards» 

✁ 

Name/Christian name 

Street/number 

Postcode/town 

You will receive 

FREE OF CHARGE 

the English collectors 

phonecard with the 

picture of the rare 

Vatican Euro coins. You 

will pay only Fr 3.95 for 

postage and package. 

As a present you will 

receive the exclusive 

collectors folder. 

Order form 

Phone/Fax Date of birth 

Zero risk guarantee: 

Of course you can stop your subscription at 

any time. It is not a problem. A letter, fax or 

call is sufficient. ✗Signature 

Fr10.- 

The first silver ounce «Vatican» (1 ounce silver 

999/1000 = 31,1 g, proof) on the occasion of the 

important anniversary «500 years of the Swiss guards» 

at only Fr 10.- instead of Fr 79.90! You save almost 70 

Francs! 

FREE! 

You pay only for postage and 

package! 

ø 40 mm 

Please cut out (do not forget your address) and send to: 

SRH AG · Hardhofstr. 15 · 8424 Embrach ZH · telefax: 01 865 70 85 

please send me the following starting issues and each month another issue of the collection I have 

chosen, on approval, without obligation: (consignment exclusive of forwarding expenses) 

… x the first day cover Vatican «Swiss guards» with the Vatican special stamp, its vignette and the first 

day postmark of 20th Yes, 

March 1997 at only Fr 2.50! 

… x the first silver ounce «Vatican – 500 years Swiss guards» at the starting price of only Fr 10.instead 

Fr 79.90. I save immediately 70 Francs! 

…x4 different official commemorative coins «Pope John Paul II» of the Republic of Congo in the 

coloured and informative blister at the special price of only Fr 27.80. So I pay only Fr 6.95 each coin! 

…xFREE OF CHARGE the English collectors phonecard with the picture of rare Vatican coins. I shall 

only pay Fr 3.95 on receipt for postage and package! (Only one phonecard possible for each collector!) 

fkp/9eh 

English collection phonecard 

+++ Sensational new issue +++ 

Reserve now: 

Germany – 

Football 2006 

ø 30 mm – 11,5 g 

Yes, please send me: 

.... x at only Fr 5.- the 

bimetalic special issue 

«Germany – 

Football 2006». 

(Consignment exclusive of 

forwarding expenses) 

✁

Christmas Card and Special Cover 

with Special Cancellation 

Sales: from 22.11.2005 

Pre-release: none 

Sizes: 

Special cover: C6 (162114 mm) 

Card: A6, four pages (105 x 148 mm) 

Printed greetings 

inside in 

four languages 

Special 


Customers with standing orders for 

Swiss Post special cancellations will 

automatically receive their usual quantity 

of the special cover as illustrated, plus 

a free Christmas card. 

The items shown here are also available from all 

philatelic salespoints, while stocks last. 

Orders in writing should be sent to the following 

address only: 


Stamps and Philately 

Customer Service 


3031 Berne 

Designer 

Card 

and cover: Reinhard Fluri, Halten SO 

30 

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, 

out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, 

unto the city of David, which is called 

Bethlehem (because he was of the house 

and lineage of David) to be taxed with 

Mary his espoused wife. 

This short passage from the Bible, which 

inspired the motif of the new series 

of our popular Bethlehem products, 

brings to an end the 5-year set designed 

by artist Reinhard Fluri from Halten 

(Solothurn). The new, much-sought-after 

special Christmas 2005 cancellation will 

be flanking the above-mentioned 

products and those illustrated on this 

page. 

The highly positive feedback from our 

customers clearly shows that the 

“Bethlehem” covers and cards are still 

in great demand. So you can start 

looking forward to a new set focusing on 

this theme, due to appear in November 

2006. 

FROHE FESTTAGE 

BONNES FÊTES 

BUONE FESTE 

SEASON’S GREETINGS 

Special Bethlehem Post Office 

Date: 19 to 23 December 2005 

Location: Special Bethlehem Post Office 

In the Tscharnergut Centre 

Waldmannstrasse 17 

3027 Berne 

Opening hours: 

Mon. 19.12 1 pm – 5 pm 

Tue. 20.12 9 am – noon 1 pm – 5 pm 

Wed. 21.12 9 am – noon 1 pm – 5 pm 

Thu. 22.12 9 am – noon 1 pm – 5 pm 

Fri. 23.12 9 am – noon 

A letter box will be installed from 1 pm on 19.12 

to noon on 23.12. 

Letter-post items franked with valid postage stamps 

may also be sent in for cancellation (no insured 

items). 

These should be enclosed in a stamped envelope 

and reach the following address no later than 

17 December 2005: 


“Bethlehem” 

Philatelic Salespoint 

3000 Berne 1, Schanzenpost 

Please remember to enclose a stamped, 

self-addressed envelope so we can return 

unaddressed cancelled items to you.

Speaking for Ourselves 

Something extra for good customers 

What is “extra”? 

“extra” is an 

additional Stamps 

and Philately 

service. “extra” 

is a catalogue 

containing exclusive 

products 

and trips we have 

specially selected 

for our customers. 

Customers 

who spend at least CHF 45.00 a year 

benefit from a reduced price – the 

so-called extra-price. The latest “extra” 

fresh off the press is enclosed with the 

German and French language versions 

of <strong>Focus</strong> in Switzerland. 

“extra” = first-class merchandise 

Browse through the catalogue and you’ll 

find top-class items – for gifts or for 

yourself. We lay special emphasis on the 

quality of the products: Leading manu- 

Liberalization of the letter market: New definitive stamps 

As this edition of <strong>Focus</strong> went to press, 

it was not yet known what effect the 

Federal Council’s decision to liberalize 

the letter market would have on the 

2006 stamp issue programme. It is 

therefore possible that Swiss Post will be 

issuing new definitive stamps at short 

notice early next year. Under discussion 

is a lowering of the monopoly limit to 

100 grammes in 2006. At present, 

domestic addressed letters weighing up 

to 1 kilogramme are included in the 

reserved services (postal monopoly) and 

are not liable to value added tax. 

Depending on what the Federal Council 

decides, all letters weighing over 

100 grammes may be liable to value 

added tax. In that case, Swiss Post will 

raise the price for letters weighing over 

100 grammes (A and B Post) by an 

average of 7.6 percent (because of 

VAT). It can be assumed that the prices 

facturers – most of them from Switzerland 

– are a guarantee of excellent 

products. 

“extra” = trips 

Trips, some of them linked to topical 

stamp themes, round out the “extra” 

range. The pick of the current issue is our 

five-day trip following the route of the 

Swiss Guards to Rome. A former Guard 

will accompany you on the journey. 

“extra” 

In Switzerland, you receive the “extra” 

catalogue together with <strong>Focus</strong>. But 

you can also order the brochure free of 

charge from Swiss Post’s Customer 

Service by calling the “extra” telephone 

number 0848 78 26 77. “extra” is 

published in German and French (the 

Italian language version of <strong>Focus</strong> comes 

with the French version of “extra”). 

At present, orders are delivered within 

Switzerland. 

for standard letters (weighing up to 

100 grammes) will remain unchanged. 

If the letter market were liberalized as 

from 1 April 2006, we would be able 

to inform you in time about changes 

in the issue programme. However, should 

the Federal Council introduce the liberalization 

earlier (i.e. as from 1 January 

2006), we would ask you to consult 

www.swisspost.ch (heading “Stamps”) 

for further information. In any event, all 

our customers with standing orders will 

receive the new definitives with issue 

1/2006 next March. 

Philatelic salespoint Basel – 

new location: from 15 November 2005 

in the Post office of Basel 1, 

Freie Strasse 12 

Unspunnenfest postponed 

The 200-year-old Swiss Traditional 

Costume and Alpine Herdsmen’s Festival 

in Interlaken has had to be postponed 

until 1 to 3 September 2006, due to 

the recent heavy flooding in many parts 

of Switzerland. All this year’s vouchers 

and tickets will still be valid. For further 

information, see www.unspunnenfest.ch. 

The special “Unspunnen” stamp was 

issued on 8 March 2005. 

“Stamp Day” sheet 

Two different versions of the special 

stamp commemorating “Stamp Day 

2005 Meyrin” are in circulation. The ones 

ordered from Stamps and Philately 

have the code 510 961 in red in the top 

left-hand corner of the sheet margin. 

The code on sheets obtained from post 

offices is overprinted in black with the 

figure 515 763 next to it. 

Imprint 

“<strong>Focus</strong> on stamps” is a free 

magazine, published in English, 

German, French and Italian. 

Published by: 


Stamps and Philately 


3030 Berne (Switzerland) 

Total print run 

230 000 copies 

Sales and Customer Service 

Phone Switzerland 031 338 06 09 

Phone from abroad +41 31 338 06 09 

Fax 031 338 73 08 

E-mail stamps@post.ch 

Internet www.swisspost.ch 

Shop www.swisspost.ch/philashop 

“<strong>Focus</strong> on stamps” No 4/2005 

Copy deadline: 31.8.2005 

Distribution: from 11.10.2005 

Stamp issue: 22.11.2005 

31

la collection suisse 2005 

The yearbook with Switzerland’s finest. 

Order coupon enclosed 

or www.swisspost.ch/philashop 

exclusive

Focus on Stamps 04/2005 - Die Schweizerische Post

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