Carpatho-Ukraine Stamps Printed Between 1939 & 1945

Published

Aug 23, 2014 Europe/London

Carpatho-Ukraine was once part of the Hapsburg Empire, not under the control of Russia as some might think. This region that also includes Transcarpathia and Ruthenia was under the direct control of the Hapsburg Empire, and as such used stamps that were issued and used in Austria, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. Here’s a look at the popular stamp issues used in the area.

National Assembly Issues made available in Khust

In time for the planned First Carpatho-Ukrainian National Assembly in Khust, the government decided to design a stamp that will commemorate the event. Before the actual assembly, the famed 3-koruny blue stamp that showed the church of Yasinia was distribuited. The design of the stamp that showed the Church of the Ascension was actually a re-engraving and based on the 1928 Tenth Anniversary orange red stamp of Czechoslovakia. The printed sheet features two panes with 100 stamps on each side. There are 16 horizontal rows that can be found on each side, the first and last rows feature a stamp each and six blanks. The rest of the rows feature seven postage stamps each. There were a total of 900,000 stamps printed, 300,000 of these stamps were sent to Khust and the rest remained in Prague.

Release of Yasinia Local Trident Overprints

At a time when the trident stamps overprints were popular in Ukraine, the residents of Yasinia decided to design their own versions in time for Carpatho-Ukraine’s independence. So on March 14, 1939, at least 40 Czech stamps and two more souvenir sheets were overprinted using the trident design, called Type 1. On the next day, another 39 stamps were printed called Type 2, this time the trident design was complemented by the words ‘Glory to Ukraine’ or СЛАВА УКРАЇНІ!” All these designs were made using black ink.

Change in regimes, change in issues

The region was soon controlled by the Red Army in October 1944. It was the Czechoslovak government-in-exile that initially controlled the region but soon moved out. This was the same when the production of local issues was given the go-signal. Also, this was the time when ‘Czechoslovakia Sympathy Issues’ were introduced. Up until this time, no one knows for sure who ordered the printing of the issues.

Other stamps and overprints soon followed, including the Uzhhorod Provisional Overprints. These stamps featured the words and markings that say “Poshta Zakarpatska Ukraina" which means Post of Transcarpathian Ukraine. The stamps also featured their denominations.