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World of Stamps: Syria by Geir Sør-Reime

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World of Stamps: Syria by Geir Sør-Reime World of Stamps: Syria By Geir Sør-Reime The popular protest against the President and the current government in Syria have been going on for more than a year, and the world’s attention has been on the Syrian people and their sufferings during these months. Similar to the revo- lutionaries in Libya, the demonstrators in Syria have started using the 1932-58 and 1961-63 flag of Syria to distin- Syria 1965 2nd an- guish themselves from niversary of March 8, the current government 1963 Revolution and Syria 1948 of President Basher al- Assad regime flag also showing Assad, first introduced (Sc. 467) flag used by 1958-61, re-introduced 1980. anti-Assad m o v e m e n t The Syrian Arab Republic has an area of (Sc. 345) 71,479 square miles and a population of around 22.5 million. The country has a long and com- plicated history. The area became a Roman province in 64 BC. The city of Antioch eventually became the Syria 1932 Ancient bridge 3rd largest in the Empire and a very at Antioch (Sc. 220) important economic center. At least three Roman emperors were Syr- ians. In AD 640, Syria came under the Islamic empire, which made Damas- cus its capital soon afterwards. Syria 1932 Great In AD 750 the capital of the empire Mosque at Damascus was moved to Baghdad, and Syria’s (Sc. 218) Issue 19 - July 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net If you enjoy this article, and are not already a subscriber, for $12 a year you can enjoy 60+ pages a month. To subscribe, email [email protected] role diminished. During the Crusades, coastal areas of Syria were briefly held by the Crusaders. In 1260, the area came under Mongol control, later replaced by Egyptian control. In 1516, the Ottoman Empire conquered Syria from the Egyptian sultanate, and the following year, also Egypt itself. Syria remained under Ottoman rule until WWI. France and Britain agreed to divide the Ottoman areas and Syria and neighboring areas fell to France. British troops entered Damascus in December 1918 together with their Arab allies under Feisal, the son of the ruler of Mecca. Syria, French Occ. 1920 (Sc. 30) Syria, French Occ. Syria, French 1921 (opt. on Arab Occ. 1919 (Sc. 5) Kingdom) (Sc. 83) Syria, French Occ. 1923 (Sc. 55) Feisal established an Arab government Arab Kingdom 1920 based in Damascus, (Sc. 98 and 92) on but the French and entire British were unwilling to support him. In 1920, independence was declared with Feisal as King, but the French defeated his troops and entered Damascus in July 1920. Issue 19 - July 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net Alaouites 1926 Alaouites 1926 air (Sc. 38) post (Sc. C11) Alaouites (Ala- The French initially wite state) 1925 divided Syria into several (Sc. 1) states: the State of Alep- po, the Alawite State, the State of Greater Lebanon, the State of Damascus and Jabal Druze. In 1924, the States of Aleppo and Alaouites 1928 Damascus were united to (Sc. 46) the State of Syria, and in 1936, the Alawite Syria and Great State and Jabal Druze Lebanon 1923 were also incorporat- (Sc. 104) ed into the Republic of Syria. In 1937, the Sandjak of Al- exandrette, formerly part of the State of Aleppo, was made an autonomous state, incorporated with Turkey (as Ha- Hatay 1939 definitive (Sc. 18) A l e x a n d r e t t a Alexandretta 1938 (Sc. Alexandretta 1938 air 1938 (Sc. 2) 11) post (Sc. C4) tay) in 1939. Alexandrette had been a separate unit 1920-23. Latakia was the main town in the Alawite State. State of Jabal Druze was established for the Druze population. Latakia 1931 air post (Sc. C3) Issue 19 - July 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net Syria was administered by France under a League of Na- tions mandate Syria 1924 air post 1923-1943. Syria 1929 air post, (Sc. C22) Although an Damascus Industrial independence agreement had been Exhibition (Sc. B38) reached in 1936, it was not ratified by the French. Dur- ing WWII, Syria was under the control of the French Vichy government, but Free French and British troops occupied Syria in July 1941. Although Syria proclaimed its inde- pendence then, this was not recognized until January 1, 1944. In April 1946, French and British troops were evacuated from the country. Syria 1946 Indepen- S y r i a 1 9 4 2 Syria 1942 Indepen- dent Republic overprint United Syria dence, President Has- on fiscal stamp (Sc. (Sc. 291) sani (Sc. 284) 314) I n F e b r u a r y 1958, Syria and Egypt united as the United Arab Repub- lic, but already in September 1961, Syria seceded from the merged state. Left, UAR 1961 3rd anniver- During the 1967 sary of UAR (Sc. 50); right, 1958 UAR war, Israeli forces Syria 1961 Syrian Arab Re- (Issue for captured the Golan public, issued after secession Syria), Es- from the UAR (Sc. 420A) t a b l i s h - Heights, an area m e n t o f of tension between the two countries since UAR (Sc. 1) Israeli independence 1948, in a 2-days cam- Issue 19 - July 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net Syria 1974 1st anniver- sary of Yom Kippur War (Sc. 691) paign. Syrian attempts to regain the area during the 1973 war were unsuccess- ful. In 1981, Israel annexed the Golan Heights. Syria 1971 1st In 1971, then Minister of anniversary of Defence, Hafez al-Assad became President Pres.Assad’s of Syria. Upon his death in 2000, his son “Correctionist Bashar al-Assad became President. Movement” (Sc. The first stamps issued specifically for 599) an area now belonging to Syria, were made by the French when they in 1916 occupied the island of Syria 2005 Rouad Rouad 1916 (Sc. 14) (Arwad) Island (Sc. Rouad 1916 (Sc. 1575) 10) Arwad (called Rouad by the French). French stamps over- printed “ILE ROUAD” (Island of Rouad) were issued there between 1916 and 1920, when the island was incorporated into the State of the Alawites. An aerial view of Arwad was shown on a 2005 stamp commemorating World Tourism Day. The first stamps then issued for larger parts of Syria were issued by the French, from November 1919 onwards. These were stamps of France and of the French post-of- fices in Turkey overprinted T.E.O. Syria, French Occ. 1919 (Territoires Ennemis Occupés (Sc. 10) – Occupied Enemy Territories) and surcharged in Egyptian currency. Issue 19 - July 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net Syria 1920 postage due (Sc. J4) Syria, French Occ. 1921 (opt. on Arab In February 1920, the Syria, French Kingdom) (Sc. 90) overprint was changed Occ. 1920 (Sc. to O.M.F. Syrie (and 26) still surcharged in Egyptian currency). O.M.F. stands for Occupation Militaire Francaise (French Military Occupa- tion). From May 1920, the surcharge was Syria 1922 postage made in Syrian currency (centimes and due (on Arab King- piastres). dom) (Sc. J16) The Faisal-led Arab Kingdom released its first stamps also in Syria 1976 commemo- rating stamps by Arab Kingdom (Sc. 738) Arab Kingdom 1920 on entire March 1920, being Turkish stamps handstamped “Arab Government” in Arabic, often also surcharged with new values. Later, Arab Kingdom 1920 stamps were also overprinted “Syrian Arab Government” in Arabic within a triangle. Distinctive stamps with ornate designs were released also. One of these exists with an inscription reading “Com- memoration of Syrian Independence 8 March 1920”. Issue 19 - July 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net A f t e r t h e French entry into Damascus July 28, 1920, several of the stamps of the Arab Kingdom were also over- printed “O.M.F. Syrie”. Turkish stamps were similarly over- printed 1921. French stamps O.M.F. overprint on Arab Kingdom Sc. 88(2), 92 were also over- issues (Syria Sc. 84, 89) on registered cover to p r i n t e d a n d Switzerland. surcharged in the same manner until France was award- ed a League of Na- tions mandate over the area, effective Syria and Great Leba- from September 28, non 1923 (Sc. 117) Syria and Great 1923. Lebanon 1923 At first, French (Sc. 110) stamps overprinted “Syrie-Grand Liban” and surcharged also were issued for use in both Syria and Lebanon, but al- ready in 1924, sepa- Syria 1924 (Sc. Syria 1924 Olympic 121) Games (Sc. 166) rate stamps were is- sued for both areas. From January 1924 onwards, French stamps overprinted “SYRIE” and surcharged also were issued. In 1925, separate stamps were issued for the then three states that present-day Syria was divided into: The State of Syria, and the State of the Alawites. There was also a Issue 19 - July 6, 2012 - StampNewsOnline.net State of Jebel Druze, but no distinct stamps were made for this state. Alaouites 1928 air post Alaouites 1925 postage A l a o u i t e s (Sc. C19) due (Sc. J6) 1925 (Sc. 29) For the State of the Alawites, first French and then Syrian stamps were issued with an “ALAOUITES” overprint (also in Ar- Latakia 1931 (Sc. 5) Latakia 1931 (Sc. 22) abic) between 1925 and 1930. In 1930, this state was made a republic, the Republic of Latakia, and Syrian stamps overprinted “LAT- TAQUIE” (also in Arabic) were issued. In 1936, the Re- public of Latakia was merged with Syria, and the use of distinct stamps ceased. The first stamps inscribed “SYRIE” (Syria) and having Syrian motifs, appeared only in 1925. Syria 1926 air post Syria 1934 air post Syria 1925 postage semi-postal for refugee (Sc.
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