Hi ! I am writing after a gap as I was very busy during last few days. In today’s Post some of the finest FDCs from Poland sent to me by my blogger friend Andrzej. A big 
Poczta Polska by publishing a four stamp series entitled "Animals of Africa" makes use of Tomasz Gudzowaty's ingenious photographs that represent cheetahs, zebras, antelopes, gnus and elephants. The photographs that appear on the stamps and FDC envelopes were taken in Kenya, Tanzania and Botswana during 1998-1999. Two of them "First Lesson of Killing" (stamp's nominal value PLN 1.55) and "Paradise Crossing" (stamp's nominal value PLN 2.40) have been awarded in the World Press Photo contest.
POLES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
Poczta Polska commemorates the achievements of Poles in exile by introducing four new stamps featuring the portraits of Jan Czochralski, Ludwik Hirszfeld, Antoni Patek and three composers: Marian Rejewski, Henryk Zygalski and Jerzy Różycki. Two FDCs present an outline of the globe with a drawing of the Polish crowned eagle imposed onto it.
200th ANNIVERSARY OF JULIUSZ SŁOWACKI BIRTH
His home and the loved ones
Juliusz Słowacki was born on 4 September 1809 in Krzemieniec (the Wołyń circuit) into a family of intellectuals. His father, Euzebiusz Słowacki, a literature historian, playwright and translator, was a professor of literature in the famous Liceum Krzemienieckie ( Krzemieniec Grammar School) and beginning with 1811 - head of the department of speech and poetry at the University of Vilnius. He died in 1814, after which Słowacki's mother, Salomea of the Januszewski family, took over the task of raising her son. An educated woman, fascinated had been with classical poetry like her husband, she remarried in 1818 to doctor August Bécu. The family home had a significant impact on the upbringing and education of the young poet. His mother was his best friend, his tutor, his confidant. Although Juliusz Słowacki grew up in the intellectual environment of Krzemieniec and Vilnius, he chose a more practical career path and took up studying law. Having graduated from university he left to Warsaw to start work as a legal apprentice in the Government Revenue and Treasury Commission (Komisja Rządowa Przychodów i Skarbu), after which he went on to work in the National Government Diplomatic Office (Biuro Dyplomatyczne Rządu Narodowego).
Poczta Polska joins in the celebrations of the 200 th anniversary of the birth of Juliusz Słowacki by issuing a postage stamp with the poet's portrait on the background of a laurel wreath - the symbol of fame. The FDC features a lithograph prepared in the workshop of Karol Karnikowski for the hundredth anniversary of Słowacki's birth in 1909 presenting characters from the poet's works.
DEFENSIVE WAR 1939
Defensive War 1939
1 September 2009 marks the seventieth anniversary of the outbreak of World War II, the greatest military conflict of the 20 th century not only in relation to utilized forces and means but also suffered material and human losses. This cruel war lasted for six years and came to an end on 2 September 1945 with the capitulation of Japan. In Europe, Germany signed the Act of Unconditional Surrender on 8 May 1945.
The first day of September of the year to remember.
It is commonly believed that the war broke out with gunfire shot from the battleship Schleswig-Holstein at the Polish military transit depot in the Westerplatte peninsula at the Gulf of Gdańsk, which was fiercely defended by a handful of soldiers led by major Henryk Sucharski. The German gunfire was backed up by a torpedo-boat, planes, SS battalion and front-line troops. Westerplatte surrendered on 7 September and its heroic defense took on the symbolic meaning. The September Campaign, also known as the Defensive War ended on 5 October 1939. Poland became shrouded by a dark night of occupation.
In tribute to the participants of the September Campaign, Poczta Polska introduced two stamps. The first one presents a German archival photograph of the bombarded Wieluń. The town is seen from the cabin of a bomber, the perspective of the aggressor. The bottom of the photograph shows the zero hour. The cover includes a map of the destructed districts of the town. The issue is accompanied by an occasional date stamp with the view of a saved church standing surrounded by the ruins, in use in Wieluń 1 Post Office. The second stamp is devoted to Węgierska Górka. This time the fighting is presented from the defenders' perspective, from the bunker, as seen with a Polish soldier's eyes. The First Day Cover shows a plan of location of fortifications along with the direction of attacks of the German Army. An occasional date stamp with a military eagle has been displayed by the Węgierska Górka Post Office.
POLAND 2009 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP IN WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
The stamp and First Day Cover commemorating the European Championship in Women’s Volleyball both feature a drawing depicting the dynamics of the players’ movements.
Volleyball appeared in Poland in the 1920s. The first organization associating volleyball fans, and also enthusiasts of handball and softball, was the Polish Association of Softball and Team Sports, established in 1925. In 1957 the Polish Association of Volleyball was set up. The Polish female volleyball players succeeded in international competitions on numerous occasions, especially in the 1950s and 1960s. Recently Polish volleyball has returned to glory again with gold medals in the Women’s European Championships in 2003 and 2005 which earned the players the nickname “PLNotka" . This year the fans have double the reason to rejoice with a gold medal won at the European Championships in Men’s Volleyball in Turkey and a bronze medal earned by the women’s team in Poland.
Courtesy (Text) - Poczta Polska
