Polish-Greek hero on a postage stamp
The Polish Post has introduced the "Jerzy Iwanow-Szajnowicz" stamp into circulation. The stamp, depicting one of the most effective saboteurs of World War II, has been distributed to post offices across the country.
March 25, 2021, marks the bicentennial of the Greek struggle for independence. Greece is celebrating this milestone, which marked the birth of the modern Greek state and ushered in a new era for Europe and the entire region.
" The Polish Post commemorative stamp depicting the hero of two nations, Jerzy Iwanow-Szajnowicz, speaks for itself. His words spoken at the moment of execution: 'Long live Greece, long live Poland,' will forever remain in our memory. We hope that the virtual presentation of the stamp, due to pandemic reasons, will be replaced by a face-to-face form of contact. This will allow for high-level bilateral contacts, as has been the case in the past, " said Michael-Efstratios C. Daratzikis, Greek Ambassador to Poland.
The stamp's designer, Agnieszka Sancewicz, featured a photograph of Jerzy Iwanow-Szajnowicz just before the outbreak of World War II. The photograph, colorized by Mirosław Szponar, comes from the family collection of Leonarda Lambrianidu, Iwanow-Szajnowicz's niece. In addition to the stamp, Poczta Polska issued a limited edition First Day of Circulation (FDC) envelope. It depicts items related to intelligence and sabotage activities.
" When issuing postage stamps, the Company wants to focus not only on the aesthetic value of its publications and provide recipients with beautiful items. Above all, we want to utilize the great power of philately and, through it, remind them of the most important figures and events in the history of Poland, Europe, and the world. This becomes especially important when it comes to forgotten historical heroes. One such figure is the secret service agent Jerzy Iwanow-Szajnowicz, immortalized on the latest Poczta Polska stamp. According to historians, his popularity is disproportionate to the scale of his exploits, because although he didn't have a single soldier at his disposal, only his innate talent, he is considered the most effective saboteur in the history of intelligence, " says Tomasz Zdzikot, President of the Management Board of Poczta Polska.
Jerzy Iwanow-Szajnowicz was a prominent agent of the Polish and British secret services and a distinguished activist in the Greek resistance movement. Many experts consider him the most effective saboteur the Allies had at their disposal throughout World War II. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Cross of the Virtuti Militari, the Cross of Courage – the highest military decoration of the Kingdom of Greece and the second highest military decoration of the Hellenic Republic – and the George Cross – the highest civilian state decoration of the United Kingdom. Iwanow-Szajnowicz was also a talented athlete (soccer, water polo, swimming, and sailing).
" I sincerely thank Poczta Polska for joining the celebration of the 200th anniversary of Greek independence, taking the initiative, which came from our parliamentary group, to commemorate this special Hero of the Nations. 'Long live Greece, long live Poland!' – the words shouted by Szajnowicz as he stood before the German firing squad – remain the foundation of the deep respect present in our bilateral relations to this day," said MP Daniel Milewski, chairman of the Polish-Greek Parliamentary Group.
" Fulfilling its educational mission, Poczta Polska (Polish Post) with its latest circulation stamp celebrates a Polish and Greek hero whose virtues, skills, and achievements are untold. A polyglot, an accomplished athlete, a Polish scout, an agent of the Polish and British secret services, and a hero of the Greek resistance movement. Called by many the Polish James Bond, his heroism proved that even life was worth sacrificing for freedom. Greeks see him as an example of Poles' commitment to the fight for Greek freedom, and with our issue, we also pay tribute to those who fought for Greek independence 200 years ago, " says Wiesław Włodek, Vice President of Poczta Polska.
In April 2019, the Company introduced a postage stamp from the issue "100th anniversary of the establishment of Polish-Greek diplomatic relations".
About the stamp:
author of the design: Agnieszka Sancewicz
number of stamps: 1
value: PLN 8
circulation: 10,000,000 pcs
printing technique: rotogravure
stamp format: 31.25 x 25 mm
paper: fluorescent
sales sheet: 100 stamps
date of introduction into circulation: March 25, 2021
This and other philatelic publications of Poczta Polska can be purchased at post offices and online store: www.filatelistyka.poczta-polska.pl