A stamp commemorating the 100th anniversary of the civil service
Exactly 100 years ago – on February 17, 1922 – the Sejm (lower house of the Second Polish Republic) passed the first Act on the State Civil Service. This was a milestone in the process of building Polish public administration after more than 120 years of partition. To commemorate this event, the Polish Post, in cooperation with the Civil Service Department of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, issued a stamp entitled "100th Anniversary of the Civil Service," of which 100,000 were distributed to post offices across the country.
Designer Jacek Konarzewski placed the official logo of the 100th anniversary of the civil service in the center of the stamp, against a background of the red and white national colors. Below are the dates: February 17, 1922 – February 17, 2022, the value: PLN 3.60, and the inscription POLSKA.
" The mission of Poczta Polska includes commemorating important events, figures, and institutions in our history. I am proud that, as part of this part of the Poczta Polska's activities, which are among the most enduring institutions of Polish statehood, we can also participate in the anniversary of the Civil Service. The philatelic issue, which we prepared together with the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, is the best way to emphasize the importance and significance of the service of all those who spared no effort to ensure the smooth functioning of the reborn homeland, " says Tomasz Zdzikot, President of Poczta Polska.
In the process of rebuilding Polish statehood after Poland's return to the European map, the administrative staff of the reborn state played a crucial role. Consolidating lands that had belonged to various states, each with its own administrative model, into a single state entity proved to be a significant challenge. New legal regulations were needed to redefine the employment rules for functionaries, officials, and administrative staff. Despite the numerous tasks facing the first Sejm and its elected government, awareness of the importance of administration for the functioning of the state was so strong that the first law on the state civil service was passed less than three years after Poland regained independence. The 1922 law combined the experiences of Western European countries with Polish tradition and covered almost all civil servants, excluding judges and prosecutors, teachers and university lecturers, and railway and postal workers. The civil service was a crucial element of the reborn statehood and undoubtedly facilitated the process of rebuilding the Polish state, with civil servants serving as the foundation for this activity. At the end of the Second Polish Republic (in 1938), a total of 450,000 public officials were employed, who together with their families constituted 5.6% of the total population.
" I am pleased that, in cooperation with Poczta Polska, we have managed to commemorate another important event for our country. This time, the stamp reminds us that 100 years ago, on February 17, 1922, the Act on the State Civil Service was passed. It was the first comprehensive regulation concerning the civil service in Poland. Above all, it was a crucial step towards rebuilding the Polish state and administration, as well as preparing qualified civil servants. I believe that the issuance of the stamp will encourage everyone to learn more about the civil service and its history, " said Dobrosław Dowiat-Urbański, Head of the Civil Service.
Currently, the civil service operates under the Civil Service Act of 21 November 2008. The civil service is primarily comprised of people – members of the civil service corps, whose task is to ensure the efficient functioning of the government administration, regardless of the political situation or changes of government. The civil service's tasks are diverse and touch upon almost all areas of our lives. Building a modern state, increasing the efficiency of its bodies, and, above all, ensuring public satisfaction are the most important goals and tasks that members of the civil service corps are expected to fulfill.
" After years of partition and the division of Polish lands, one of the most important tasks of the reborn country was to rebuild the entire public administration. The new stamp, which is being delivered to our customers, is intended to remind us that at that time, the civil service and its officials were a crucial element in rebuilding our statehood. Without the people involved in the process of rebuilding the institutions of the Polish state, without civil servants, the unification of the state's operating principles would not have been possible in such a short time. The stamp is not only a reminder of those efforts, but above all a tribute to the thousands of officials who ensured the efficient operation of the country's most important state offices, " says Wiesław Włodek, Vice President of Poczta Polska.
In addition to the stamp, Poczta Polska issued a First Day of Circulation (FDC) envelope. The envelope's design features two photographs: an archival one from the National Digital Archives, depicting pre-war officials, and a contemporary one, capturing the ceremony of appointing new civil servants. The lower left corner of the envelope features the issue title and the motto: "Our mission is to serve the state and its citizens."
About the stamp:
Designer: Jacek Konarzewski
Number of stamps: 1
Value: PLN 3.60
Circulation: 100,000
Printing technique: rotogravure
Stamp format: 39.5 x 31.25 mm
Paper: fluorescent
Sales sheet: 50 stamps
Date of issue: February 17, 2022