Serbian and French charity stamps
Charity stamps were a good way of raising money and awareness for causes. Shown here are three charity stamps with a focus on providing help and relief to Serbia, as well as France. First is the 'Serbian War Orphans Fund', costing 1 cent. At the top, in Serbian Cyrillic is the text, 'СРПСКА РАТНА СИРОЧАД', which transliterates as 'Srpska Ratna Sirocad', and which translates to 'Serbian War Orphans'. The central motif shows ruins, children, a female figure, looking at the rays of the sun, and the words 'Humanity' within the rays. The address at the bottom of the stamp, 1905 Fowler Street, Chicago, Illinois, which is property of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Second is the Serbian Relief Fund stamp, which shows an image of a desolate Serbian soldier, below which is the text 'Begs Aid For Our Brave Ally', and the price of one penny. The Patroness of the Serbian Relief Fund was Britain’s own Queen Mary, its President the Lord Bishop of London, and Vice-Presidents included the Lord Bishop of Oxford, H.H. Asquith, W.S. Churchill, and Lloyd George. The work of the Fund included the establishment of a number of hospital units in Serbia, including some mobile ones, as well as sending nurses and medical supplies and stores, helping also the work of the Red Cross. Thirdly, is a stamp for the California Committee For Relief in Serbia and France, with a central figure of a nurse, above which is the text 'Merry Christmas', and the year 1919 below, and the text ‘California Committee for Relief in Serbia and France’ surrounding the central figure. The background has the Serbian tricolour of horizontal red-blue-white in the top half, and the French tricolor of vertical blue-white-red in the bottom half. This Californian stamp showed that, despite the war having been over for a year and more, clothing and other supplies were still needed and that, though California may have been half a world away, it was still going to help.
Three charity stamps. One for the Serbian War Orphans Fund, one for the Serbian Relief Fund, and one for the California Committee For Relief in Serbia and France.
CONTRIBUTOR
Špiro Vranješ
DATE
1914 - 1919
LANGUAGE
eng
ITEMS
4
INSTITUTION
Europeana 1914-1918
PROGRESS
METADATA
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French Serbian charity plaques and medal by Szirmai
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A silver and a bronze Serbian charity plaques by Tony Szirmai, with original presentation cases. A charity medal by Szirmai. || This is a pair of French-made plaques and a medal awarded for notable donations to Serbian war-time charities. They were created in 1917 by Hungarian-born, Paris-based sculptor and engraver, Tony Szirmai, and two metal versions of the plaque were made to give to major benefactors, bronze and silver, the latter for exceptional charitable donations. The overall designs on both plaques are the same. On one side is a female figure and three children, perhaps symbolising a family that is missing the husband and father who is away at the war. In the background is the sun on the horizon, rays of light extending, symbolising hope. The initials of the artist are in the lower, left-side of the plaque. The other side has a seated figure of a child with his arm and hand extended, seeking help. He is surrounded by destruction, houses burning in the background as he sits on a damaged wall. Above him is the French text, ‘OEUVRE POUR SAUVER LE ENFANTS SERBES’, which translates as ‘Work to Save the Serbian Children’, and the year, 1917, in Roman numerals. The edge of the silver plaque is stamped with the French world for silver, ’ARGENT’, with the number ’20’, which might have been a serial production number. The edge of the bronze plaque is stamped with ‘BRONZE’, and the number ‘209’ - if this was a serial number, then it might indicate more bronze versions of this plaque being produced than silver. The name of the recipient on both plaques is Leopold Pralon, the French steel industrialist. Also shown is a charity medal by Szirmai. One side shows a figure in armour in profile, with the French text ‘OEUVRE POUR SAUVER LES ENFANTS SERBES’, as appears on the plaques, surrounding it. Szirmai’s signature also appears in the right-side. The other side of the medal shows, in the lower centre, Serbia’s King Peter I in profile next to his son, Prince Regent Alexander. Above them is a mythical Vila, nymph-like figure carrying a trumpet. Surrounding this is the French text, ‘GLOIRE AUX INTREPIDES HEROS SERBES’, which translates as ‘Glory to the Intrepid Serbian Heroes’.
Serbian Cross of Charity
6 Items
First awarded in 1913, with the Second Balkan War, this medal continued to be awarded through the First World War, and was given to Serbian and Allied nationals, male and female, civilian or military, any rank, for caring of the sick and wounded during the war. One side has the Serbian Cyrillic text 'ЗА НЕГУ РАЊЕНИКА И БОЛЕСНИКА', which transliterates to 'Za Negu Ranjenika i Bolestnika', and translates as 'For Nursing the Wounded and Sick'. The other side of the medal shows a Serbian eagle. When this medal was awarded to women, it came on a bow ribbon, and when it was awarded to men, it came with a triangular medal. People who were awarded this medal in either the First or Second Balkan Wars, in 1912 and 1913 respectively, could conceivably have already been wearing this medal while doing further nursing work during the First World War, but it doesn't appear to be a type of award that could be given twice to the same individual. Some higher order medals or orders, for example, when awarded for a second time, would have an oak leaf bar pinned to the ribbon to signify a second award, while others were not awarded twice. It would all depend on the official legislation for whichever award was being considered. Shown here are both types, women's version with a bow ribbon, and men's version with triangular ribbon bow, as well as a miniature version of the award. || Serbian Cross of Charity, two versions of the full size medal, one of the type awarded to women and another type awarded to men. Miniature version of the medal.
Pair of Italian-made Serbian poster stamps
2 Items
Pair of poster stamps || This is a pair of Italian-made poster stamps from the ‘Marche Nazionaliste’, nationalist stamps, series. Both are from volume 18 of the series and number 6 shows Serbian Prince Regent Alexander, and number 14 shows an image of a Serbian soldier carrying a rifle. Both stamps were produced in October 1915. Serbia and Italy were allies and this period was a particularly difficult one for Serbia as it was facing invasion on several fronts.