2018 marks the Centenary of Nelson Mandela , who needs no introduction. The Anti- apartheid hero of South Africa is revered all over the world for his peaceful ways in which he gained his victory from the apartheid rulers and years of imprisonment and loneliness.
He became the South African President for two terms after apartheid was abolished . His relationship with Germany, though is complex. His party ANC was funded by the East Germans until 1980 and therefore unified Germany had apprehensions about his political role and aspirations. But after Madiba’s visit to Germany in 1996 and his speech in the German parliament , he won over the Germans with his charm. He is an icon in Germany now.
Germany which has seldom issued stamps honouring a person from other countries , issued a stamp this year to honour Madiba. Such is the charm of this great man who walked upon this earth for nearly 9 decades !
The German stamp features a photo of a relatively young Nelson Mandela taken three days after his release from prison. It shows Nelson Mandela in profile, looking upwards into the light with an expression of relief.
They chose the colours of the flag of the democratic South Africa, for their symbolic meaning. “The vivid colours stand in sharp contrast to the stamp’s black-and-white background.”.
Another interesting feature of the stamp is the bold font used, known as ‘Knockout’. It was selected as it evoked feelings of warmth and also comes in Featherweight, Middleweight, Heavyweight, amongst others. The terms are used in boxing and Nelson Mandela was a keen boxer in his young days.
The German stamp photo was taken by Paul Weinberg, a South African who was active in the anti-apartheid resistance movement. The stamp was designed by André Heers and Annette le Fort.
Nelson Mandela is a symbol of freedom, love for mankind, reconciliation and nation building.
Thanks Wolfagang for this precious cover and the beautiful first day cancellation from Berlin !
P.S : the countries that have issued a Centenary stamp honouring Madiba are
South Africa , Germany , India , Algeria , Monaco , Tunisia , UN
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