Swiss Stamps
Pro Juventute Issues
of 1943-1949
Most of the Pro Juventute Swiss stamps issued between 1943 and 1949 feature the theme of Alpine Flowers,
and that is the name that these stamps are referred to by Swiss philatelists.
One or more of the stamp denominations in each set usually honors a
famous personality, as well.
With only one exception, all of the Pro Juventute stamps shown below were issued on December 1 of each year. The thematic issues in each set are photogravure, and the portrait issues in each set are engraved.
In most cases, the surtax amounts on all these stamps benefited the Pro Juventute (For the Children) Foundation.
A special issue of surtaxed stamps celebrating the 1948 Winter Olympic Games is also included below.
The 1943 Pro Juventute stamps are shown above (Zu. WI #105-08, Mi. #424-27, Sc. #B126-29). The higher-denomination stamps feature Swiss Alpine Wildflowers, as follows:
- 10 C. + 05 C. - Silver Thistle (Carlina acaulis).
- 20 C. + 05 C. - Lady Slipper (Cypripedium calceolus).
- 30 C. + 10 C. - Gentian (Gentiana clusii).
The 05 C. + 05 C. denomination stamp was issued to honor Emanuel von Fellenberg (1771-1844), the Swiss educator and agronomist.
The 1944 Pro Juventute stamps are shown above (Zu. WI #109-12, Mi. #439-42, Sc. #B137-40). The higher-denomination Swiss stamps feature Swiss Alpine Wildflowers, as follows:
- 10 C. + 05 C. - Edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum).
- 20 C. + 05 C. - Turk's Cap Lily (Lilium martagon).
- 30 C. + 10 C. - Alpine Columbine (Aquilegia alpina).
The 05 C. + 05 C. denomination stamp was issued to honor Numa Droz (1844-1899), a Swiss politician and a member of the Swiss Federal Council from 1875 to 1892.
The 1945 Pro Juventute stamps are shown above (Zu. WI #113-16, Mi. #465-68, Sc. #B150-53). The higher-denomination stamps feature Swiss Alpine Wildflowers, as follows:
- 20 C. + 10 C. - Alpine Dog Rose (Rosa pendulina).
- 30 C. + 10 C. - Crocus (Crocus neapolitanus).
The 05 C. + 05 C. denomination stamp was issued to honor Ludwig Forrer (1845-1921), a Swiss politician and a member of the Swiss Federal Council from 1902 to 1917.
The 10 C. + 10 C. denomination stamp was issued to honor Susanna von Orelli-Rinderknecht (1845-1939). She was a representative of the Swiss Temperance Movement and the founder of the Zurich Women's Club. On another note, she was the first woman to receive a doctorate from the University of Zurich in 1919, and she was the first woman to appear on a Swiss postage stamp.
The 1946 Pro Juventute stamps are shown above (Zu. WI #117-20, Mi. #475-78, Sc. #B158-61). The higher-denomination Swiss stamps feature Swiss Alpine Wildflowers, as follows:
- 10 C. + 10 C. - Narcissus (Narcissus poeticus).
- 20 C. + 10 C. - Houseleek (Sempervivum montanum).
- 30 C. + 10 C. - Alpine Sea Holly (Eryngium alpinum).
The 05 C. + 05 C. denomination stamp was issued to honor Rodolphe Toepffer (1799-1846), the Swiss teacher, author, painter, cartoonist, and caricaturist. He is best known for his illustrated books, which are regarded as the first European comics.
The 1947 Pro Juventute stamps are shown above (Zu. WI #121-24, Mi. #488-91, Sc. #B166-69). The higher-denomination Swiss stamps feature Swiss Alpine Wildflowers, as follows:
- 10 C. + 10 C. - Alpine Primrose (Primula auricula).
- 20 C. + 10 C. - Red Lily (Lilium bulbiferum).
- 30 C. + 10 C. - Cyclamen (Cyclamen purpurascens).
The 05 C. + 05 C. denomination stamp was issued to honor Jakob Burckhardt (1818-1895), a Swiss art and culture historian. He is known as one of the progenitors of cultural history.
The four surtaxed Swiss stamps shown above (Zu. WIII #25-28, Mi. #492-95, Sc. #B170-73) were issued on January 15, 1948 to publicize the Winter Olympic Games, held at St. Moritz from January 30 to February 8, 1948.
The designs are as follows:
- 05 C. + 05 C. - Sun and Olympic Emblem.
- 10 C. + 10 C. - Snowflake and Olympic Emblem.
- 20 C. + 10 C. - Hockey goalie.
- 30 C. + 10 C. - Downhill Skier.
The 05 C. + 05 C. and 30 C. + 10 C. denominations were printed on two different types of granite paper. The first type has blue and red silk fibers. The second type has red and yellow silk fibers. The second type is the more expensive of the two types.
The 1948 Pro Juventute stamps are shown above (Zu. WI #125-28, Mi. #514-17, Sc. #B179-82). The higher-denomination Swiss stamps feature Swiss Alpine Wildflowers, as follows:
- 10 C. + 10 C. - Foxglove (Digitalis grandiflora).
- 20 C. + 10 C. - Alpenrose (Rhododendron ferrugineum).
- 40 C. + 10 C. - Lily of Paradise (Paradisea liliastrum).
The 05 C. + 05 C. denomination stamp was issued to honor General Ulrich Wille (1848-1925), the Commander-in-Chief of the Swiss Army during World War I.
The 1949 Pro Juventute stamps are shown above (Zu. WI #129-32, Mi. #541-44, Sc. #B187-90). The higher-denomination Swiss stamps feature Swiss Alpine Wildflowers, as follows:
- 10 C. + 10 C. - Alpine Anemone (Pulsatilla alpina).
- 20 C. + 10 C. - Alpine Clematis (Clematis alpina).
- 40 C. + 10 C. - Superb Pink Dianthus (Dianthus superbus).
The 05 C. + 05 C. denomination stamp was issued to honor Niklaus Wengi (1485-1549), a politician of the Canton of Solothurn. Because of his rigorous intervention, he prevented religious warfare in the Canton of Solothurn. As a result, he became known as the "Hero of the Solothurn Reformation".
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