The stamps of Carpatho-Ukraine, Cancellations

The stamps of Carpatho-Ukraine, 1939-1945, Background
The stamps of Carpatho-Ukraine, 1939-1945, The National Assembly Issue
The stamps of Carpatho-Ukraine, The Yasinia Local Trident Overprints
The stamps of Carpatho-Ukraine, The Uzhhorod Provisional Overprints
The stamps of Carpatho-Ukraine, The National Council Definitive Issues

Cancellations

Figure 30. The NRZU provisional cancel

The NRZU manufactured and distributed rubber handstamp canceling devices to most post offices. These double-ring cancellations are about 35mm in diameter (worn impressions approach 40mm) and were generally struck in black or violet. The text ЗАКАРПАТСЬКА УКРАЇНА / ПОШТА (Transcarpathian Ukraine / Post) wraps around the inside of the circle while the post office name appears in the center (Figure 30).

In addition, locally produced provisional cancels are known from a few offices. The cover in Figure 31 shows a handstamp from Rakoshin used in two different ways: to cancel the franking and to indicate registration. The Hungarian name RÁKOS has been removed from the upper part of the box, and this space is now used to enter the date (15 VI 1945) or the registry number (79). Addressed to Sandorfalva in Hungary, the item appears to be underfranked by 20f. In general, dates on Carpatho-Ukrainian cancellations were usually handwritten (or omitted), but some offices used the date-bridge from another canceling device

Figure 31. Rakoshin provisional cancel.

Censorship

Many Carpatho-Ukraine covers bear a two-line boxed censor mark in violet, black, or lilac with the inscription Закарпатська Україна / пробаченo цензурою (Carpatho Ukraine / Examined by Censor). Figure 32 is an unoverprinted Hungarian postal card, “canceled” with the NRZU censor mark and endorsed by manuscript “Uzhhorod 1945 1/29”. This is the earliest use of the censor mark known to the authors, and the cover can also be considered a forerunner to the NRZU overprinted postal stationery issued in February of 1945 (see Chapter 14).

Figure 32. Censorship mark used as cancellation.

The covers shown in Figures 20 and 31 above also display this marking, while the cover in Figure 14 has the censor mark on the reverse.

Epilog

Carpatho-Ukraine’s brief period of postal autonomy came to an end on 15 November 1945 when the territory was incorporated into the Soviet Union as the Zakarpatska Oblast of the Ukrainian S. S. R. Stamps of the Soviet Union were soon placed into use (early December usages are known, see Figure 33). In addition, covers with Carpatho-Ukraine stamps (especially the second and third definitive issues) are known well into January 1946 (Figure 34). Many of the NRZU provisional cancels also continued to be used after the territory was incorporated into the Ukrainian S.S.R.

Figure 33. Early use of Soviet stamp (9 December 1945)
Figure 34. Late use of Carpatho-Ukraine stamp (24 January 1946)

Conclusion

The preceding paragraphs have attempted to convey a portion of the breadth and scope of collecting Carpatho-Ukraine. Although only the major issues have been described for 1939 and 1945, a large number of collectible varieties exist. Even by today’s standards, this is an incredible number of stamps for such a small entity in such a short period of time. In spite of these numbers, we have virtually ignored several closely related areas such as postal stationery (see chapter 14 for an inventory of Carpatho-Ukrainian stationery items); the 1944 local Czech “liberation” issues of Khust, Berehove, and Mukachiv; and the enigmatic local issue of Teresva. Finally, the fields of cancellations and postal history offer considerable depth and opportunities for new discoveries.

Many collectors choose to assemble the entire philatelic history of Carpatho-Ukraine, from the pre-stamp era through the Soviet period and presumably including today’s independent Ukraine. While there are obvious financial barriers to acquiring many of the scarcer items from the 1945 period, the greatest difficulty is in finding the material at all. If you are a collector who likes a challenge, this could be just what you are looking for.

Bibliography

1. Blaha, Miroslav. “Development of the Postal Service in the Transcarpathian Province of the Soviet Union.” Rossica No. 73 (1967): 37-43.
2. Blaha, Miroslav. Zakarpatsko. Prague: Svaz Českých Filatelistů, 1989. (In Czech)
3. Bodnar, John. “The Second Standard Issue of Carpatho-Ukraine.” The Southern Collector No. 4 (1996): 16-22
4. Bulat, John. “Postage Stamps, Postcards, and Cancellation Stamps of the 1944 Czecho-Slovak Republic.” Ukrainian Philatelist No. 40 (1977): 2-5.
5. Bylen, Peter. Carpatho-Ukraine, A Catalog-Checklist. Westchester, IL: Ukrainian Philatelic Resources, 1995.
6. Bylen, Peter. “A Synopticon of Carpatho-Ukraine Postage Stamps.” Ukrainian Philatelist No. 73/74 (1995): 227-236.
7. Carrigan, Jay T. Carpatho-Ukraine: The 1945 People’s Council Issues. Fairfax, VA: JayCorp, Inc., 1992.
8. Ceremuga, Krzysztof. “More on the Second Standard Issue of Carpatho-Ukraine.” The Southern Collector No. 6 (1996): 10-13.
9. Ceremuga, Krzysztof. “Third Standard Issue of Carpatho-Ukraine.” The Southern Collector No. 6 (1996): 14.
10. Hugel, Lubomyr. “Stamps of Carpatho-Ukraine of 1945.” Ukrainian Philatelist No. 36 (1974): 3-8.
11. Indra, Viktor. “The 1939 Stamp of Carpatho-Ukraine.” Ukrainian Philatelist No. 65/66 (1993): 53-58. Adapted from Rossica No. 69 (1965): 10-15.
12. Kuzych, Ingert. “Ukrainian Wooden Churches in Philately.” Ukrainian Philatelist No. 55 (1989): 19-23; No. 56 (1989): 20-25. (Contains background information on the 3-koruny stamp and its subject.)
13. Kuzych, Ingert. “Ukrainian Wooden Churches in Philately: An Update.” Ukrainian Philatelist No. 65/66 (1993): 41-52. (Further background information on the 3-koruny stamp.)
14. Kuzych, Ingert. “Carpatho-Ukraine’s Private Yasinia Stamp Issues of 1939.” The Southern Collector No. 12 (1998): 2-3.
15. Page, Juan E. “Carpatho Ukraine Postal Markings of the Years 1938-45.” Monograph No. 4. The Czechoslovak Philatelic Society of Great Britain, 1985.
16. Petretsky, Vasyl. “Pochtovye Marki Zakarpatskoi Ukrainy” (The Postage Stamps of Carpatho-Ukraine). Sovetskii Kollektsioner No. 21 (1983): 23-41. (In Russian)
17. Shneidman, J. Lee. “Questions on the Postal History of Karpato-Ukraine.” The American Philatelist (September 1983): 828-830. (Answered by Simady below.)
18. Shulewsky, Michael. Carpatho-Ukraine: Description and Pricelist of the Uzhhorod Provisional Overprints on Hungarian Postage Stamps. Kensington, CT: Tryzub Stamp Co., 1994.
19. Shulewsky, Michael. “Carpatho-Ukraine: The Private Yasiniya (Jasina) Local Issues of 1939.” Ukrainian Philatelist No. 71/72 (1995): 77-79.
20. Simády, Béla. “Answers to ‘Questions on the Postal History of Karpato-Ukraine’.” The American Philatelist (November 1984): 1098-1099,1145. (Answers the questions posed by Shneidman above.)
21. Simády, Béla. “Overprinted Issues of Carpatho-Ukraine.” The American Philatelist (December 1989): 1156-1164.
22. Simády, Béla. Kárpátalja Postatörténete. Budapest: Magyar Bélyeggyüjtók Országos Szövetsége, 1991. (In Hungarian)
23. Táborský, František. Zakarpatská Ukrajina. Brno, 1968. (In Czech)
24. von Steiden, Georg. “Briefmarken der Karpaten-Ukraine mit Zwei Überdrucken” (Postage Stamps of Carpatho-Ukraine With Two Overprints). Visti SUFA, UBSV-Vereinsjournal No. 37 (1998-99): 22-26. (In German and Ukrainian)
25. von Steiden, Georg. Spezialkatalog Karpaten-Ukraine. Munich: Privately issued, 2000. (In German and Ukrainian)

Jay Carrigan and Ingert Kuzych
www.jaypex.com