Johann Sebastian Bach on Stamps From Europe..

Instead of stamps featuring Johann Sebastian Bach, we could also have collected first-day covers on the same subject. But we didn't. Not yet, anyway..

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Exciting Johann Sebastian Bach on Stamps From South Europe: Cyprus..

In 2011, the government of the Greek part of Cyprus issued the set shown below, dedicated to the theme “Famous composers of the 18th century.” It divided the six stamps equally among Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. The face value is approximately half a euro..

2011  Cyprus (... greek part). This stamp sheet is part of both the Bach stamps and the Mozart stamps. Furthermore, it is also part of the Beethoven stamps..

Bach Stamps From the Turkish Part of Cyprus..

Here and now, the counterpart from one of the few remaining divided states on Earth: the visually striking 1985 stamp block from the Turkish part of Cyprus. Behind the portrait of Bach by Gottlieb Elias Haußmann, you can make out the musical notation for the “Brandenburg Concerto No. 1.” Additionally, the bottom edge of the block features the parts for oboe and harpsichord. The work is listed as No. 1046 in the Bach works catalog (... Bach Werke-Verzeichnis): in case you’re new to the world of Bach stamps: I didn’t discover all this myself. Who did? Paul Gomon, musicologist, author, and Bach expert..

1985  Cyprus (... turkish part). All the blue stamps in the sheet are Bach stamps. Blue “like Bach once was, by Briana Bach-Hertzog.” At the very top on the left side of this page: the portrait here on the website. It’s now a Bach portrait in shades of gray. I’m referring to the portrait on every page of my website, on the other side of the red navigation bar. So to the left of it..

Bach Stamps From Italy..

We're getting closer to my home country. Who doesn't remember the lira?! Well ... baby boomers and older. This Italian stamp has a face value of 600 lire. Issued in 1985, it honors two artists: Bach and Bellini..

1985  Italy.  B + B = Bach and Bellini. 

Bach Stamps From Monaco..

Below: As part of the “European Year of Music” in 1985 - which also marked the 300th anniversary of Johann Sebastian Bach’s birth - the government of the tiny sovereign state of Monaco issued a stamp featuring portraits of Bach and Handel. Both composers were, in fact, born in the same year. The face value is six francs..

1985  Monaco.

So ... do you know why this following stamps sheet block from Monaco is a Bach stamp too?

Ein Detail weist auf Bach hin.

Es versteckt sich auf der UNESCO-Briefmarke unten links im Block ... der Marke mit dem Kopf der ägyptischen Statue. Im Hintergrund sind Noten abgebildet. Diese Noten stammen aus Johann Sebastian Bachs „Präludium und Fuge h-Moll“, BWV 544. Und wer hat das entdeckt? Nicht ich, sondern Paul Gomon aus Leipzig.

Bach Stamps From San Marino..

To mark the “European Year of Music” in 1985, which also happened to be the 300th anniversary of Johann Sebastian Bach’s birth, the government of the tiny state of San Marino issued a stunning stamp featuring a portrait of Bach. The stamp also features musical notes from the “Toccata and Fugue,” and its face value is 450 lire. Would you like more detailed information about the piece? Of course, it’s BWV No. 912.

1985  San Marino.  A small country, a great stamp, a magnificent composer..

The following stamp is an absolute rarity: The Bach stamp, which was issued in 1985, is actually featured on a stamp from 1988..

1988  San Marino.  Bach 3D ... so to speak..

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Johann Sebastian Bach on Stamps From South East Europe: Albania

The speciality coming with this Bach stamp? The spelling of the last name. No mistake – for the reason that Bach sounds like it is supposed to sound, you have to write Bach that way. Written Bah, it sound correct, when an Albanian reads the word: So: no spelling mistake.

1985  Albania.  Bach without the “c” ... that's how it's written. So it sounds like Bach when spoken. That's how cool they do it in Albania..

Bach Stamps From Bulgaria

“Бах,” then. Bach in Bulgarian. 1985. We now know that this marks the 300th anniversary of the Thomas Cantor’s birth. The Bulgarian government issued a set of six stamps honoring famous composers: In addition to Bach, these include Mozart, Tchaikovsky, and Verdi, among others. Bach’s portrait is based on a woodcut by an unknown artist. It is believed to date from 1854..

1985  Bulgaria.  A “Rhapsody in Blue”: Bach on his stamp in Eastern Europe.

2000  Bulgaria.  Бах “the Second.” Once again, Johann Sebastian Bach, the Thomas Cantor, appears on a Bulgarian postage stamp..

Bach Stamps From the Former Czechoslovakia..

Bach appears on hardly any other stamp as small as he does on the one shown below. Still, the image you’re about to see is already much larger than the stamp itself. That is ... on a computer. Not on a smartphone. They’re right next to the large “30” inside the circle. Four letters that define one of the greatest musicians of all time..



It’s a good thing there’s no space limit on a website, so I can show you this stamp in its full size. Here – at this size – it’s actually no trouble at all to make out the word “BACH” next to the large “30.” Well … on a pc, anyway..

1966  Czechoslovakia.  Bach on stamps ... it also works really, really small..

In 1986, on the occasion of the “Prague Spring” International Music Festival, the second stamp was issued in Czechoslovakia (... below), which can be counted among the Bach stamps. Although, once again, the stamp isn’t particularly large ... the word “Bach” appears very, very tiny. Thank goodness for Flickr … in case the “proof” here on this page still isn’t big enough for you.

It’s as if Czechoslovakia back then wanted to make a point of not depicting the composers it honored on stamps as being too prominent. But when I enlarge them to this size ... you can find them all. And on Flickr? Definitely..

1986  Czechoslovakia.  Johann Sebastian Bach ... one of the all-time greats. On this Bach stamp, however, he appears tiny once again..

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Bach Stamps From Poland..

Next, 1985. It’s clear to anyone who stops by here: This is the year of the 300th birthday of the composer from Eisenach. Poland honors him with a small stamp sheet featuring Bach’s portrait and a Silbermann organ in the margin. The face value? 65 Groszy. If it were a hundred … then it would be one Zloty. An exciting, rare curiosity: The same block with this imprint was issued in a limited run of just 330,000 copies within Poland and distributed exclusively to members of the Philatelists’ Association ... and strictly limited to one copy per person. The rest were sold exclusively abroad. Nevertheless, this block is valid for postage. Did I figure that out? No. It was Paul Gomon.

1985  Poland.  With or without an overprint below the perforation ... both are genuine Johann Sebastian Bach stamps..

Bach Stamps From the Soviet Union..

Yes, it's really complicated with these next two stamps. To start with, the bottom one of the two – that is, the second one – is very likely issued by the government of the Soviet Union. And it's not a Cinderella stamp. The top one – that is, the next block – is more likely to be a Cinderella stamp..

The next challenge. Did Russia perhaps issue this stamp? Or was it the Soviet Union – which still existed at the time – that is, the USSR or the CCCP?..

Finally, one last challenge: Does Russia – or, in our case, the USSR, or also the CCCP – belong to Europe? Or to Asia? What is the determining factor? The size of the landmass? The population density? The location of the capital?..

We're staying out of it. We're promoting these two stamps in both Europe and Asia. That way, everyone will definitely find them. Thank you so much to both of you, Elena and Nikola. Thanks to your tip, everyone is now in the know..

It's fascinating and strange to look at the top block below: 75% of the stamps honor Bach. Only one honors Beethoven. And even the styles of the three Bach stamps differ. If that isn't just printed paper, then what is it? Instead of a stamp..

1970  Russia (... USSR = CCCP).  1 x Beethoven, 3 x Bach: Is this a hint that it's Cinderella?

1970 Russia. Yes, it really is an official stamp.

Bach Stamps From Tatarstan..

Is this following mini piece of paper a Bach stamp? Or is it a Bach Cinderella? Or neither?

The year: 2000. The country: Tatarstan. The question: Is it a stamp? It was issued or printed in 2001 and honors three famous composers: Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven. The face value of all three stamps: five Rubles. By the way: Tatarstan is located in present-day Russia. More precisely, it is a republic within the Russian Federation.

2001 Tatarstan. The “most vertical” of all Bach stamps..

Bach Stamps From Hungary..

1978. It marks the 100th birthday of the doctor who accomplished so much in Africa: Dr. Albert Schweitzer. Before becoming a “jungle doctor,” he was a musicologist. He also wrote an outstanding biography of Bach. It’s not just because the words “J.S. Bach” appear on this stamp that I consider it a Bach stamp. No, in addition to a few organ pipes, it also features musical notes from Bach’s Work No. 564 in the BWV. Specifically, from the Toccata in C for organ.

1978  Hungary.  Schweitzer and Bach ... the dream team on Bach stamps.

1985 was the “Year of European Music.” It also marked the 300th anniversary of Johann Sebastian Bach’s birth. And Hungary issued a second stamp (... below) dedicated to the Thomas Cantor. In addition to a portrait of JSB, the lower part of the stamp depicts the organ at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig.

1985 Hungary. Issuer: Bach. Organ: Leipzig. Face value: two Forint.

Johann Sebastian Bach on Stamps in Western Europe: France

It's a good thing it's written at the bottom of the following stamp: It's a tribute to Bach from our neighbors to the west.

“Hommage à J.S. Bach”: a tribute by our neighbors west of the Rhine to the German composer. France issued this stamp in 1980, which depicts a tapestry by Jean Picart Doux. The face value is three Francs. The musical notes in the center of the stamp are from the cantata “Christ, Our Lord, Came to the Jordan.” Bach composed this work in 1724. It is one of the first entries in the Bach Works Catalog, specifically number 7/1..

1980  France.  The enthusiasm for the Thuringian composer in France ... that's especially pleasing. By the way, it's the only French stamp featuring Bach..

Bach Stamps From Belgium..

Next: In 2000, to mark the opening of the “Museum of Historical Musical Instruments” in Brussels, the Belgian Ministry of the Post issued this set of stamps. Depicted from left to right are a harpsichord, a violin, a lute, a treble viola da gamba, and three trumpets. To the right of that is what makes this a Bach stamp: Bach himself. Bach, as painted by Haußmann. The musical notes in the background are from the Kyrie in the “Mass in B minor” ... to be precise, work 232 in the BWV. What’s interesting about these six stamps is that they have no face value printed on them. If they did, it would be in the currency of the Franc or the Euro. This was the time when, in many European countries, the Euro was replacing the currencies that had been in use until then.

2000  Belgium. No face value, but it features Bach. So is it a ...? You know it ... a Bach stamp..

Bach Stamps From the Netherlands..

The next stamp featuring Johann Sebastian Bach comes from the Netherlands, shown below. No luck for stamp collectors who are fans of Bach? There’s nothing obvious to indicate that it’s a Bach stamp. However, if you assume that every stamp might be a Bach stamp and then type the text from 400 trillion* stamps into Google, it quickly becomes clear: It all comes down to two crucial words. Specifically, in one of Bach’s works, namely the “St. Matthew Passion.” 

2009  Netherlands.  Click on Google.de (... not .com). Type in “Jauchzet, Frohlocket.” Voilà ...

Johann Sebastian Bach on Stamps From Austria..

“Homemade.” The next stamp. Not by us. But by an Austrian private mail-order company. Recognized by the philatelic community. So it’s not a Cinderella stamp. Therefore: rare!..

Beautiful ... but mysterious. This Bach stamp – the only one in Austria – is “really valid” according to the rules of philatelic associations, even though it wasn’t issued by the Austrian government. “Private postal service” is the key phrase here … and they’re allowed to do that: issue stamps. Including Bach stamps. But if you take a closer look – and the best way to do that is with another click over to Flickr – you’ll see that the three portraits of Bach in the background are actually three different portraits. On the left is the young Bach. In the center is Haußmann’s portrait, which is probably the best known. On the right is the so-called “portrait of Bach in his old age.” In the foreground, Bach stands in front of St. Thomas Church in Leipzig. To the right, below Bach’s signature, you can see the seal that Bach designed himself. To the left and right of it, the three letters J, S, and B have been extracted: Together with the three mirrored copies of the same letters, they form the lower part of the seal. The year of issue is unknown, but the face value is not: It’s exactly 62 Cents  … or is it Schillings?

2008  Austria.  “Composition in Orange” ... a special Bach stamp from Austria..

Johann Sebastian Bach on Stamps From Northern Europe: Denmark..

The next stamp: not just for Bach fans who don’t play music themselves ... but simply enjoy listening to it. 1985 was the “European Year of Music” and marked the 300th birthday of both Bach and his colleague Handel. Denmark – more specifically, the Danish Ministry of Post – issued these two stamps. To confuse the Bach fan base. But Paul Gomon figured it out: One set of musical notes depicts the “Partita No. 2 for Piano,” BWV No. 826. Stamp No. 2 features notes from the “Partita No. 3 for Piano,” the next number in the BWV catalog, namely 827. The face value: one is two Danish Kroner and 80 Øre, the other is three Danish Kroner and, again, 80 Øre..

1985  Denmark.  Bach stamps for Bach connoisseurs and Bach experts ... the two from Germany's northern neighbor..

Bach Stamps From Ireland..

1985. By now, you know what happened in 1985. What you may not have known, however, is that the Irish Post Office also issued a set of three stamps that year. All had a face value of 26 New Pence or 26 Cents. The currency was in a state of transition in 1985, so unfortunately, this remains unclear. Three composers are depicted in the set: Domenico Scarlatti, also born in 1685, whom we encounter relatively rarely. Then there’s Handel, depicted in a very unusual image. And he’s the same age as Johann Sebastian. And, of course, Johann Sebastian Bach. Below is only the image of the master from Eisenach.

1985  Ireland.  The Bach stamp..

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Bach Stamps From Scotland..

Eynhallow. It’s an island in Scotland. Uninhabited. Or, to be more precise: It’s been uninhabited for about 60 years. We wonder … how do they issue a Bach stamp there? Let’s just overlook such a trivial matter for now. Because it’s beautiful ... there’s no question about that..

In a way, they – down below – are the stars of our collection of Bach stamps: the two “stickers” from Scotland. They’re exotic. After all, who knows where Eynhallow is without looking it up? They’re beautiful … and they don’t pretend to be “real” stamps at all. Thus, neither of them infringes on any sovereign rights. After all, neither of them claims to have been issued by Scotland, which itself does not represent Great Britain. These two stamps are like if, here in Germany, we were to print a small piece of paper with a few pictures on it, make one side sticky, and on the other side write not just “Schleswig-Holstein” but simply “Sylt.” And then offer it for sale. Anyone who loves Sylt might want one. The only thing is: These two tiny works of art are simply not stamps. The little picture from Staffa (... next) and the little picture from Eynhallow..

Eynhallow. No one has lived there for over 60 years ... as mentioned. Eynhallow covers 75 hectares, after all. Why “Holy Island”? The name “Eynhallow” probably comes from the old norse “Eyin Helga,” which means “Holy Island.”

1985  Eynhallow (... Scotland).  Generally speaking, there’s actually … no post office … no Bach stamp. But they are pretty … these two little Scottish “stickers.”..

It’s a good thing Scotland is listed under the word “Staffa” on the upcoming stamp. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have known where Staffa was in the first place. And green “holes” are super cool. Well, if that isn’t Cinderella. The size of the island? Pretty cute..

1985  Staffa (... Scotland).  Instead of punching holes, printing green dots all around them is definitely much more cost-effective. And it is –without a doubt – the world’s only green perforation. They are, in fact, the only green holes on Earth..

Johann Sebastian Bach on Stamps From Germany, the GDR, and the FRG..

The font style and the phrase “German Reich” are embarrassing enough. At least, though, Germany wasn’t “brown” yet in 1926. In 1926, Germany was still a parliamentary state, a democracy ... the Weimar Republic..

Among the “Faces of Famous Germans” – a series featuring twelve people – Johann Sebastian Bach is, of course, included. The stamp had a face value of half a Reichsmark. That was in 1926.

Next up: the catastrophe and the stamp that goes with it: Starting on January 30, 1933, “Germany was brown,” and a Bach stamp was also issued during this period. For a long time, this gave me a knot in my stomach, and I toyed with the idea of not including it here in this collection. But it is here now – for the sake of completeness – with great unease! This stamp was issued to commemorate the “Bach-Handel-Schütz Celebration.”

1935  Germany.  A Bach stamp with no caption below it..

Below are the first Bach stamps issued by the GDR. They were issued in 1950, 11 years before the Berlin Wall was built. At a time when East Germany and the Federal Republic of Germany still existed without the Wall or the Iron Curtain. 1950..

Five years after the war, these four stamps featuring Bach were issued by the new German Democratic Republic (GDR) as its first Bach stamps..

1950  Germany (... GDR).  Four stamps featuring Bach issued by the still young GDR..

Also in 1950, these two works were issued as the first Bach stamps of the new Federal Republic of Germany..

1950  Germany (FRG).  The Bach seal on the 1950 Bach stamps: one in green, one in red..

Without any specific “Bach-related occasion,” this stamp became part of a so-called “permanent series” beginning in the summer of 1961.

1961  Germany (... the Federal Republic of Germany).  We still remember that. If we’re baby boomers or older. For a long time, that was the “Bach stamp of duty”..

In 1965, the GDR honored Dr. Albert Schweitzer and issued a 25-Pfennig stamp in his honor on his 90th birthday. It depicts the biographer of Johann Sebastian Bach at the harmonium. In the background, you can see the facsimile from the “Prelude and Fugue in B minor for Organ.” Want to know the exact details again? Sure... it’s BWV 544..

1965  Germany (... GDR).  A great honor on the occasion of Albert Schweitzer's 90th birthday ... and a bit of Bach in the background on the stamp..

To mark the 250th anniversary of the “Brandenburg Concertos,” a Bach stamp (... below) was issued in Berlin in the summer of 1971. The musical notation on the stamp is from the “Brandenburg Concerto No. 2.” The work is cataloged as BWV 1047..

1971  Germany (... the Federal Republic of Germany).  It wasn't a milestone birthday for Johann Sebastian Bach, nor was it a milestone anniversary of his death. No ... 1971 marked the 250th anniversary of the “Brandenburg Concertos.”..

About the following stamp: Of course, the “European Year” of Music in 1985 – and certainly not the 300th anniversary of Johann Sebastian Bach’s birth – could not take place without the issuance of a commemorative Bach stamp. The GDR used this stamp to celebrate Georg Friedrich Handel’s birthday “at the same time.”..

1985  Germany (... GDR).  In 1985, the GDR honored three great musicians. Johann Sebastian Bach had the lowest face value ... but the stamp was placed at the very top..

Face value of 80 pfennigs, 300th birthday ... there's almost nothing more to say about this stamp..

1985  Germany (... the Federal Republic of Germany).  Of course – as you've probably noticed – the most famous portrait of Johann Sebastian Bach on the Bach stamp ... is the one by the painter Gottlob Elias Haußmann.

... and here's another one: the one issued in the GDR in 1985, the “Year of Bach.” By the way: It was issued as part of the Leipzig Spring Fair..

1985  Germany (... GDR).  Johann Sebastian Bach “in green” — the 10-Pfennig Bach stamp..

On to the next one, please: A stamp honoring Frederick the Great is also one of the Bach stamps? You can now read here why that is and where Bach “fits in.”..

In 1986, the Federal Republic of Germany issued a Bach stamp without realizing it. This stamp honors the King of Prussia – also known as “Old Fritz” or King Frederick II – who, of course, “should be somewhere in the picture.” Is Frederick the gentleman sitting behind the harpsichord, listening intently to the flutist’s music?..

No. It’s the musician in the center of the image. The king is the flutist. So we’ve clarified where the king – the one being honored – is. But where is Johann Sebastian Bach? The answer? He’s not on this stamp. It’s another Bach who makes it a Bach stamp. It’s Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, son of Johann Sebastian Bach. He’s sitting at the harpsichord. Because other members of the musical family can also turn stamps into “Bach stamps” simply by appearing on them, this is one of two stamps that references the family of the great Johann Sebastian Bach. Namely, CPE Bach. Do you know the second stamp I mentioned?

1986  Germany (... the Federal Republic of Germany).  In an enlarged view of the oil painting, CPE’s facial expression is clearly visible. Some Bach scholars believe they can make out a disparaging look on CPE’s face. He is thus expressing his opinion of the king’s musical performance. I wonder if they’re right?

The reunification began in 1989 and was completed in 1990. October 3 became a national holiday. Ten years later, the Bach stamp below was issued in a reunified, democratic Germany.

250th anniversary of his death, 1 DM and 10 Pfennigs. There isn't much more to say about this Bach stamp either.

2000  Deutschland.  Viel rot, viel blau ... der Rand weiß und grau. Mit diesem Wortspiel verabschiedet sich die „gute alte D-Mark“ auf den Johann-Sebastian-Bach-Briefmarken..

Wo steckt Bach auf den folgenden Briefmarken?..

Locker hätten Sie das selbst gewusst ... nämlich warum eine dieser folgenden Briefmarken eine Bach-Briefmarke ist. Unter den berühmten Knabenchören ist natürlich der Thomanerchor Leipzig für uns ein ganz besonderer. Inzwischen besteht dieser Thomanerchor seit 800 Jahren. Zu Bachs Zeiten war er runde 300 Jahre jünger. Und Bach war, ohne die Leistung aller folgenden Thomaskantoren schmälern zu wollen, sein größter Leiter. Nebenbei: Etwa seit dem Beginn der „Bach-Renaissance“ benannte man die Thomaskantoren mit dem Zusatz „nach Bach“. Professor Andreas Reize ist „der 18. Thomaskantor nach Johann Sebastian Bach“.. 

Im Übrigen zur Bach-Briefmarke: Auf dem Rand, oben und seitlich rechts sowie links sind Noten aus der „Sonata für Violine Solo g-Moll“ zu sehen. Genauer aus dem 1. Satz. Noch genauer? Aus dem Werk 1001 des BWV..

2003  Deutschland.  Drei berühmte Knabenchöre auf einer Briefmarke. Welches ist der berühmteste? Und welches der älteste? Und warum überhaupt ist es eine Johann-Sebastian-Bach-Briefmarke?..

Hier folgt nun die vorerst letzte und damit jüngste Johann-Sebastian-Bach-Briefmarke der Bundesrepublik Deutschland: das Bach-Denkmal in Leipzig. 40 Cent. 2004. Ab jetzt sind wir alle, die es mit uns bis hier hergeschafft haben, gespannt, was sich in Sachen „Bach-Briefmarken“ weiter tut auf der Welt.. 

2004  Deutschland.  Die jüngste und damit letzte Bach-Briefmarke aus Deutschland.. 

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