29.06.2011

Latvijas Pastsissues stamp commemorating Jew rescuers Johanna and Žanis Lipkes

In honoring the Righteous Gentiles Johanna and Žanis Lipkes, who saved the lives of at least 55 people in the Nazi-occupied Latvia during the Second World War, Latvijas Pasts is issuing a commemorative stamp in collaboration with the association Memorial of Žanis Lipke. It depicts a photograph of the young Lipkes on the backdrop of the award, written in Hebrew (ivrit), which was presented to the Lipkes in Israel.

At 1:30 PM, representatives of the media and others will have a unique opportunity to visit the Memorial Museum of Žanis Lipke before its official opening, learn about the creation of the stamp, as well as listen to the story of Māris Gailis, one of the initiators of the memorial, and Viktors Jansons, researcher of the Lipke family and faculty member at the Art Academy, about both legendary personalities in the actual environment where the rescue of Jews took place.

The stamp Johanna and Žanis Lipkes, designed by Arta Ozola-Jaunarāja, is presented on a significant date - the national remembrance day for Jewish genocide victims. The place where the stamp is presented - the memorial museum of Žanis Lipke - further underlines the importance of this date and the invaluable contribution of the unique personalities to which the stamp is dedicated.

The face value of the newly released stamp is LVL 0.60, corresponding to the cost of mailing a regular letter to countries outside the European Union. A total of 200,000 stamps will be issued.

Together with the stamp, an envelope for the first day of issue with a special cancellation has also been released. The envelope depicts a part of the memorial museum of Žanis Lipke, built on the land of the descendants of the Lipkes in Ķīpsala and symbolically resembling a pitched, black shed of fishermen and sailors, conceptually and visually relating to Noah's Ark - the shelter of life. The special cancellation shows the memorial building in graphical form.

Žanis (real name - Jānis) Lipke (1900-1987) is the most widely known Latvian rescuer of Jews during the Second World War. Together with his spouse Johanna (1904-1990) he saved at least 55 Jews in the Nazi-occupied Latvia, later receiving the honorific Righteous among the Nations, established in 1953 by the Yad Vashem and the Holocaust Center founded by the Knesset, and a medal with the inscription Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire.

See images of the stamphere.

The next new stamp issue is planned for July 25.

About VAS Latvijas Pasts

Latvijas Pastsensures the widest availability of postal services throughout Latvia by maintaining more than 600 post offices. The primary function of the company is provision of the universal postal service; Latvijas Pasts also provides philately, transport and express mail, financial intermediation, payment, press subscription and retail services. Latvijas Pasts is a fully state-owned company with approximately 5000 employees.

Additional information:

Agija Tērauda,
VAS Latvijas Pasts
Public relations specialist
Phone: +371 67608504
E-mail:agija.terauda@pasts.lv
www.pasts.lv