Austria: Salzburg in Winter

Merry Christmas to Everyone!

On Saturday I got two postcards: one from Austria and one from the USA.

The card from Austria is a Tausendschön card of Salzburg in winter. I have already visited the wonderful city of Salzburg a few times, but I have never been there in winter. It must be a nice atmosphere in the old town with Christmas lights and maybe even snow.

This card was sent with a special postmark from Christkindl, the famous Christmas post office that answers nearly 2million letters and postcards every year. The actual stamp on this card is the cute personalised Christmas Panda, but a type of cinderella was used as well. Called "Leitzettel" in German, this one helps to sort the mail that is supposed to be sent via Christkindl. Cinderellas like this one are issued since 1951 and were once free, but now have to be bought. Used here is the newest one issued on 13th November 2020.

 Thank You very much Anita! Wishing you A Merry Christmas!

USA: Mars

On Saturday I got two postcards: one from the USA and one from Austria.

The card from the USA is an official card and shows Mars. Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, Earth's neighbour and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System. It is a terrestrial planet with a thin atmosphere. As such it has been subject of many explorations from the USA, the Soviet Union, the European Space Agency, India and soon China. The idea of life on the Mars however is much older. Famous early examples of stories about Martian life include H. G. Wells' War of the Worlds and Kurd Lasswitz' Two Planets. Also from the 19th century comes the idea of Martian Canals, but there have also stories about Martian journeys in the 18th century.

The two stamps issued on 19th July 2019 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Moon Landing were used on the card. I wonder, when will the first humans be on Mars?

Thank You very much Pam!

Austria: Silent Night Museum in Oberndorf

On Friday I got eight postcards from Austria.

One of them shows the Silent Night Museum in Oberndorf. The Silent Night Museum is a museum about the Christmas Carol Silent Night and is located near the Silent Night Chapel. 

Two personalised stamps about Silent Night were used. The right one shows the museum and got a special postmark about the 60th anniversary of Christmas postmarks in Oberndorf. The right stamp and postmark show Franz Xaver Gruber, the composer of Silent Night.

Thank You very much Anita!

Austria: Silent Night Chapel in Oberndorf

On Friday I got eight postcards from Austria.

One of them shows the Silent Night Chapel in Oberndorf. The Silent Night Chapel was built between 1924 and 1936 at the site of the former Saint Nicholas' Church, which was demolished after it was damaged during the floodings of the Salzach in the late 19th century. The new chapel was built as memorial for the Christmas carol Silent Night. This carol was performed in the Saint Nicholas' Church for the first time in the World on the 24th December 1818.

A matching personalised stamp was used and also the postmark shows the chapel. It commemorates the 60th anniversary of Christmas postmarks from Oberndorf

 Thank You very much Anita!

Austria: Christmas Market in Graz

On Friday I got eight postcards from Austria.

One of them shows a Christmas Market in Graz. The original oil painting was created by Renate Koblinger.

A stunning souvenir sheet was used to mail this card. It honours the Peace Light of Bethlehem, a program inaugurated in Austria in 1986 as part of a charitable relief mission for handicapped children and people in need. The sheet was issued on 20th November and is a joint issue with the Vatican.

 Thank You very much Anita!

Austria: Saint Nicholas and Krampus

On Friday I got eight postcards from Austria.

One of them shows Saint Nicholas and Krampus. Krampus is a horned, anthropomorphic figure in Alpine folklore. During the Christmas season he assists Saint Nicholas and scares children who have misbehaved. In recent years it became especially famous as character in horror movies.

Two different Saint Nicholas postmarks were used on the card and at first I wondered why there are a 47th and 48th Saint Nicholas post office within one year, but now I noticed that they are actually from to different communes. The left one is from Grein and and right one is from Pram, both located in Upper Austria. The Christmas stamp was issued on 11th November 2016.

 Thank You very much Anita!

Austria: Ice Nativity Scene

On Friday I got eight postcards from Austria.

One of them shows the Ice Nativity Scene in Graz. The Ice Natvity Scene is always one of the most popular aspects in the city's Advent celebrations, although it not always survives until Christmas. This card seems to be already a little bit older. At least 1999 is written on the backside, which was just three years after the Ice Nativity Scene was first erected in 1996.

The special postmark is from a Christmas exhibition in Linz and also the stamp shows a painting of the nativity (issued 11-11-2016). The painting was created by the Master of the Rajhrad Altarpiece and is housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.

 Thank You very much Anita!

Austria: Beethoventempel in Baden bei Wien

On Friday I got eight postcards from Austria.

One of them shows the Beethoventempel in Baden bei Wien. The Beethoventempel was erected in 1927 for Beethoven's death centenary. It is a popular destination for walks and is also used for small concerts in summer.

EDIT: As one of The Great Spa Towns of Europe is Baden bei Wien since July 2021 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

No, this card was not sent in September. In Austria it is just possible to get special postmarks for a very long time and it was used on this matching personalised Beethoven stamp.

 Thank You very much Anita!

Austria: Advent in Graz

On Friday I got eight postcards from Austria.

One of them shows an illustration of Advent in Graz by Anna-Maria Jung. This is definitely a scene many people have missed this year.

A personalised and a special postmark of a advent wreath along two definitives were used on this card.

 Thank You very much Anita!

Austria: Christmas Cars

On Friday I got eight postcards from Austria.

One of them shows many cars filled with presents and Christmas trees.

One of the Austrian Christmas stamps of last year (issued 08-11-2019) was used on the card. Actually there should be a Swarovski crystal on this stamp, but unfortunately it got lost during the journey. Here you can see the stamp in its full glory. A special postmark in the shape of a Christmas tree was used to cancel the stamp.

Thank You very much Anita!
 

cover from Russia

On Friday I got not only eight postcards but also two covers including one from Russia.

The cover is a FDC of this year's Christmas stamp (issued 03-12-2020). I really like this design of Santa reading in a big book. 

 Thank You very much Elena!

cover from Austria

On Friday I got not only eight postcards but also two covers including one from Austria.

The cover was actually just used to send some postcards for later postmarks to me, but due to the nice selection of stamps I decided to show it here anyway.

 Thank You very much Anita!

Austria: Winter Landscape with Ice skaters and Bird trap

On Thursday I got four postcards from Austria.

One of them shows the painting Winter Landscape with Ice skaters and Bird trap. Attributed to the entourage of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, there are more than 100 different versions of this painting. The version from the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna is shown on this card, which is said to have been painted by Pieter Brueghel the Younger, the version from Brussels however is said to be the original one.

Of the six Austrian's Christmas for this year this one has to be my favourite, as I like the Brueg(h)el paintings very much. It is so wonderful to receive it on this perfectly matching card with First Day Special Postmark.

 Thank You very much Anita!

Austria: Maus, Duck and Elephant preparing Christmas

On Thursday I got four postcards from Austria.

One of them shows the Maus preparing Christmas together with the duck and the elephant. Next year you will see more of these characters, as the 50th anniversary of Die Sendung mit der Maus will be celebrated with a German stamp.

I really like the postmark used on this card with the big gingerbread man. It is the First Day Special Postmark of one of Austria's six Christmas stamps of 2020. Issued on 27th November, this one shows a Christmas tree made up off different seasonal things. Two definitives were used to reach the correct postage. 

 Thank You very much Anita!

Austria: Graz during Christmas

On Thursday I got four postcards from Austria.

One of them shows an illustration of Graz during Christmas time. This illustration of Styria's capital was made by Paul Mangold.

This Christmas stamp shows a calm view of an Austrian village in winter (issued 13-11-2020). I like the atmosphere of the stamp and really wish we would have snow like that, but also I am a bit disappointed, as I first hoped the star would glow in the dark, when the first image of the stamp became available.

 Thank You very much Anita!