"GREEK ISSUES OF THRACE 1920"

(a)  Western Thrace Administration
(b)  Thrace High Commission
(c)  Thrace Administration

[An introduction and a sample from the material contained in the exhibit are shown here]

Objective of this exhibit is to show the stamps, varieties, errors and usages of the overprinted issues of the Hellenic Administration of (Western and Eastern) Thrace (1920), including rarities and a collection of cancels (both those of the Ottoman and the Inter-allied Administration temporarily used in Eastern Thrace and the ones introduced by the Hellenic Administration) from the local Post Offices.

The succession of the Inter-allied Thrace Administration under the French General Charpy by the advance of the Greek Army in Western Thrace (1920), created in the region between the rivers Nestos (Mesta) and Evros (Maritsa or Meriç) the Hellenic Administration of Western Thrace.  This operation was completed with an exemplary order in only two days (May 14 and 15) and the civil Authorities under Charissios Vamvakas established their headquarters at Gumuldjina (Komotini).  A three-lined overprint «Διοίκησις Δυτικής Θράκης» (Western Thrace Administration) on Greek stamps was then introduced.

Following the revolt of Jaffer Tayyar (March 17) and his proclamation of an Autonomous Eastern Thrace (June 12), the Greek Army advanced and finally liberated Eastern Thrace too.  On July 1, the High Commissioner for Eastern Thrace Antonios Saktouris arrived in Dedeagatch (Neapolis or Alexandroupolis) and later (July 12) established his headquarters in Andrinople (Edirne), where the following day he received King Alexander I of the Hellenes.  A three-lined overprint «Υπάτη Αρμοστεία Θράκης» (Thrace High Commission) with new values on Ottoman stamps was then introduced.

Two months after its liberation and a month since the signing of the Treaty of Sèvres (August 10), Thrace was annexed to the Kingdom of Greece (September 10), save Tchataldja and Constantinople.  The High Commissioner became its first Governor General.  A two-lined overprint «Διοίκησις Θράκης» (Thrace Administration) on Greek stamps was then introduced.

All Greek stamps that were overprinted in 1920 for use by the Hellenic Administration in Thrace were zig-zag perforated.  With the circulation of the «Engraved» issue in Greece (1911), this then new stamp perforation form (zig-zag roulette) was introduced in Greek postage stamps production.  Here perforation cuts resemble the teeth of a saw which leave evenly shaped pointed teeth on stamp edges.  No paper is removed during this process.  Although normal perforation can be defined as a series of holes punched between stamps, the roulette type applies a series of closely spaced cuts between them, allowing the stamps to be torn or pulled apart along the lines of the rouletting.  As a result, separation of zig-zag perforated stamps is not always the best possible ever.

The letters E.T., from the words ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΟΝ ΤΑΧΥΔΡΟΜΕΙΟΝ (Hellenic Mail) surmounted by the royal crown, consisted this special overprint on stamps of the «Engraved» and «Lithographic» issues and was introduced in 1916 for use in areas controlled by the royalist (then legitimate) government of King Constantine I as a measure of prevention against the use of Greek stamps by the provisory (then rebel) government of Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos in Salonica.  Stamps of this issue were later (1920) further overprinted to be used by the Hellenic Administration in Thrace.

Three series of postage stamps were overprinted.

Three series of postage stamps were overprinted.

One series with Ottoman postage stamps were overprinted.

Cancellation "Ouzoun-Keupru"