The Romanian postage stamp commemorates the heroes of the World War I, who fought bravely for the dignity of the Romanian people and paid for the realization of the national ideal: Greater Romania.
Romfilatelia introduces into circulation the postage stamp issue Eternal Glory to the World War I Heroes, dedicated to the soldiers who fought for the accomplishment of the Greater Romania’s ideal. The postage stamp issue will be available on Thursday, December 14th 2017, in Romfilatelia’ own shops network in Bucharest, Bacau, Brasov, Cluj-Napoca, Iasi and Timisoara and online on https://romfilatelia.ro/store/.
The cemeteries where the heroes of the War for Unification rest are true places of national memory. At Serban Voda – Bellu Cemetery in Bucharest, besides the tombs of some outstanding personalities of cultural or political life, we can also find the eternal resting places of several officers that fought in the World War I: Generals Ioan Dragalina, David Praporgescu and Radu R. Rosetti, as well as Colonel Constantin Nazarie, military priest.
On the stamp with the face value of Lei 3.50, the portrait of General Ioan Dragalina is illustrated. Born at Caransebes, on December 16th, 1860, he graduated from the Military Academy in Vienna, but resigned from the Austro-Hungarian army in 1887, dissatisfied by the discrimination of the Romanian officers. He moved to Romania, and his training and rigor helped him to promote rapidly. He distinguished himself as head of the Military Infantry School in Bucharest, being rewarded with the Order of the Star of Romania.
The portrait of General David Praporgescu illustrates the stamp with the face value of Lei 4.00. He was born on December 10th, 1865, at Turnu Magurele, initially preparing to become a school teacher. Prior to Romania’s entry into the global conflagration, he was promoted to the rank of General and received the mission to defend the Danube line, in Oltenia. In mid-September 1916, however, he moved to the southern front of Sibiu, the army needing his strategic thinking to stop the German counter-offensive.
On the stamp with the face value of Lei 4.50, the portrait of General Radu R. Rosetti is illustrated. Born on March 20th, 1877, in Caiuti (Bacau County), he was the descendant of
an aristocratic family, with Genovese origins. He joined the French army and was the liaison officer between the Romanian government and General Henri Mathias Berthelot. After the war, he became known as a writer and historian, being accepted in the Romanian Academy.
The portrait of priest Constantin Nazarie illustrates the stamp with the face value of Lei 16. He was born on March 16th, 1865, at Vultureni (Galati County), and attended different Moldavian theological schools, as well as the Kyiv Theological Academy. In May 1915, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church appointed him as Archpriest or Superior of the Army priests, with the rank of Colonel. During the war, he laid the foundations of the Army’s Religious Service, and managed to persuade the Officer Corps to accept the presence of priests in the theaters of operations. After the war, he continued his didactic activity at the Faculty of Theology in Bucharest.
The postage stamp issue is completed by a set of two First Day Covers equipped with the postage stamps of the issues, and as page composition, a sheet of 32 stamps and a minisheet of 5 stamps + 1 label.
Romfilatelia thanks the Administration of Cemeteries and Human Crematories Bucharest and professor Corneliu Andonie, of the “King Ferdinand I” National Military Museum, for the documentary and photographic support provided for this postage stamp issue.
For further information, please contact the Public Relation Office:
Tel: 021 / 337 24 42
roxana.herascu@romfilatelia.ro
