To commemorate the 70th Anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Germany, a special stamp was released on the 10th June 2021 by the Federal Ministry of Finance. The Parliamentary State Secretary Sarah Ryglewski presented the joint stamp in a video message. (Excerpt as below).
“It has been 70 years since India and Germany established diplomatic relations. India was one of the first states to recognise the Federal Republic of Germany diplomatically after the Second World War. There followed years of successful cooperation.
In 2000, the two states agreed to deepen their relationship further and give it a new strategic dimension. The Indo-German intergovernmental consultations are especially important part of this. Germany is the only country with which India holds formal intergovernmental consultations.
The two countries’ cabinets organise joint sessions every two years, alternating between Germany and India.
A little over two years ago, India and Germany agreed to issue a joint stamp. This joint issue consists of an Indian stamp and a German stamp. The design shows the colours of the Indian and German flags in stripes stacked on top of each other. In this simple composition, they come together to form a cohesive new whole.
The Indian typography is superimposed over the stripes. It is a simple and aesthetically beautiful evocation of Indian culture, which is sometimes foreign but is always fascinating to us. It was designed by Matthias Wittig, a Berlin-based graphic designer.
At first glance, the stamp’s face value of 170 cents seems unusual. But it was chosen deliberately because that is exactly the postage required to send an international compact letter weighing up to 50g – for example, to India.
As you can see, this stamp is not just a cultural asset, but also a very practical item to promote intercultural exchange.”
Watch the video on the official Federal Ministry of Finance website.
https://www.bundesfinanzministerium.de/Content/EN/Video/2021-05-26-special-stamp-india-germany/2021-05-26-special-stamp-india-germany.html
The meaning of stamps
Stamps are far more than just a means of paying for postage: They reflect their times and represent Germany abroad – they are also tiny works of art and can even be used to make a donation to charity. Few people realise that all stamps bearing the inscription “Deutschland” are issued by the German Finance Ministry.
All stamps bearing the inscription “Deutschland” are issued by the German Finance Ministry. The Ministry acts not only as the highest German revenue authority, but by issuing stamps, the Ministry also plays a role in chronicling contemporary German history and supporting charities in Germany.
Since 1998, it is the German Finance Minister who decides on the design of stamps on the basis of a clearly defined set of criteria. In making this decision, the Minister is supported by two advisory committees.
Source: https://www.bundesfinanzministerium.de/Web/EN/Issues/Stamps/Meaning-of-Stamps/meaning-of-stamps.html
