Press releases

Diverse start to the new stamp year

The first stamp issue of 2013 features seven anniversaries and a première: Swiss Post has created "Faces of Switzerland", the first ever stamp to immortalize the faces of more than one living person at the same time. The featured portraits were chosen in a competition. Pioneering Alpine achievements, round birthdays and anniversaries, safety and fairy-tale worlds are some of the other subjects of Swiss Post’s new stamps to be issued on 7 March 2013.

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The first stamp issue of 2013 is centred around a première: for the first time in the history of Swiss philately, a stamp is immortalizing the faces of more than one living person at the same time. Close to 5,000 inhabitants of Switzerland "like you and me" took part in Swiss Post’s Internet competition at the end of 2012. During the first round, 444 faces were selected at random. Then they really got down to business: in an online game the finalists had to click avidly to ensure their faces would appear on the stamp – and stay there. The 111 winners were announced on 2 January 2013. The result is a very special stamp: Faces of Switzerland.

100 years through the mountains

Swiss Post is celebrating a piece of railway history. The Lötschberg Railway started operating in the summer of 1913, with the 14,612-metre Lötschberg Tunnel as its core element. This impressive pioneering achievement of yesteryear continues to promote north-south understanding and exchanges to this day. To celebrate the centenary of the Lötschberg Railway, Swiss Post is issuing a special stamp with a face value of one franc.

150 years up on the mountains

While the Lötschberg Railway was being built deep down in the mountains, an organisation intrinsic to Switzerland - the Swiss Alpine Club SAC - was already active up on the heights above. Ever since it was founded in 1863, the SAC has been an influential force in the development of the Alpine region and alpinism. Continuing in the same spirit, it now encourages responsible mountaineering and extensive free access to the mountains. With around 140,000 members, the Swiss Alpine Club SAC is one of Switzerland’s largest sports associations. Swiss Post is issuing a miniature sheet in recognition of its achievements.

Commitment to safety and protection

The first issue of the year features special stamps paying tribute to two other organisations: the Swiss Protection and Support Service and the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention, or bfu for short. The Swiss Protection and Support Service has been promoting safety in our country for 50 years. Originally set up to protect the civilian population in wartime, its main mission today is to protect citizens in the event of disasters, making an invaluable contribution to Switzerland’s safety. The bfu is also dedicated to safety and protection. For 75 years, the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention has been improving safety on the roads, in sport, in the home and during leisure on behalf of the authorities.

Appenzell region celebrates

Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Innerrhoden are in the spotlight in 2013. Together, they are marking the 500th anniversary of their membership of the Swiss Confederation. While Swiss Post’s tribute to this anniversary is a special-stamp miniature, the two Appenzell cantons are celebrating on a grand scale with a raft of festivities, kicking off in Heiden on 8 March. The grand finale, a state ceremony, will be staged in Appenzell (capital of Canton Appenzell Innerrhoden) on 17 December.

Builder of bridges and an artistic poet

Swiss Post is issuing special stamps in honour of two famous Swiss figures. Migros-founder Gottlieb Duttweiler (1888-1962) would be celebrating his 125th birthday this year. "Dutti", as he was also known, was an exceptional character. With his business acumen, persistent, combative character, bold ideas and strong sense of social responsibility, he shaped Switzerland’s economic history. Artistic poet Ernst Kreidolf (1863-1956) would be celebrating his 150th birthday in 2013. The Bernese artist is regarded as the creator of the modern German-language picture book. Kreidolf’s pictures and texts made his children’s books genuine works of art, transporting the reader to a world of fairy tales and dreams. Swiss Post has eternalised two of his subjects in stamp format.

1/2013 stamp issue subjects – valid as of 7 March 2013

  • "Faces of Switzerland" – sheetlet with six 1.00 franc stamps
  • "100 years Lötschberg Railway" – special 1.00 franc stamp
  • "50 years Protection and Support Service Switzerland" – special 0.85 franc stamp
  • "125th birthday of Gottlieb Duttweiler" – special 1.00 franc stamp
  • "150 years of Swiss Alpine Club SAC" – miniature sheet with 0.85, 1.00, 1.40 and 1.90 franc stamps
  • "bfu" – special 0.85 franc stamp
  • "AR & AI: 500 years in the Swiss Confederation" – special 1.00 franc stamp
  • "150th birthday of Ernst Kreidolf" – stamp booklet with 10 special 1.00 franc stamps

Available from www.swisspost.ch/philashop and from Swiss philatelic salespoints and post offices.

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Special Stamp: Faces Switzerland

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Special Stamp: 100 years Lötschberg Railway

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Special Stamp: AR & AI: 500 years in the Swiss Confederation

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Special Stamp: 50 years of Protection and support service switzerland

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Special Stamp: 150 years of Swiss Alpine Club SAC

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Special Stamp: Bfu

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Special Stamp: 150th birthday of Ernst Kreidolf - 1

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Special Stamp: 150th birthday of Ernst Kreidolf - 2

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Special Stamp: 125th birthday of Gottlieb Duttweiler

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