World War II in stamps

Philatelist Jon Berger will share “Stamps and Stories of World War II” on Thursday, August 30, from 10 to 11 a.m. in the auditorium of the Main Library, 915 Monroe Street. Admission is free.

A country's postage stamps are a window into its soul. They tell of its culture, priorities, morals, and objectives. Looking back in time, they are probably the most accurate picture of its history, a picture it can never redraw in hindsight. A look at the stamps the world issued during and since World War II offers a unique history of that period. "Stamps and Stories of World War II" won't be a lecture about the war. It will be a hands on "show and tell" of some of the most interesting vignettes about the war.

Jon Berger started collecting stamps in 1952 and has never lost his passion for it. But a philatelist is more than someone who amasses a quantity of stamps. A philatelist studies everything about stamps, their issuance, their use, and the way they reflect their time in history. Jon started a serious study of World War II around the same time he started his stamp collection, and the two seem to have travelled hand-in-hand ever since. "Stamps and Stories of World War II" is the current status of that journey.

Questions? Contact Mary Moore at 256-532-5975 or mmoore [at] hmcpl [dot] org.