French stamp celebrates 75th anniversary of liberation of Paris

By Denise McCarty

France’s La Poste will commemorate the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Paris on a 1.30 stamp to be issued Aug. 25. The denomination pays the international rate for letters weighing up to 20 grams.

During World War II, Germany invaded Paris on June 14, 1940. A little more than four years later, on Aug. 25, 1944, the French 2nd Armored Division and the United States 4th Infantry Division liberated the city.

The website of the History Channel said: “German resistance was light, and General Dietrich von Choltitz, commander of the German garrison, defied an order by Adolf Hitler to blow up Paris’ landmarks and burn the city to the ground before its liberation. Choltitz signed a formal surrender that afternoon, and on August 26, Free French General Charles de Gaulle led a joyous liberation march down the Champs d’Elysees.”

Scenes of that Aug. 26 march are included on the oversized (60 millimeters by 25mm) French commemorative stamp.

For example, the photograph shown on the left side of the stamp design pictures American troops in an M8 Light Armored Car passing under the Arc de Triomphe.

The photograph on the right side of the stamp, showing people waving the flags of the Allied nations, was taken May 8, 1945, during a celebration of the end of the war in Europe, according to AP Images.

Sylvie Patte and Tanguy Besset designed the commemorative stamp, using photographs from different sources.

France’s La Poste has reported that it will issue 600,000 examples of the stamp in sheets of 40, and 30,000 examples of a philatelic souvenir with a gummed sheet including a single stamp.

For more information, visit the La Poste website.

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