Getting Swiss Airmail off the Ground 1913-1939: Grand Award Exhibits (Grand Award Stamp Exhibits)

This 10-frame exhibit tells a comprehensive story of the development of the Swiss airmail system. It’s a fascinating story, with elements not duplicated in other countries: the 1913 Flugspende (Campaign for Aviation) flights, the 1919 airmail service flown by the Swiss air force, the quiet period 1920 to 1923, and the seasonal nature of the service into the 1930s, closing down every winter. Most of the pages of the exhibit show the routes of the developing network of the Swiss airmail system. The exhibit shows the development starting in 1923 by geographical section:Stamps to support airmail serviceInside SwitzerlandTo Germany and beyondTo France and EnglandTo Austria and Eastern EuropeTo the South and SoutheastTo the AmericasWithin these sections, covers are organized by the routes.A second area of strength is the 1919 and 1920 flights. Significant items include:proofs of the 1919 propeller both red and black overprints on both 2 ½ and 3 rappen stamps – a total of 34 of these proofs existfirst day cover of the 1919 airmail stamptwo covers sent soldier mail, one including the scarce Walenstadt stamp with Quarantine service overprintairmail service to St. Gallen and Geneva, Geneva both by train and later by aira cover to Prague with a block of four of the 50 rp. overprinted stampan airmail cover with an IKW stampfirst day of service cover of the 1920 servicetwo flown covers from Lörrach – of the 102 flown during the entire serviceone 1920 cover flown from Frankfurta cover with a block of four of the 30-rp. overprinted stampMost routes initiated in 1923 to 1939 are represented by first flight covers, including some to Switzerland.1939 makes a natural stopping point because all of the Swiss airmail service built over two decades was halted when World War II broke out.In the Appendix, the book includes the single frame exhibit 1920 Airmail Service Frankfurt – Basel: What a Fiasco!In 1920, Switzerland contracted with Badischer LuftverkehrGesellshcaft – BALUG for short – for airmail service between Frankfurt and Basel. Because of World War I treaty restrictions, German planes were not allowed to leave Germany, so instead of Basel, the planes landed in Lörrach, just a few miles from Basel, but in Germany.The service was a debacle. The service began November 11, 1920; the last date on which the plane reached Lörrach was December 28. Because it started in November, weather made flights impossible on most days; in the month and a half of the service, the plane only landed in Lörrach on 13 days. Not many people cared; only 685 covers were sent from Basel, and of those, only 102 were flown. Southbound service from Frankfurt was even less used; Roland Kohl reports that according to a German official, up to December 20, 1920, only nine covers had been flown Frankfurt to Basel!Hardcover edition. Read more