150e anniversary of Heinrich von Stephan (1831-1897), 1981

German statesman was born at Stolp, in Pomerania, on the 7th of January 1831.

In 1870, at the early age of thirty-nine, Stephan was made postmaster-general of the North German confederation, and in the, next year of the newly founded empire; in 1878, at the general reorganization of the imperial administration the post office was made a separate department, and his title was altered to that of secretary of state.

The introduction of postcards was his first innovation. In this he had been anticipated by Austria, but the idea was his own, and had been adopted by the Austrians in consequence of a suggestion made by him at a postal conference in 1865. The development of the parcel post and of the system of money orders was his next work.

He in this and other ways he extended the use of the post office at home, he gained a wider celebrity in being the chief promoter of the International Postal Union. He presided at the first conference, which, met at Bern in 1874.

In 1897 blood poisoning, arising from a wound in the foot, made amputation of the leg necessary, and he died from the effects of the operation, on the 8th of April 1897.

http://84.1911encyclopedia.org/S/ST/STEPHAN_HEINRICH_VON.htm

First Day Covers (FDC):

Design and editor: S.A. Campo-Rodan N.V., Brussels.

Note: Blanco or airmail envelopes are not shown here but do exist.

First Day Covers (FDC) with block 50:

FDC Block 50 imperforated: Not known to exist.

FDC with no 1124: Not known to exist