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Collector's item from Burkina Faso: Görlitz train delights railway fans!
Günther Klebes bought a Burma Faso stamp with a Görlitz train motif. The story of a surprising find.
Collector's item from Burkina Faso: Görlitz train delights railway fans!
There are plenty of ways to reminisce about old memories while getting a good deal. Günther Klebes, a passionate railway enthusiast from Erlangen, has now discovered his special collector's item: a stamp with the image of a former Deutsche Reichsbahn train. This comes from Burkina Faso and represents the legendary GDR ICE, which was once built in the Görlitz wagon factory. On Sächsische.de Klebes reports: “I got the stamp in an internet auction from Luxembourg for a good one euro auctioned.”
The SVT Görlitz pictured, which has existed for over 60 years, was active until after the fall of the Wall and is currently being restored in Halberstadt. It will soon be operating in Germany again. This stamp not only makes collectors jealous, it also offers an insight into the special relationship with German railways. Klebes, who works as a school bus driver and volunteers at the train station mission, has written numerous books about rail transportation.
A letter market from Burkina Faso
Klebes is known for his passion for collecting; His treasures include models, historical uniform caps, photos, postcards and telephone cards and, as in the current case, postage stamps. The stamp issue with the theme “150 Years of Railways in Germany” caused a stir 40 years ago and appeared in a series of seven stamps that exclusively depicted Deutsche Reichsbahn vehicles. While Burkina Faso, since it was renamed in 1984, has only had a single railway line to Ivory Coast, measuring German railways shows a special focus on their history.
From a historical perspective, the evolution of the railway in Germany is an exciting matter. The first attempts to develop rail vehicles go back to the mining industry, where carts ran on wooden rails as early as the 16th century. From 1787 onwards, a huge network of horse-drawn trams emerged in the Ruhr area and it was Friedrich List who advocated for a unified network to promote the economy. Wikipedia states that the first steam railway in Germany opened in 1835 and from then on the railway quickly became the most important means of long-distance transport.
Philatelic insights
The highlights of the philatelic events include exhibitions for railway philatelists. Here collectors can exchange ideas about their passions and even get new pieces for their collections. Klebes shows everyone that it's not just about the railway itself, but also about the diverse culture that is associated with it. “There are numerous motif brands in many African or Asian countries that have role models abroad,” he explains.
For collectors who want to venture into the world of stamps, the prices are surprisingly affordable. You can even find copies from Burkina Faso for around 3 euros on sales platforms. In this way, buyers can not only look forward to a snapper, but also integrate a piece of railway history into their own collection.