Municipal Arms of Belarus Towns. Smorgon

On September 6, 2009 the Ministry of Communications and Informatization of the Republic of Belarus will issue the stamp “Municipal arms of Smorgon” from the series “Municipal arms of Belarus towns”.

A series continuation. Beginning Nos. 403-404, 445, 495-496, 529-530, 593-595, 633-634, 675-676, 756-758. Designer: Igor Buben. Printing: offset. Colour: full colour. Paper: chalk-surfaced, gummed. Perforation: comb. 14¼: 14. Size of the stamp: 28x30 mm. Sheet composition: 8 stamps and 1 coupon. Size of the sheet: 114x118 mm. Print quantity of the stamp: 56.000. 

There are elements of protection on the stamp. 

Historical reference: A municipal arms of Smorgon represents the image of black bear standing on its hind paws on the red grating against the silver ground of a Spanish shield. The bear holds the coat of arms of Radziwills in its fore paws — on the blue ground there are 3 black hunting horns joint by mouth-pieces in the centre.

In the 17th century Smorgon was a private property of the princes of Radziwill who founded the so-called “Smorgon academy” for the training of bears. A bear was put into a cage over a fire. On a hot grating the bear stood on its hind paws and began to dance. This scene was taken as the subject of the municipal arms of Smorgon.

The municipal arms of Smorgon was instituted on December 1, 2004 by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus No. 590. The author of the municipal arms is M. M.  Yelinskaya, the designer is A. V.  Levchik.

 

Municipal arms of Smorgon.

Colour of the postmark — black.

Special postmark and FDC designed by Igor Buben.

A special cancellation on FDC will be carried out on the stamp issuing day at the post office No. 2 of Smorgon.