France Cover

France Cover
First Day Issue
Post Marke ; 31/12/2007 - 69 Lyon Recette Principale
Stamps;

26/06/2006 Architecture (Classical)
European Capitals - Nicosia
Face Value ; 0,53 €
Size ; 40 x 30
Block Size ; 133 x 130

Nicosia, known locally as Lefkosia or Lefkosha (Greek: Λευκωσία, Turkish: Lefkoşa), is the capital and largest city of Cyprus.
Located on the Pedieos (Kanlidere) river and situated almost in the centre of the island, it is the seat of government as well as the main business centre. Nicosia is the center and capital of the (Nicosia District). Despite the recent symbolic gestures shown by both communities in removing small sections of the dividing wall, it still remains the only divided capital city in the world, with the northern (Turkish) and southern (Greek), portions divided by the Green Line a demilitarize zone maintained by the United Nations, although unlike Cold War East and West Berlin, few use the terms "North Nicosia" and "South Nicosia".

15/10/2007 Fine Arts (Painting)

Paul Serusier 1864-1927
Face Value ; 0,86 €
Size ; 40 x 52
Paul Sérusier (1864—1927) was a French painter.

He studied at the Academie Julian and was a monitor there in the mid 1880s.In the summer of 1888 he travelled to Pont-Aven and joined the small group of artists centered there around Paul Gauguin.While at the Pont-Aven artist's colony he painted The Talisman under the close supervision of Gauguin.He was part of the group of painters called Les Nabis.Sérusier along with Paul Gauguin named the group. Pierre Bonnard, Edouard Vuillard and Maurice Denis.
He later taught at the Academie Ranson and published his book ABC de la peinture in 1921. became the best known of the group, but at the time they were somewhat peripheral to the core group.

22/10/2007 Politics & Government (Politicians)
Guy Moquet 1924 - 1941
Face Value ; 0,54 €
Size ; 30 x 40

Guy Môquet (26 April 1924 - 22 October 1941) was a young French Communist militant. During the German occupation of France during World War II, he was taken hostage by the Nazis and executed by firing squad in retaliation for attacks on Germans by the French Resistance. Môquet came down in history as one of the symbols of the French Resistance.
Môquet studied at the Lycee Carnot and joined the Communist Youth Movement. After the occupation of Paris by the Germans and the installiation of the Vichy goverment, Môquet was arrested by the French police as he distributed flyers in his neighbourhood denouncing the new government and demanding the liberation of its prisoners. He was arrested on 13 October 1940, in the Metro station Gare de l'Est by French police who were looking for Communist militants. The police behaved in a friendly way towards him in the hopes that he would reveal the names of his father’s friends.
Imprisoned in Fresnes Prison , then in Clairvaux, he was later transferred to the camp at Chateaubriant , where other Communist militants were detained.
On 20 October 1941 , the commanding officer of the German occupation forces in Loire-Atlantique, Karl Hotz , was assassinated by three communist resisters.Pierre Pucheu, Interior Minister of the Petain government, chose Communist prisoners to be given as hostages “in order to avoid letting 50 good French people get shot.” His selection comprised 18 imprisoned in Nantes, 27 at Châteaubriant, and 5 from Nantes who were imprisoned in Paris.
Two days later, the 27 prisoners at Châteaubriant were shot in three groups. They refused blindfolds, and died crying out “Vive la France” (“Long live France”). Guy Môquet, the youngest, was executed at 4PM.
Before being shot, Môquet had written a letter to his parents. His younger brother, Serge - 12 years old at the time - was traumatised by the death of Guy and survived him only by a few days.

Thank You Eric Contesse