Malaria
Philatelists
International

When checking my German stamp collection, I found by chance a stamp from the year 2000 which showed four interesting cytological pictures. As the stamp presented 100 years of existence of the German Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM) and having malaria as one of their main areas of interest I had the suspicion: one of the four cytological pictures on the stamp could be attributed to malaria. I contacted the BNITM and got an official confirmation that in the lower part the 2nd picture from left shows red blood cells with malaria parasites.

I had found a stamp from Germany related partly to malaria - this relationship was neither described in the German Michel catalogue nor in the Malaria Handbook (online).

The stamp has a release date of 14. September 2000 with a value of 300 Pfennig (= 3 German Mark). Catalogue numbers are: Michel 2136 - Scott 2101 - Yvert & Tellier 1968. Quantity: 23,000,000.

The Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine is Germany's largest institution for research, services and training in the field of tropical diseases and emerging infections. Research topics include clinical studies, epidemiology and disease control as well as the biology of the respective pathogens, their reservoirs and vectors.

The current scientific focus is on malaria, haemorrhagic fever viruses, tuberculosis and tissue nematodes. To study highly pathogenic viruses and infected insects, the institute is equipped with laboratories of the highest biosafety level (BSL4) and a BSL3 insectary. Outstanding scientific achievements in the recent past include the identification of the SARS coronavirus and the discovery of a previously unknown developmental stage of malaria parasites in humans.

The institute comprises the German National Reference Centre for all tropical pathogens, a reference laboratory for SARS and the WHO Collaborating Centre for Arbovirus and Haemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research.

The research institute is jointly funded by the Federal Government, the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg and the other federal states.

Below is the proposed page 1 of the handbook and below that is what is known to date for this issue.

Proposed Page 1 - Germany Scott 2101


Germany Scott 2101 - Pane of 10


Germany Scott 2101 Ministry Of Finance Booklet - Side 1


Germany Scott 2101 Ministry Of Finance Booklet - Side 2


Germany Scott 2101 Information Sheet - Side 1


Germany Scott 2101 Information Sheet - Side 2


Germany Scott 2101 Collecting Sheet


Germany Scott 2101 Post Office Booklet - Page 1


Germany Scott 2101 Post Office Booklet - Page 2


Germany Scott 2101 Post Office Booklet - Page 3


(below)
Germany Artist First Day Cover Sheet for Sc. 2101 (numbered 0140, Berlin cancel) - the sheet shows seven drafts which were submitted to the art advisory board of the Federal Ministry of Finance for decision within the framework of the competition - three exhibited a mosquito und one the word "malaria". The stamp without a mosquito and without the word malaria was chosen. However, the description in the middle of the sheet explains the connection of the stamp to malaria under 3. "microscopic images of the most important pathogens of infectious diseases are shown - from left to right: amoebic dysentery, malaria, worm infections, AIDS".


Germany Artist First Day Cover Sheet for Sc. 2101 (numbered 0140, Berlin cancel) - Front


Germany Artist First Day Cover Sheet for Sc. 2101 (numbered 0140, Berlin cancel) - Back


Germany Scott 2101 on Card, First Day Cancel in Berlin


Germany Scott 2101 on Card, First Day Cancel in Bonn


Germany Scott 2101 on Card (back side)


Germany Scott 2101 - First Day Cover, Cachet 1 - Berlin First Day Cancellation


Germany Scott 2101 - First Day Cover, Cachet 1 - Bonn First Day Cancellation


Germany Scott 2101 First Day Cover, Cachet 2, Berlin Cancellation - Front


Germany Scott 2101 First Day Cover, Cachet 2, Berlin Cancellation - Back


Germany Scott 2101 First Day Cover, Cachet 2, Berlin Cancellation - Sent Through the Mail to Saarbrücken


Germany Scott 2101 First Day Cover, Cachet 2, Berlin Cancellation - Sent Through the Mail to Langenfeld


Germany Scott 2101 First Day Cover, Cachet 2, Berlin Cancellation - Sent Through the Mail to Langenfeld - Back


Germany Scott 2101 First Day Cover, Cachet 3, Berlin Cancellation


Germany Scott 2101 First Day Cover, Cachet 3, Bonn Cancellation - Sent Through the Mail to Freiburg


Germany Scott 2101 First Day Cover, Cachet 3, Bonn Cancellation - Sent Through the Mail to Warmensteinach


Germany Scott 2101 First Day Cover, Cachet 3, Bonn Cancellation


Germany Scott 2101 First Day Cover, Cachet 4, Bonn Cancellation


Germany Scott 2101 First Day Cover, Cachet 5, Bonn Cancellation

First Day Cover, Cachet 5, Bonn cancellation presents a picture of an insect which is not a mosquito but incorrectly a so-called harmless "march crane fly". But why is it an error? Answer: Only one of the four diseases on the stamp - from left: 1st picture amoeba in a host cell, 2nd picture red blood cells with malaria parasites, 3rd picture worms in the gut, 4th picture HI viruses (AIDS) - is transmitted by an insect, i.e. Malaria by mosquitoes. March crane flies are harmless and never ever transmit any diseases. Possible explanation for the error: in Germany mosquitoes can be mixed up with march crane flies by non-specialists as unfortunately the German traditional name "Schnake" can mean mosquitoes OR march crane flies.


Germany Scott 2101 First Day Cover, Cachet 5, Bonn Cancellation w/ Explanation


Germany Scott 2101 on Registered Cmmercial Cover


Germany Scott 2101 on Commercial Cover to Colombia


Germany Scott 2101 on Commercial Cover to India


Germany Scott 2101 on Commercial Cover to Israel


Germany Scott 2101 on Commercial Cover to Russia, Registered