Mandela’s bilateral stamp appropriate

The German Post and South African Post Office issued a bilateral stamp yesterday on the 100th birthday of the first state president of a democratic South Africa, Nelson Mandela.

The photograph for the South African stamp is from the Nelson Mandela Foundation (NMF) Blue Media archives and it was designed by Rachel-Mari Ackermann of the SA Post Office.

The German stamp photo was taken by Paul Weinberg, a South African who was active in the anti-apartheid movement. It was designed by André Heers and Annette le Fort.

There are so many parallels between Germany and South Africa that a joint stamp issue between the two countries to commemorate the centenary of the birth of president Mandela is very appropriate. Both countries experienced human suffering; the tearing apart of a nation; debilitating hardships and atrocities, yet managed to overcome them and soar above them.

Mandela is a symbol of freedom, love for mankind, reconciliation and nation-building. As such, his legacy resonates with the values of both countries.

The images and “stories behind the stamps” on both stamp issues are quite different from each other. The format and sizes are also not the same.

According to Ackermann, the NMF slogan for the Nelson Mandela Centenary 2018 celebrations “Be The Legacy” influenced her decision to portray Madiba at a late stage of his life as “he will forever be a ‘father’ to the South African nation and inspires us to invest in the future of our children”.

The warm colours reflect his personality; the gold lettering accentuates his status as a treasure of South Africa.

The German stamp features a photo of a relatively younger Madiba taken three days after his release from prison. It shows Mandela in profile, looking upwards into the light with an expression of relief.

“The image captures a range of emotions, mainly hope and faith. His strength and optimism are palpable. We think it is a beautiful image that aptly encapsulates Nelson Mandela’s life,” say Heers and Le Fort.

“They chose the colours of the flag of the democratic South Africa, for their symbolic meaning. The vivid colours stand in sharp contrast to the stamp’s blackand-white background.”

Another interesting feature is the bold font used, known as Knockout. It was selected as it evoked feelings of warmth and also comes in featherweight, middleweight, heavyweight, among others. The terms are used in boxing and Mandela was a keen boxer in his youth. – ANA

He will forever be a ‘father’ to the South African nation