Propaganda for the National Parks II. No 197-202.

By Royal Decree of 26 November 1934, an Institute for National Parks in Belgian Congo was established. This series of stamps were issued to promote these National Parks, each stamp depict one of the parks. The alternate color of the center (gray/bistre) is notable and the unusual values.

Belgium researchers explored the flora and fauna; between 1934-1935 Gaston-François de Witte collected reptiles for the “Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique”. He is also the photographer for this series of stamps.

Philatelic material

Made First Day Cover (FDC), cancelled at Leopoldville 15-3-38 (1938)

The date of issue is 1-3-1938 according to the Official Belgian Catalogue.

Questions concerning this date of 15-3-1938.

1) Was the stamp only available on the 15^th and not before?

2) Wrong date placed on the seal?

3) Is the date wrong in the OBC?

Any information to clear up this mystery would be mostly appreciated!

By Royal Decree of 26 November 1934, an Institute for National Parks in Belgian Congo was established. Several series of postcards were issued to promote these National Parks, 10 cards were sold in a carton as depicted below.

Belgium researchers explored the flora and fauna; between 1934-1935 Gaston-François de Witte (1897-1980) collected reptiles for the “Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique”. He is also the photographer for this series of cards, although the whole series contain ten cards, only the four are shown which were used for the stamps.

Date of issue: probably 1938

The cards:

Tshamugussa. Bamboo forest on the volcano Musule

Kibga. Suza River coming down the slope of the Visoke vulcano

Plain of Lake Eduard, the Rutshuru River in Gwangwa,

Vulcano Karisimbi (hight 4.507 meters)

Note: I have not seen postcards of the two other pictures used for the series of stamps.