The Swiss National Exhibition 1939: The "Landi" Volume 1 - The Philatelic Aspects Hardcover – November 24, 2022

The Swiss postal system issued in 1938 and 1939 stamps, postal stationery, and special flights commemorating the 1939 Switzerland National Exhibition. The Exhibition, held in two venues on opposite banks of the Lake of Zürich, had a twofold goal. The first was economic – to demonstrate the quality of Swiss products to increase its exports. The second was more subtle. The Exhibition organizers could see the clouds of war gathering on the horizon and wanted to remind the Swiss of their heritage of self-defense against outside forces. They did not want a repeat of the lapse of memory that resulted in Napoleon’s conquest and occupation of Switzerland from 1798 to 1803. To this end, the first Pavilion a visitor would encounter was entitled “Heimat und Volk”, the Homeland and its People, which very effectively conveyed the desired message.The 1939 Exhibition opened to great fanfare on 6 May 1939 and ran until 29 October. It quickly caught the name “The Landi:. It was interrupted for four days by the invasion of Poland by Germany on 1 September.The Landi was successful beyond the hopes of the organizers. They had expected four million visitors over the 6-month span of the event – ten million came! The Landi was so fondly remembered that on its 50th anniversary in 1989 commemorative books and newspaper articles were published.Volumes 2 and 3 of this series explain in detail the planning and execution of the 1939 National Exhibition before and after the Opening Day.. Volumes 4 and 5 allow the reader to vicariously visit the Landi and read about and view pictures of the exhibits in the 100-odd Pavilions and other buildings that comprised the Landi.This series captures an important aspect of Swiss history and Volume 1 is a must-have for stamp collectors of Switzerland and those who prepare stamp exhibits of this material.“Comprehensive philatelic treatment,” Collectors Club Philatelist“Anyone with a love for Swiss culture and history would enjoy this book. For the flyspecker, great quantities of stamp varieties are clearly illustrated. For the postal stationery student, all designs are imaged. For the aerophilatelist, the airmail chapters offer thorough information. This monumental five-volume hardcover set will be treasured by collectors and Swiss history buffs for decades to come.” TELL, the journal of the American Helvetia Philatelic Society. Read more