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On 26 November 1951 the 2S40 value of the Costumes series (ANK915) appeared, to provide for the newly-increased postage rate for letters abroad. It shows a girl in a traditional costume of the Kitzbühel area and holding a plate showing a chamois on a background of pine trees and mountains. She wears a black hat trimmed with cord, tassel and ribbons, a bodice tapering to the waist with the sleeves full to the elbow and then tight to the hand. A kerchief is tied at the neck.
When it was decided in the middle of 1948 to introduce a new definitive set of stamps, it was necessary to select a topic which would be not only of general appeal but also representative of the whole of Austria. The final decision was to use an idea which had proved very popular in 1934-36, namely to use the traditional costumes of Austria as the theme. Professor Josef Seger (b.1908), a pupil of Alfred Cossmann, who had studied at the Graphical Teaching and Research Institute in Vienna and then at the Academy of Pictorial Art, was selected as the designer of this set. The Museum of Folk Art in Vienna did the original research for the costumes. It had long been believed that one of his girl students, whose likeness is most apparent on the 50g stamp, posed for Professor Seger's drawings; but it is now known that there was no model, the designs being a purely intellectual creation.
The designs were then engraved by Professor Hans Ranzoni d.J. and the stamps (except the 10S value which was recess printed in sheets of 50) were printed in photogravure at the State Printing Works in sheets of 100, perf 14.25:13.5. It was also decided to sell new stamps, from this set onwards, a few days before they were valid for postage in order to give collectors and dealers the opportunity of preparing first-day covers in time. Thus the first stamps of this set to appear, though valid for postage on lst June 1948, could be purchased on 26th May 1948. As a further encouragement for the collection of FDCs, on 1st June 1948 a special 'Ersttag' cachet was applied officially on all covers posted on the first day of validity. This design of cachet was to remain unaltered until 26th January 1973. During the long life of this issue numerous changes occurred apart from the issuing of extra values and changing of colours as required by the U.P.U. rules. The two main changes were the substitution of a 100-screen for the original 70-screen in the photogravure process, and the use of a thin white paper with white gum (from mid-1958) for some of the values instead of the original greyish paper with yellowish gum.
This is the 'Tag der Briefmarke 1958' stamp (ANK1075) showing the Kitzbühel Post Office and issued on 6 December 1958 as part of the annual sequence of 'Day of the Postage Stamp' issues.
This stamp was designed by Stephan Koller, to depict the post office of Kitzbühel in Tirol, engraved by Georg Wimmer and recess printed by the Austrian State Printing Works in an impression of 980,000 copies (line perforated 13.75). It was available on 3rd December 1958 (FDC 6th). The stamp depicts the post office building, which had been newly built between 1954 and 1956, in a somewhat idealised winter setting. To the left of the building there is now a large office block, and in front of it the main road!
This is the '700th anniversary of Kitzbühel' stamp (ANK1396) issued on 23 August 1971
The 700th anniversary of the foundation of the town of Kitzbühel in Tirol was commemorated with a 2.5 schilling multi-coloured stamp that was available on 18th August 1971 (FDC 23rd). It was designed by Otto Zeiller, to depict the coat-of-arms of Kitzbühel, engraved by Werner Pfeiler and printed, by both recess and photogravure, in an impression of 3.2 million; comb perforated 14. The stamp depicts Kitzbühel's arms created about 1321 (when the first town council was formed) surmounted by a chamois and with another on the shield 'rampant' on three green hills. The history of Kitzbuhel is described here.
The Christmas stamp of 25 November 1983 (ANK1790) shows figures from the Crib of Kitzbühel parish Church by J Giner, 1756-1833.
The 19th value in the sequence of Christmas stamps was a 4 schilling multi-coloured stamp that was available on 10th November 1983 [FDC 25th]. This stamp was designed by Otto Zeiller, to depict figures of Our Lady, the Christ Child and St. Joseph in the crib by Johann Giner the elder [1756-1833] in the Parish Church of Kitzbühel in the Tirol. It was engraved by Maria Laurent and printed in both recess [brownish-black] and photo-gravure [pale brown, Turkish blue, yellow, purple-lilac and gold] in an impression of 5.5 million; comb perforated 13.5 x 13.75. The Parish Church of St. Andreas is believed to have acquired the crib by J. Giner in 1829 and the figures shown on the stamp are only part of a larger number.
The St. Andreas parish church of Kitzbühel possesses a crib made by Johann Giner the Elder (1756-1833), which is one of his most important works. It consists altogether of 32 carved wood figures in bright Empire frames, having glass eyes, with heights ranging up to 50 cm. Five different scenes or 'exhibitions' can be displayed: the birth of Christ with proclamation to the shepherds; the circumcision of Jesus; the adoration of the Magi; the homage paid by the four continents to the name of Jesus; and the presentation of Jesus in the temple.
Very little is known about the purchase of the crib. The purchase of the 'Homage to the name of Jesus' in 1829 is documented but it is possible that the first three scenes had already been acquired by that time. The older church crib featuring dressed figures with wax heads was sold to Kirchdorf in 1833. A crib at the Andreas church is mentioned for the first time in 1651 and new purchases are recorded for 1658 and 1747. The first report of a 'khripl' in Kitzbühel dates back to 1586 but it seems not to refer to Andreas church. It was also not a crib in today's sense, but simply the child Jesus on a resting place in a chest, which was displayed for adoration. In 1591 such a 'khripl' is also mentioned as being owned by the Katharinen church. Regarding the churches of Kitzbühel, the first real Christmas crib with additional figures was to be found in the Katharinen church in 1613.
Kizbühel has a centuries-long continuing tradition of displaying Christmas cribs. This is closely connected with the rich culture of folk plays and the so-called 'Kitzbel Baroque'. During 70 years of passion plays performances, it is known that there were 150 perfomers of Christ, the responsibility for the plays being that of the Rosary fraternity.
Johann Giner der Aeltere (the Elder) 1756-1833, the creator of the figures of the Kitzbel church crib, came from a family of artists, among them fresco painters, barrel painters, sculptors, cutters of ornaments and gilders. He lived in Thaur near Innsbruck (hence the relevance of the Thaur cancel). Giner's father was a peasant and pay-clerk for the regional court of Thaur. It is possible that Johann Giner studied with Urban Klieber in Innsbruck. Despite his extensive sculptural work he remained a peasant all his life.
At first, Johann Giner received commissions for the parish church of his native town but later also for Wattens and Oberndorf on the Salzach. Magnificent picture frames, altar frontals and clock stands are witness to his decorative skills. Giner's work can be placed in the transitional period between Late Baroque and Classicism, in which he represents a 'Naturalistic Realism'. It is due to Giner that the cribs with large dressed figures which had been removed during the Age of Enlightenment were now replaced by cribs with woodcut figures. His figures typically combine a certain gorgeous display with ingenuousness and a cheerful nature which is Tirolian in character. Johann Giner who died on 20 April 1833 in his native village of Thaur is one of the greatest and most popular artists of the crib tradition.
A stamp issued 12 January 1990 (ANK2010) shows the Hahnenkamm mountain next Kitzbühel with the world-famous ski run marked: 1990 was the 50th anniversary of the race.
The 50th Hahnenkamm ski championships were held at Kitzbühel in January 1990 and these were commemorated by issuing a 5 schilling multicoloured stamp on 3rd January 1990 [FDC 12th]. This stamp was designed by Ferdinand Dorner, to depict a panorama of Kitzbühel in Tirol with the 'Streif' downhill run and the 'Ganslern' slalom run, printed in photogravure only [violet-blue, ochre-yellow, lilac-brown, dark green-blue, red and black] in an impression of 3 million; comb perforated 13.75x 13.75
In 1892, Franz Reisch, an innkeeper (and later mayor) of Kitzbuhel, purchased a pair of 'snow shoes' from Norway, thus starting a glorious epoch for his home town. On 15 December 1902, the Winter Sport Club was founded. The Kitzbuhel Ski Club was founded in 1931. In January 1905, the 1st Tirol Ski Championship took place in Kitzbuhel, followed by the lst Austrian Ski Championship in 1907. It combined downhill and cross-country skiing and, in addition, a jumping competition on the Schattenberg ski-hill. The first pure downhill races with timekeeping also date back to this time. It was the birth of the modern Alpine ski sport. Even the conservative British became addicted to 'downhill only' and, at the end of February 1908, the 1st British Ski Championship was organized in Kitzbühel. However, Alpine skiing did not become popular until the Hahnenkamm cable car started operation in 1929. Now, the 1658m high mountain peak could be easily reached. The downhill run, called 'Streif', which had been newly cut into the forest, led directly back to the valley. Finally, the first Hahnenkamm Ski Race took place on 18 and 19 January 1930.
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©Andy Taylor. Last updated 9 April 2000