Illustrated is a privately produced souvenir sheet from Denmark that baffled collectors for years. In the November/December 2000 issue of “Skilling” magazine, a reader submitted a question about this item, and the editors asked if any readers knew who the people on the stamps were, or the purpose of the stamps. Searches on Google revealed scant information, other than the fact that “Skydebanen” was an area of park in Copenhagen, that had at one time been a shooting range.
However, In the July, 1938 issue of “Soraner-Bladet” which is the journal of the Soransk Samfund, which is an alumni association for the Sorø Akademis Skole (Sorø Academy School), there is a short article that may shed some light on this stamp.
The translated text of the article is as follows:
“Soraner, Engineer Svend Fiedler and wife, nee Frandsen, who for over 20 years have made London their home, have travelled to their homeland on a vacation visit, and hosted, on the evening of June 20th, at the Skydebanen in Copenhagen, a family (party/reunion) at which over 100 members of the Fiedler family were in attendance.”
One of the reasons for the Fiedler’s visit home may have been to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary.
Further research revealed a book entitled:
Pastor N. M. Harboe og Hustru Anna, f. Truchs’ Descendenter.
Slægterne HARBOE fra Skjelskør og RASMUSEN fra Korsør.
This translates to:
Pastor N.M.Harboe and housewife Anna nee Truchs’ descendents.
Families HARBOE from Skjelskør (Skælskør) and RASMUSEN from Korsør.
There is a genealogical entry in the book which refers to the Fiedlers as follows:
Olivia Harboe’s and Otto Fiedler’s Children:
Svend Gunnersen Fiedler
Master’s Degree Civil Engineer in London,
The Cadogan Iron Works & Foundery
born 23 September 1884
married 27 June, 1918 to
Inge Frandsen
born in Thisted (Denmark) 17 January 1891,
daughter of Doctor F. (Frandsen)
The date on the stamp, 20 June 1938, is one week before the couple’s 20th wedding anniversary.
The design of the stamp itself is based on the design of the 1937 stamp from Great Britain issued for the Coronation of King George VI and Elizabeth (Scott #234). The Danish stamp retains some of the same design elements of the British Coronation stamp, with the date at the bottom changed to coincide with the Fiedler’s party. The monogram in the center is ISF which stands for Inge and Svend Fiedler, and the portraits of the King and Queen are replaced by portraits of Inge and Svend Fiedler. The small devices at the left and right sides are unclear, but the image at left may be a representation of an iron furnace, which refers to Fiedler’s career at the Cadogan Iron Works. The image at right appears to be a heart with a flame, and may refer to the “Sacred Heart”. This might be in reference to the Fiedlers’ faith.