LEMBERG: Cosmopolitan Crownland Capital of the Austrian Empire

Ukrainian Philatelic Resources is proud to announce the release of its first full-color publication, the long-awaited record of Dr. Ingert Kuzych’s diamond award-winning exhibit LEMBERG: Cosmopolitan Crownland Capital of the Austrian Empire.

This volume, however, is much more than just a reproduction of Dr. Kuzych’s display – which is a chronicle of the postal history of Lviv/Lwow during the century and a half that it was under Austrian Habsburg rule (1772-1918). Introductory chapters present information on how the exhibit came to be assembled and on the evolution of the postal system in Central Europe in the three centuries prior to the Austrian period. (The latter chapter is an expansion of the “Before Lemberg” articles that appeared in Austria No. 182, Polonus Nos. 550-52, and Ukrainian Philatelist No. 109.)

The book is also meant to be a helpful guide to anyone who wishes to exhibit postal history. In the concluding chapter Dr. Kuzych presents his personal observations on each of the display pages, presenting his comments on why certain items were included or why they were presented as they were. Additional pages are shown that are no longer part of the latest display version and explanations are offered as to why they were removed. Three pages of extraordinary postal history material for which Dr. Kuzych was out bid at auctions are also incorporated to give some idea of the amazing diversity of Lemberg items that still exist.

The heart of the book, however, is a complete record of the LEMBERG exhibit – slightly reduced to 90% of actual size. Readers will delight in the high-quality reproductions on heavy glossy paper stock. Included are extraordinary materials from each of the five time periods covered in the display. The opening Pre-Stamp Austria (1772-1850) section includes virtually all of the cancellation types used in the city during the seven decades leading up to Austria’s first stamp release.

The Austrian Monarchy (1850-1867) division includes mind-boggling franking examples of Austria’s first stamp issues. The following Austro-Hungarian Monarchy (1867-1914) section presents the expansion of the postal system in the Dual Empire and shows outstanding usages for an amazing range of postal services.

Anarchy always creates interesting postal history and the next portion of the display, The Great War (1914-1918), introduces many examples. Included are mails from the nine-month Russian occupation of the city, an array of interesting military unit mailings, and many of the finest preserved letters sent on the world’s first regular air mail service, the Vienna-Krakow-Lemberg route. (Extension of this service to Kyiv, Ukraine made this the world’s first regular international air mail service and a couple of such covers are also shown.)

Fighting continued in the year following the formal end of World War I as Poland and Western Ukraine struggled for Lemberg and Eastern Galicia. Some of the conflict is reflected in the last part of the exhibit entitled The Flame of Nationalism (1918-1919).

In summary, this 180-page book is one of the most beautiful and useful Austrian-, Polish-, and Ukrainian-philately-related publications ever created. The LEMBERG exhibit and this follow-on book serve as excellent examples of how to prepare and display postal history. In order to encourage further exhibiting, Dr. Kuzych has deliberately kept the cost of LEMBERG: Cosmopolitan Crownland Capital of the Austrian Empire as low as possible. The price for such a full-color, professionally produced volume would normally run at least $75, but Dr. Kuzych is offering it at a regular price of $60.

For members of the Austrian Philatelic Society (APS), the Polonus Philatelic Society (PPS), or the Ukrainian Philatelic and Numismatic Society (UPNS) the price will only be $50 – just slightly over the printing costs – plus postage and packaging. (In order to qualify for this special price reduction, APS, PPS, or UPNS customers must include their membership numbers with their order.)

The weight of this tome is almost one kilogram (two pounds) and postage costs are as follows: to US addresses $5, to Canada $12, and overseas $25. Orders (in US currency only) may be placed with Mr. Kuzych at: