France Syria year 1919/33 France stamps Overprinted Used
The stamps used in the French Mandate territories of Syria and Lebanon between 1919 and 1933 were initially French definitive stamps, or stamps from the French post offices in the Levant, that were overprinted with various military and administrative inscriptions.
This period saw a series of different overprints that reflected the changing political control in the region:
1. French Military Occupation Issues (1919–1923)
| Period | Overprint | Meaning | Details |
| 1919 | T.E.O. and a new currency value (milliemes or piasters) | Territoires Ennemis Occupés (Occupied Enemy Territories) | Used when France first took control after World War I. Applied to stamps of France and French Offices in the Levant. |
| 1920–1923 | O.M.F. / SYRIE and a new currency value (piasters or centimes) | Occupation Militaire Française (French Military Occupation) | Introduced after the French military deposed the short-lived Arab Kingdom of Syria led by King Faisal. |
2. French Mandate Issues (1923–1933)
| Period | Overprint | Meaning | Details |
| 1923 | SYRIE – GRAND LIBAN (and surcharges) | Syria – Greater Lebanon | Issued when the League of Nations Mandate was formally granted to France, for use throughout the entire mandated territory. |
| 1924 | SYRIE (and surcharges) | Syria | Issued when the postal administrations for Syria and Greater Lebanon were separated, for use specifically in Syria. |
| 1925 onwards | No Overprint (or local ones) | N/A | From 1925, Syria began to issue its own definitive stamps inscribed with just “Syrie” or “République Syrienne,” moving away from overprinted French stamps. However, overprints continued to be used for various local issues within the mandate states (e.g., “ALAOUITES” for the Alawite State). |
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