WWII Croatia NDH year 1944 Labour Service Ante Pavelić stamp

WWII Croatia NDH year 1944 State Labour Service Ante Pavelić postage stamp

During World War II, Croatia was part of the Axis powers under the Ustaše regime led by Ante Pavelić. The Ustaše regime issued its own postage stamps, which were used within the territory it controlled. These stamps were issued by the Independent State of Croatia (Nezavisna Država Hrvatska, NDH), which was a puppet state established by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy in 1941.

Ante Pavelić and the NDH:

1. Leader: Ante Pavelić was the leader of the Ustaše movement and became the head of the NDH. The Ustaše regime was notorious for its extreme nationalism and its persecution of ethnic minorities, especially Serbs, Jews, and Roma.
2. Postage Stamps: The NDH issued its own series of postage stamps, which featured symbols and imagery associated with the Ustaše regime and its ideology. These stamps were used for postal services within the territory of the NDH during its existence from 1941 to 1945.
3. Design and Usage: NDH stamps typically depicted nationalistic symbols, Ustaše emblems, and images promoting the regime’s ideology. They were used for regular postal services, reflecting the NDH’s attempt to establish its authority and legitimacy.

Historical Context:

1. Axis Collaboration: The NDH was established with the support of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, as part of their efforts to control and exploit territories in southeastern Europe during World War II.
2. Controversies and Legacy: The Ustaše regime and its policies, including genocide and ethnic cleansing, remain highly controversial and are remembered for their brutality and atrocities committed against civilian populations, particularly Serbs, Jews, and Roma.
3. Collecting and Research: NDH stamps are now historical artifacts and are collected by philatelists and historians interested in World War II history, Nazi collaboration, and the complexities of occupation and resistance in Eastern Europe during that era.

In summary, the postage stamps issued by the NDH under Ante Pavelić’s leadership are part of the historical record of the Ustaše regime’s attempt to establish its authority and promote its ideology during World War II. They reflect the regime’s collaboration with Axis powers and its efforts to assert control over occupied territories in southeastern Europe.

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