Covers of the day 7th May Jewish Refugees camps in Cyprus.

[Chris Weddell]

Today my covers of the day or a very plain pair of covers posted to the Red Cross at Nicosia.

These are two cover which have been posted from one of the Jewish Refugee camps in Cyprus between 1946 and 1949. Out going mail was posted to the Red Cross offices mostly and incoming mail was addressed to a camp number. These covers are uncommon but saying that if you know what you are looking for they can be found.

[Peter Harvey]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for sharing, not seen this before, but having said that most Cyprus is hard to find and anything more interesting scarce to say the least.

Pete

[Chris Weddell]

I forgot to add the name of the camp. The name pf the Jewish Refugee camp was Pedoulas Camp.

[Robin Davis]

Hello Chris,

Sorry that I am late in responding about your two covers but I have been tied up on other things recently.

Briefly your two covers were NOT posted from one of the Jewish Refugee Camps set up in Cyprus after the war in 1946 - 1949. Your two covers were posted in the early 1940's (looks like 1943?).

They were in fact posted by Jewish Refugees (who were mainly Polish) who came to Cyprus after escaping the Nazi's around 1940/1 and who were housed in hotels, with some of them in private houses, in the hill resorts in the Platres / Pedhoulas area. They had to pay their hotel costs themselves and were not allowed to be employed. They often write their name and location (eg: Pedhoulas) on the back flap and if you are really lucky they also include the name of the hotel (eg: Hotel Marangos) or private residence where they are staying.

The covers addressed to The Secretary, Red Cross, Nicosia with a manuscript "M" on the front indicates that it contained a message form for forwarding on to a relative or whoever.

I do have an 8 or 9 page display on this subject. When we restart holding FPHS meetings let me know when you will be attending and I'll bring it along for you and others to look at.

Kindest Regards, Robin

[Chris Weddell]

Robin,

          Thank you for this. This makes these very interesting from my point of view. I do have a number of covers which have the camp names and numbers on. The information I used was taken from a display page which one of the covers were mounted on. In forethought I should have asked you.

                                                            Regards

                                                              Chris

[Robin Davis]

Hello Chris,

In respect of the camps built in Cyprus after the war between 1946 - 1949, I have loads of information (eg: long & short articles, books etc) concerning the mail of these camps. I will have to bring some of it along with me to a FPHS meeting for you to look at.

Kindest Regards Robin