Abbreviation „FILOP“ for the first time was used
on January 13, 1996
commemorating fifth anniversary of Vilnius „Bloody Sunday“. This combination of
words was created and for the first time used in the text of a souvenir cancel
by an artist Antanas Šakalys. He specified that this mark is not official and
it is the initiative of private citizens not indifferented in anniversary of
this historical event. Since this time all not official philatelic editions are
named „FILOP“. „FILOP“ - is abbreviation created on the basis of two words:
„philatelic“ and „opposition“, also it is opposition to the editions of mail of
official post.
Though this abbreviation is used since 1996 the edition of such material in
Lithuania periodically updated exists since 1957. Yet in 1960 the group of
cingenial men printed editions named "The Mail of young tourists". It were
envelopes, labels and seals which propagated national consciousness. For such
“improvisation“ they were terrorized by the Soviet authority through KGB.
Criminal activity was incriminated to the main organizer of these editions
Stasys Stropus who heavily suffered for it.
In 1988 Lithuanian liberation movement „Sąjūdis“ once again caused a wave of the
self-edition. Then this self-edition began from posters and leaflets and it was
proceeded by creating and printing propaganda envelopes, labels and cancels.
Later, after the announcement of restoration of Independence of Lithuania on
March,11, 1990 on all territory of Lithuania it were overprinted the Soviet
stamps and envelopes by national symbols and texts. Souvenir labels were printed
and produced with an occasionally cancels. It was obvious break of the civil
initiative and it was a part of socially political movement. In this activity
were engaged patriotically oriented people majority of which were philatelists
and collectors not indefferented in historical importance of this period. Since
1988 in activity of such „FILOP“ movement more than eighty people integrated in
all Lithuania. It shows that in this phenomenon were engaged not only single
collectors but it was the social movement which has united motivated people not
indifferented to proceeding of historical events of Lithuania. Some of these
people already are not between us. They are the well known philatelists:
Vytautas Matjošaitis from Raseiniai, Petras Kondratėnas from Panevėžys, Vytautas
Vasiliauskas from Vilnius and Antanas Martinionis (chairman of the union of
officers in resignation). But philatelic souvenirs created by them remained and
today they testify important historical events of these days.
Since 1992 till today self-publishing production of „FILOP“ is
stimulated by the official mail of Lithuania‘s post which production, with not
the big exceptions, does not maintain any critic. Of course such form of
self-publishing as envelopes, cancels, labels or souvenir stamps is linked to
philately as it are attributes of mail, but it is very significant tool of
propaganda. More than 120 years all countries of the world uses philatelic
editions such as stamps, envelopes, special cancels, propagating their national
and historical events. These philatelic editions broadly and very quickly
distributes the information worldwide about the country from which it are sent.
So such even small editions are especially important element of formation of an
image of the country and as the mirror reflects its condition and quality.
In our country, in contrary - it can be stated that philatelic production of
official post of Lithuania does not propagate our country - it operates
diametrically oppositely - discredits the state. It is not necessary to be an
expert of art aesthetics or historian to state it, it is enough to put near the
collection of post stamps of Lithuania as an example the collection of Slovenia,
of Ukraine(!) or the neighbour country Latvia and this fact becomes obvious. It
is a shame to the expert to see and especially to show for somebody such
„masterwork“. The impression as often as not is such that it is a goal to sneer
from a theme! Regretfully it is necessary to recognize that for these 50 years
of the Soviet education our society was so strongly damaged that it does not pay
any attention to it!? The reasons of it probably are the same as well as in all
the state – self-seeking of a clan of government officials and indifference of a
society. At the same time the citizens who have not lost their self-respect are
again compelled to resort FILOP self-edition having the purpose through such way
to note the important historical events or to show honour to the persons which
are deserved well national respect. Authorities of our state such events or
persons ignores for the reason of their not sophistication and often for their
local political engagement.
FILOP in 2000 initiated and realized the international project - joint
cancelating in three Baltic states on the occasion of „Day of liars“ on April,1:
in Lithuania (Kaunas), Latvia (Riga) and in Estonia (Tallin). In such way the
FILOP activity has also the international experience.
FILOP activity in a background of socially - political life of present days is
an expression of resistance of a self-conscious part of citizens and such FILOP
editions are unique patriotic alternative in philately. The purpose of this
movement is protection of national values and traditional principles of a
graphic aesthetics against the user nihilism from corrupt authorities dominates
over all areas of a life. This movement shows that it is not only narrow
philatelic – collection, but socially - political interest of citizens showing
the history and traditions of Lithuania. Simultaneously it is necessary to
notice that such editions is not a national phenomenon - such phenomenon for a
long time is known in all the world, named as „CINDERELLAS“. Differences are
only such that FILOP are printed by not mechanized way and in very small copies.
For example, in Poland in 1978 in conditions of an underground philatelic
editions were printed „Solidarnost“ cindarellas - today these editions are of
high collection rarity and has the big historiographic value ( Publishers also
have suffered from Jaruzelsky regime).
So FILOP editions are created not accidentally but it are inspired of stated above
national circumstances. FILOP editions are created and printed by people -
idealists which do not seek for material benefit or the profit. Undoubtedly for
this reason these editions has persistent historical and the big collectional
value.
