• The 1k carmine stamp shows Zagreb, Croatia's capital on April 10, 1941, when the country declared its independence from the Serb-dominated Yugoslav government. With the help of their friend Germany, a free Croatia was finally born.

  • The 2k blue stamp depicts a view of Split, Dalmatia, an important Croatian seaport.

  • The 5k brown stamp The Shiroki Brieg Monastery, built by the Franciscan Order. In 1945, when Serbian Communists captured the monastery, they set fire to the entire town, burning alive 28 Franciscan professors after soaking them in gasoline.

  • The 10k orange stamp shows the city of Sarajevo in the heart of Bosnia, where the 1984 Winter Olympics was held.

  • The 20k olive green stamp shows the historic session of the Croatian Parliament (Sabor on Feb. 23, 1943). It also was the Croatian Parliament that on Oct. 29, 1918, proclaimed separation of Croatia from Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, and the independence of Croatia.

  • The 30k violet stamp shows a weeping woman in a vast cemetery where Communist victims are buried. The stamp’s inscription says, 'My people are poor slaves, my land, a vast field of graves'. [Below: Buenos Aires set, Circa 1951]

    [Below: Circa 1951 - odd perforation]

    [Below: Block of four, imperforate]

    [Below: Proof]

    [Below: Used example - circa 1953]

    [Below: Original sketch materials]

    [Below: Overprinted, only 1000 issued, circa 1952]

    [Below: Overprinted, only 1000 issued, circa 1952]

    [Below: Close-up of overprint]

    [Below: Block of four]

    [Below: With additional overprint - circa 1952]

    [Below: Circa 1955]

    [Below: Circa 1964]

    [Below: Imperforate sheet, circa 1964]

    [Below: Canceled sheet, circa 1964]

    [Below: Imperforate sheet, circa 1964]

    [Below: Imperforate sheet, circa 1965]

    [Below: Perforated sheet, circa 1965 - this Croatian stamp mourns the 20th anniversary of the mass murder of tens of thousands of Croatian men, women and children in and around the town of Bleiburg. These unfortunate souls were handed over by the British to communist murderers after they had surrendered to the British.]

    [Below: Imperforate sheet, circa 1966]

    [Below: Circa 1967]

    [Below: Circa 1967]

    [Below: Circa 1969]

    [Below: Imperforate version, used, circa 1969]

    [Below: Unused, circa 1969]

    [Below: Used, circa 1969]

    [Below: Used, circa 1969]

    [Below: Unused, circa 1972]

    [Below: Used, circa 1972]

  • Private releases not issued by the Croatian government-in-exile:

    [Below: This is an interesting item - it uses a picture of a WWII Croatian stamp - honoring the fight on the Eastern Front against communism - to help commemorate the 20th anniversary. Circa 1961.]

    [Below: An uncut sheet of four.]

    [Below: A proof version.]

    [Below: This was released in the mid 1960s by the Croatian Relief Society, Inc. of New York City.]

    [Below: Another stamp to draw interest to the Bleiburg massacre.]

    [Below: Released in Canada in the 1950s and 1960s showing Cardinal Stepinac. This was released by the Croatian Franciscan Fathers T.O.R. Rev. Boniface Soric, T.O.R. - 705 Shaw Avenue, McKeesport, Pa., USA. Proceeds went to Croatian parishes and clergy.]

    [Below: Released in Australia, circa 1979.]

    [Below: Various coins were also privately released over the years honoring Dr. Pavelic.]

    [Below: 1991 would see the release of these private issues from Croatia during its time of conflict. They show the crest of Croatia over overprinted Yugoslavian stamps.]

    [Below: Also of interest, stamps like these were issued outside of Yugoslavia to protest communism, honor a fallen martyr and draw up support for resistance causes.]

    [Below: The stamps above & below honor Dragoljub 'Draža' Mihailovic (April 27, 1893 – July 17, 1946), a Yugoslav Serb general during World War II who often fought along side Axis forces. He was murdered by communists after the war. The picture below is circa 1943.]

    [Below: These stamps were released by the 'American Hungary Federation'.]

    [Below: These stamps were released for Lithuania.]

    [Below: Close-up.]

    [Below: Excellent guide to Croatian government-in-exile postage, in German]