U-boats

Where did this interest in U-Boats one start? NOT submarines, U-Boats.

Well, not when I was a child, I can safely tell you that. I did play at Cowboys and Indians, but the whole Japs and Jerries thing passed me by.  I had plenty of relatives that were soldiers, some survived the war, some didn't but I wasn't really "into" it back then. I did have friends who played at this but it wasn't for me. I was an amateur Geek - give me Flags of the World, The Race Into Space, Dinosaurs.

This sort of stuff:

I used to watch "All Our Yesterdays" on TV in the early 60s when the fare, as I remember, was all WW2. I don't recall any of it in detail but there must have been something there for me to remember some old black and white TV show.

As a teenager, I was more interested in the Terrorism that spilled into the 70s with the RAF (Rote Armee Fraktion/Baader-Meinhof), various Arab factions hijacking airliners, and the ever-present "troubles" in Northern Ireland.

As a student, I was still interested in Terrorism but this changed with a BBC2 TV advert for a new mini-series. This was a German series sub-titled in English...Don't get me started on dubbing!

Anyway, the programme was on TV over several nights. It was Das Boot - an epic German war movie based on an older 1973 novel. For some reason, it hit the spot. So much so that I am the possessor of several copies of this story - mini-series, movie, Director's Cut, LP soundtrack, CD soundtrack...even so far as buying the comedy "Beerfest" with a role for Jürgen Prochnow and some Das Boot references.

There was also an overlap with my musical interests in that the narrator of the story was one Herbert Grönemeyer, a well-known and respected tunesmith/wordsmith.

This passion also took me to Germany. To the following: the DM and U1 are in Munich, the U995 is in Laboe and the U505 is in Chicago - on my bucket list.

Stamps

I don't know why I started collecting stamps, maybe because tea cards were on the way out? Who knows. But I did and I bought them at Boots, yes back in the day, Boots the chemist sold more than just medicines.

I remember buying sets of stamps from Ajman, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah because they were pretty stamps and interesting sets. I've had a browse around the 'net but the stamps I have seen don't ring any bells so I can't really show you what it was that helped plant the seed. I didn't have a clue where these places were apart from probably somewhere in the Middle East. I collected them until I was about 18 when I had the collection well and truly nicked along with my entire book collection. This sort of knocked the collecting bug on the head for quite a bit.

I have come back to it though.

Maybe I am a bit of a snob. I don't mean better than anyone else, I mean I have firm ideas on what should and shouldn't be on a stamp - I think stamps should reflect a country's history and people. I don't think that GB should release stamps celebrating Disney, for example.

What should be on a stamp though? Now that is not an easy question to answer.

Take our (GB that is) Machins - you know the Queen's head only stamps. Some would say that is enough and we don't need anything else. But, she won't live forever and I can guarantee (probably) that the Royal mail are already considering the replacement. Who will be on it is anyone's guess just now but again (I guarantee) not everyone will like it or be happy with it.

I know I'll be happy with it as there will only be a small number to collect. Not like the pile of 1st class stamps that have been released this year already, none of which I've yet to see on a piece of post. I'll fix this later and surprise you all with the number but for now I'll leave you guessing. And I'll bet you're not even close.

So what pleases me?

I'm glad you asked.

I don't collect thematics although I have looked on-line to find U-boat stamps, I do have some Winter Olympic themed stamps but in general, I don't collect them.

I do like Germany be it German States, Reich, Berlin, DDR or West Germany. I also have a soft spot for GB, although I am somewhat hyper-critical of the tripe that is sometimes put out by RM. I also have a liking for Austria, a very strong liking. I have considered a yodel theme but, sadly, I have never seen or heard of a yodel stamp. Time will tell - I've seen cloth stamps, 3D stamps, stamps impregnated with wood, stone, jewels, stamps that change colour, so maybe a stamp that yodels when you rub it might be on the cards.

Anyway, that's the why's and what's, I'll post the things I like and then some of the things you'll be unlikely to see. I'll have a think about posting the crap.

Finally, whether you agree with me or not or just want to say, "Ah, what braw", feel free to leave a comment.