Slovakia 1939 Andrej Hlinka Overprinted Issue

Slovakia · 1939 · 50 Heller and 1 Koruna

This set of two stamps from 1939 features a portrait of Andrej Hlinka, a prominent figure in the Slovak independence movement. Originally Czechoslovakian issues, they were overprinted with 'SLOVENSKÝ ŠTÁT' (Slovak State) to signify the newly formed independent Slovak Republic.

These stamps were issued shortly after the establishment of the First Slovak Republic in March 1939, a client state of Nazi Germany. The overprint served to legitimize the new state and honor Hlinka, who had died in 1938 but remained a symbol of Slovak nationalism.