In Memorial of Dag Hammarskjoeld 1904-1961- 15 fils
This memorial stamp was issued by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in late 1961 to honor the memory of Dag Hammarskjöld, the second Secretary-General of the United Nations. Hammarskjöld tragically lost his life in a plane crash in September 1961 while traveling on a peace mission to negotiate a ceasefire during the Congo Crisis. Because of his profound dedication to international diplomacy and his direct involvement in resolving major Middle Eastern conflicts, Jordan joined many nations around the world in paying tribute to his legacy through a formal postal release.
Rather than engraving a brand-new design, the Jordanian postal administration utilized an urgent, symbolic method by applying a heavy black overprint onto its existing 1960 World Refugee Year stamp. The overprint systematically covers the original celebratory dates with two prominent laurel branches and adds bilingual text stating "In Memorial of Dag Hammarskjöld 1904–1961" alongside its Arabic equivalent. This choice of a refugee-themed base stamp was highly fitting, as Hammarskjöld had been a passionate advocate for global humanitarian aid and refugee relief throughout his influential tenure at the United Nations.
Rather than engraving a brand-new design, the Jordanian postal administration utilized an urgent, symbolic method by applying a heavy black overprint onto its existing 1960 World Refugee Year stamp. The overprint systematically covers the original celebratory dates with two prominent laurel branches and adds bilingual text stating "In Memorial of Dag Hammarskjöld 1904–1961" alongside its Arabic equivalent. This choice of a refugee-themed base stamp was highly fitting, as Hammarskjöld had been a passionate advocate for global humanitarian aid and refugee relief throughout his influential tenure at the United Nations.