POST Luxembourg is issuing a new series of stamps on the 12^th of September 2023

First, a special stamp commemorates the 100^th anniversary of Jean-Pierre Kemmer, a famous Luxembourgish musician.Among lots of other things, he was the pianist for the radio orchestra of Radio Luxembourg.

Furthermore, this year’s theme for the joint issue by Sepac will be based on the topic of “Traditional markets”. POST Philately chose the “Veiner Nëssmoort”, a famous Luxembourgish nut market which has been taken place since 1935.

Last but not least, the “Cercle Philatélique Echternach” is hosting the 82th Stamp Day. The chosen motif for the special stamp will be the Trifolion,a cultural and congress center located in the historical center of the city of Echternach.

Special stamp

100th anniversary of Jean-Pierre Kemmer     

Jean-Pierre Kemmer was born in Luxembourg City on 8 December 1923. Music played a key role in his childhood home, as his father played the piano and organ, and he devoted himself to dance music as an amateur musician.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              As a multi-talented and highly versatile musician, Kemmer already attended the Conservatoire at the age of 7, and by the age of 13 he helped out as an accompanist on the radio. In 1945, he was hired by Radio Luxembourg as an accompanist pianist, and from 1976 until he retired in 1979 he was pianist for the radio orchestra. He was also the solo timpanist there for over 20 years.                                                                                                                                 After studying for four years at the Athenée de Luxembourg, Jean-Pierre Kemmer starting composing his own music in 1939; his compositions not only include songs and symphonies, but also theatre, film and church music. The impressive breadth of his skills is demonstrated in his wealth of works, including five operas, ten operettas and masses such as “Messe en jazz” and “Johannes Passion”. He also wrote the music for various films, 15 editions of the “Revue” show in Luxembourg City’s theatre, and the musical accompaniment for Pir Kremers carneval and new year’s eve broadcast.                                                                                            Jean-Pierre Kemmer was also known as an excellent conductor of many choirs. In 1969, he set up his own choir called Chœurs Jean-Pierre Kemmer, which performed at over 600 concerts in Luxembourg and abroad in 21 years.                                              On 16 March 1991, the pianist, conductor, composer and lyricist Jean-Pierre Kemmer was awarded, for his life’s work, the first cultural prize of the Municipality of Hesperange, where he had lived and played a prominent role in cultural life since 1969. On 21 December 1991, at the age of 68 and after a long illness, Jean-Pierre Kemmer passed away.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Special stamp                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Sepac – Traditional markets Veiner Nëssmoort                                                                                                          The theme for this year’s joint issue by postal companies from “small” European states and autonomous regions is “traditional markets”. POST Philately chose the Vianden nut market as its motif. This popular event, which is now widely known well beyond Vianden, first took place in 1935.                                                                                                                                                                        According to official statistics from the early 20th century, there were a significant number of walnut trees in Vianden (accounting for 19% of the country’s walnut tree population), and this remains the case today. To create a local market for the resident nut wholesalers, but also for smaller traders and craftsmen, for whom nuts were an important component of their activities, the first official nut market was held in Vianden on 6 October 1935. After a long pause during the war years and in the 1960s, the Veiner Nëssmoort made its comeback in 1970. Every year, on the second Sunday in October, in the picturesque streets of the medieval town, you can find fresh walnuts which have been “geschutt, gepeelt, geweesch a gedrëchent” (i.e. shaken, peeled, cleaned and dried) for the occasion as well as a whole host of nut products and specialities, such as spirits, liqueurs, oils, cakes, pastries, biscuits, liver pâtés and much more besides. The local clubs and companies then celebrate a real folk festival together with the up to 20,000 visitors, with music and entertainment in addition to culinary delights.                                                                                                                                                                                              Special stamp                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Stamp Day 2023 Echternach                                                                                                                                  During the last weekend in September 2023, the Cercle Philatélique Echternach is hosting the 82nd Stamp Day. As well as welcoming all participating exhibitors to the event, the association would also like to invite all Philately friends to the Trifolion in Echternach.                                                                                                                                            Echternach is located in the east of the Grand Duchy, directly on the German border, which is formed here by the River Sûre (or Sauer in German). It is also the oldest town in Luxembourg. With its historical buildings, such as the St. Willibrord Basilica and the abbey, and as capital of the Mullerthal Region (also known as Luxembourg’s Little Switzerland), Echternach boasts many tourist attractions. The town is also famous for its “hopping procession” (Sprangprozessioun), which takes place on Whit Tuesday every year and has been included on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2010.                                                      The Trifolion (which is the motif of the special stamp) is a cultural and congress centre located in the historical centre of Echternach. The name of the building is derived from the Latin word “trifolio” (trefoil), symbolizing the three pillars on which the centre’s programme is based: culture, congresses and social events. Since it opened in 2008, the Trifolion has hosted around 200 events each year. The building, which covers an area of 8,500 m2 on five floors, stands on the site of the former Redemptorist Monastery. It was designed by the Echternach architectural firm Niederweis, partly according to plans of the art historian and preservationist, Georges Calteux.