Janusz Kaluski
Encyclopedia
Janusz Marja Stefan Rogala Kaluski (1924- 2010) was a sapper
in the Polish Army who took part in the D-Day
landings of World War II
and who later won the Cross of Valour
. In later life, Kaluski devoted himself to the philately
of Poland, eventually becoming a Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society London and donating his stamp collection
of fifty years to the British Library Philatelic Collections
in 2003.
landings as a sapper
and carried out mine-clearing work in Holland. He was awarded the Cross of Valour
After the war he settled in the United Kingdom where he lived for the rest of his life.
He was reported as saying that he wished to donate his collection to the British people as a way of thanking them for welcoming him to Britain.
material of Poland from 1835 to 2002.
Notable items include:
The collection is the most important holding of Polish philatelic material at the Library and complements the existing holdings in the Bojanowicz Collection
of Polish postal history 1938-46, and parts of the Fitzgerald Collection
of airmail
s to 1946, the Tapling Collection
and the Universal Postal Union Collection
.
Sapper
A sapper, pioneer or combat engineer is a combatant soldier who performs a wide variety of combat engineering duties, typically including, but not limited to, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, demolitions, field defences, general construction and building, as well as road and airfield...
in the Polish Army who took part in the D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
landings of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and who later won the Cross of Valour
Cross of Valour
The Cross of Valour may refer to one of a number of decorations:* The Cross of Valour is Australia's highest civil award.* The Cross of Valour is Canada's highest civil award....
. In later life, Kaluski devoted himself to the philately
Philately
Philately is the study of stamps and postal history and other related items. Philately involves more than just stamp collecting, which does not necessarily involve the study of stamps. It is possible to be a philatelist without owning any stamps...
of Poland, eventually becoming a Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society London and donating his stamp collection
Stamp collecting
Stamp collecting is the collecting of postage stamps and related objects. It is one of the world's most popular hobbies, with the number of collectors in the United States alone estimated to be over 20 million.- Collecting :...
of fifty years to the British Library Philatelic Collections
British Library Philatelic Collections
The British Library Philatelic Collections is the national philatelic collection of the United Kingdom with over 8 million items from around the world. It was established in 1891 as part of the British Museum Library, later to become the British Library, with the collection of Thomas Tapling...
in 2003.
Early life
Jan Kaluski was born in Poland in 1924 and began collecting stamps in 1933, continuing until the outbreak of World War II in 1939.World War II
Kaluski joined the Polish Army in the West in 1941, after arriving in Scotland via Persia, Palestine, Egypt and South Africa. He took part in the D-DayD-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
landings as a sapper
Sapper
A sapper, pioneer or combat engineer is a combatant soldier who performs a wide variety of combat engineering duties, typically including, but not limited to, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, demolitions, field defences, general construction and building, as well as road and airfield...
and carried out mine-clearing work in Holland. He was awarded the Cross of Valour
Cross of Valour
The Cross of Valour may refer to one of a number of decorations:* The Cross of Valour is Australia's highest civil award.* The Cross of Valour is Canada's highest civil award....
After the war he settled in the United Kingdom where he lived for the rest of his life.
Later life
Kaluski restarted his stamp collection in the early 1950s and spent the following fifty years expanding it.He was reported as saying that he wished to donate his collection to the British people as a way of thanking them for welcoming him to Britain.
The Kaluski Collection
The Kaluski Collection was donated to the British Library Philatelic Collections in 2003 and includes in 46 volumes postage stamps and postal historyPostal history
Postal history is the study of postal systems and how they operate and, or, the study of postage stamps and covers and associated material illustrating historical episodes of postal systems...
material of Poland from 1835 to 2002.
Notable items include:
- The first stamps of the newly independent Polish state after the end of World War I.
- Stamps issued in the nineteenth century when Poland was under Russian control.
- Stamps of the German occupation of Poland during World War II.
- Stamps of the Polish government-in-exile during World War II.
The collection is the most important holding of Polish philatelic material at the Library and complements the existing holdings in the Bojanowicz Collection
Mirosław Bojanowicz
Mirosław Artur Bojanowicz was a Polish philatelist who settled in England after WWII and became a recognized expert on the stamps of Poland...
of Polish postal history 1938-46, and parts of the Fitzgerald Collection
Fitzgerald Collection
The Fitzgerald Collection is an extensive philatelic collection of air mail stamps donated to the British Library and announced in 1951.In 1953 a further donation of funds was provided by Mrs Augustine Fitzgerald to preserve and catalogue the collection...
of airmail
Airmail
Airmail is mail that is transported by aircraft. It typically arrives more quickly than surface mail, and usually costs more to send...
s to 1946, the Tapling Collection
Tapling Collection
The Tapling Collection was donated to the British Museum from the estate of Thomas Tapling in 1891.The probate value of the Tapling collection was set at £12,000 but on arrival Richard Garnett estimated their value at more than £50,000 and described the bequest as the most valuable gift since the...
and the Universal Postal Union Collection
Universal Postal Union Collection
The Universal Postal Union Collection is a deposit by the General Post Office in the United Kingdom, under section 4 of the Public Records Act, of its duplicate Universal Postal Union collection of 93,448 stamps, covering the period from 1908.-History:...
.
Further reading
- Bojanowicz, M AMirosław BojanowiczMirosław Artur Bojanowicz was a Polish philatelist who settled in England after WWII and became a recognized expert on the stamps of Poland...
, The Kingdom of Poland. Poland No. 1 and associated postal history. London: Royal Philatelic SocietyRoyal Philatelic SocietyThe Royal Philatelic Society London is the oldest philatelic society in the world. It was founded in 1869 as The Philatelic Society, London.- Royal connections :...
, 1979.