THE 33RD SPECIAL CHILDREN’S VILLAGE BALLOON FLIGHT (1987) : BALLOON POST

Step back to May 1987, a year when Berlin celebrated its landmark 750th anniversary with grand commemorations. One of the most unique events was the 33rd Special Children’s Village Balloon Flight, held during an open house at the historic Berlin-Tempelhof Airport. This commemorative postcard documents a symbolic "Twinflight" connecting Berlin, West Germany, with its namesake in North Dakota, USA. It represents a moment of international connection captured through the "Dream of Flight".

The front of the card is a vibrant display of aerophilately, featuring an 80-pfennig stamp of the Berlin skyline and a special postmark dated May 30, 1987. This postmark depicts the evolution of aviation with the slogan "From Balloon to Jet". Most notably, the card bears the authentic blue-ink signatures of the pilots, G. Bublitz and H. Jo Scheer, who operated the tethered flight. 

PAQUEBOT COVER : MS MARION DUFRESNE (1987)

 

This postcard serves as a fascinating historical record of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF), specifically documenting a logistics mission to the remote Kerguelen Islands in late 1987. The piece is authenticated by the circular cachet and signature of Commandant Marc Soviche, who captained the MS Marion Dufresne, a vital research and supply vessel that acted as the primary lifeline for these sub-Antarctic territories. The red "OP 88 / 1" marking indicates its origin during a specific scientific campaign or "Opération," highlighting the ship's role in supporting global oceanographic research.

The card’s postal markings reveal its journey through the "Furious Fifties" latitudes, featuring the official "Paquebot" designation which signifies it was written and posted while at sea. It was eventually processed at Port-aux-Français, the administrative hub of the archipelago, as shown by the postmark dated November 19, 1987. To assist with its identification, the card even includes a rectangular stamp of the exact geographic coordinates for the base: 70° 13' E, 49° 21' S.

Such "covers" are highly collected in the field of polar philately because they represent the rare physical connection between isolated scientific outposts and the outside world. Sent to a recipient on Réunion Island, this document remains a testament to the enduring spirit of maritime exploration in the Southern Ocean.