The Italian philatelic community mourns the passing of Franco Rigo, a passionate and esteemed collector, exhibitor and writer, well-known internationally for his near-constant participation in exhibitions with his books and collections. Franco was born on 2 October 1934 and took part in the International Sport Stamps Exhibition in Rome in 1952 as a young Olympic collector, earning three silver medals. Seventy-three years later, he was planning to show at EuroPhilex 2025, whose website lists “1-0042 – Mr. Franco Rigo, Venice, Europe, the contagion, the disinfection … (postal history of the health office from the 16th to the 19th century)” in the Championship Class.
Franco soon shifted his focus to the postal history of the Republic of Venice, his beloved town. His outstanding exhibits and numerous books on this subject will remain a point of reference for every student in this field. In 2010, he was inducted into the Golden Roll of the Italian Philately, the most prestigious honour among the many well-deserved accolades of his philatelic career. He always shared his knowledge and enthusiasm, thanks to a great sense of friendship accompanied by strong optimism and love for life.
The Serbian Embassy in Slovenia organised an international philatelic exhibition in Škofja Loka, Slovenia, to commemorate the collaboration of Jernej Kopitar (1780–1844) and Vuk Stefanović Karadžić (1787–1864) in Vienna. Between 1813 and 1844, these two renowned linguists laid the foundations of the Slovenian and Serbian languages at the Austrian Imperial Library and the tavern Zum Weissen Wolf. The exhibition runs from 21 March to 4 April.
For the event, the Embassy contacted the Serbian Philatelic Association (SFS), the Philatelic Association of Slovenia (FZS), and the Philatelic Society Lovro Košir Škofja Loka to prepare a comprehensive programme including a philatelic exhibition featuring 96 frames and four billboards with the participation of Serbian and Slovenian collectors, as well as the Museum of the Serbian Post and the Museum of Post and Telecommunications of Slovenia (TMS).
Several commemorative stamps from the two countries honoured the two linguists. However, the highlight of the event was a 76-page catalogue featuring various articles narrating the lives of Kopitar and Karadžić, the parallel and interconnected paths of the two nations, and much more. The catalogue is available here.
[Story credit: Janez and Gregor Cerkvenik from the Philatelic Society Lovro Košir Škofja Loka, and Igor Pirc from the Philatelic Association of Slovenia]
https://fepanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/skofja_loka-800.jpg800800Costas Chazapishttps://fepanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/fepanews_logo-107x138-1.pngCostas Chazapis2025-04-05 12:20:082025-04-05 12:22:58Together on the Way
Helmut Kogler writes in honour of the late Horst Horin (30.10.1940–15.03.2025).
We knew it and we had a premonition of it, we all hoped and did not want it to be true, although the odds were against him. Nevertheless, it has happened: After long sufferings he has left us forever.
For decades, Horst was an assertive personality in Austrian philately: veteran on the board of the Association as treasurer, a period in which I had the honour of cooperating with him, FIP juror for traditional philately and philatelic history, exhibitor himself with numerous gold and large gold medals for his exhibits, as well as commissioner for countless international exhibitions. After the passing of Gerhard Duska, Horst became WIPA president, and with Reinhard Neumayer’s demise and the new foundation of “phila” – Toscana, Horst was one of the leading organisers in Gmunden, together with Gottfried Blank. And by the bye, he was a supporting member of numerous clubs.
His last commitments were commissioner at the world exhibition in Lugano in May 2022, where I was his “student”, and juror at the world exhibition in Essen in May 2023. And finally, Horst undertook his last philatelic journey to the Hafnia in Copenhagen in October 2024, where his exhibit was awarded a gold medal.
Dear Horst, we will always remember the happy moments we spent with you, and you will live on in our thoughts. Rest in peace!
Franco Rigo (1934–2025)
The Italian philatelic community mourns the passing of Franco Rigo, a passionate and esteemed collector, exhibitor and writer, well-known internationally for his near-constant participation in exhibitions with his books and collections. Franco was born on 2 October 1934 and took part in the International Sport Stamps Exhibition in Rome in 1952 as a young Olympic collector, earning three silver medals. Seventy-three years later, he was planning to show at EuroPhilex 2025, whose website lists “1-0042 – Mr. Franco Rigo, Venice, Europe, the contagion, the disinfection … (postal history of the health office from the 16th to the 19th century)” in the Championship Class.
Franco soon shifted his focus to the postal history of the Republic of Venice, his beloved town. His outstanding exhibits and numerous books on this subject will remain a point of reference for every student in this field. In 2010, he was inducted into the Golden Roll of the Italian Philately, the most prestigious honour among the many well-deserved accolades of his philatelic career. He always shared his knowledge and enthusiasm, thanks to a great sense of friendship accompanied by strong optimism and love for life.
He passed away on 2 April.
R.I.P.
Together on the Way
The Serbian Embassy in Slovenia organised an international philatelic exhibition in Škofja Loka, Slovenia, to commemorate the collaboration of Jernej Kopitar (1780–1844) and Vuk Stefanović Karadžić (1787–1864) in Vienna. Between 1813 and 1844, these two renowned linguists laid the foundations of the Slovenian and Serbian languages at the Austrian Imperial Library and the tavern Zum Weissen Wolf. The exhibition runs from 21 March to 4 April.
For the event, the Embassy contacted the Serbian Philatelic Association (SFS), the Philatelic Association of Slovenia (FZS), and the Philatelic Society Lovro Košir Škofja Loka to prepare a comprehensive programme including a philatelic exhibition featuring 96 frames and four billboards with the participation of Serbian and Slovenian collectors, as well as the Museum of the Serbian Post and the Museum of Post and Telecommunications of Slovenia (TMS).
Several commemorative stamps from the two countries honoured the two linguists. However, the highlight of the event was a 76-page catalogue featuring various articles narrating the lives of Kopitar and Karadžić, the parallel and interconnected paths of the two nations, and much more. The catalogue is available here.
[Story credit: Janez and Gregor Cerkvenik from the Philatelic Society Lovro Košir Škofja Loka, and Igor Pirc from the Philatelic Association of Slovenia]
Horst Horin (1940–2025)
Helmut Kogler writes in honour of the late Horst Horin (30.10.1940–15.03.2025).
We knew it and we had a premonition of it, we all hoped and did not want it to be true, although the odds were against him. Nevertheless, it has happened: After long sufferings he has left us forever.
For decades, Horst was an assertive personality in Austrian philately: veteran on the board of the Association as treasurer, a period in which I had the honour of cooperating with him, FIP juror for traditional philately and philatelic history, exhibitor himself with numerous gold and large gold medals for his exhibits, as well as commissioner for countless international exhibitions. After the passing of Gerhard Duska, Horst became WIPA president, and with Reinhard Neumayer’s demise and the new foundation of “phila” – Toscana, Horst was one of the leading organisers in Gmunden, together with Gottfried Blank. And by the bye, he was a supporting member of numerous clubs.
His last commitments were commissioner at the world exhibition in Lugano in May 2022, where I was his “student”, and juror at the world exhibition in Essen in May 2023. And finally, Horst undertook his last philatelic journey to the Hafnia in Copenhagen in October 2024, where his exhibit was awarded a gold medal.
Dear Horst, we will always remember the happy moments we spent with you, and you will live on in our thoughts. Rest in peace!