Francis of Assisi and his home town (Italy)

Francis of Assisi was born in Assisi in 1181/1182. He was a Catholic friar and preacher and lived following the example set by Jesus Christ. He founded the Franciscan Order and was a co-founder of the Order of Saint Claire. He died in Assisi in 1226. In 1228 he was canonised and today he is worshipped as patron saint of the animals, the environmentalism and of Italy. He was buried at the Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi.

The Basilica of San Francesco is a Papal basilica and thus one of the highest-ranking Roman Catholic churches. Since 2000 are Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and other Franciscan Sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Hotel Petersberg (Germany)

The Hotel Petersberg is a former hotel in the Siebengebirge. It was opened in 1892. Although it was visited by the higher European nobility, it did not have economic success. In 1911 the ownership changed and between 1912 and 1914 the hotel was rebuilt at the behest of the the new owner. 

After World War II the Hotel Petersberg housed the Allied High Commission for Germany. In September 1949 the Occupation Statute was issued there and later that year Chancellor Konrad Adenauer signed there the Petersberg Agreement, which extended the rights of the Federal Government of Germany. Later the hotel was used as Federal Guest House of the German Federal Government.

Helgoland, a country changing island (Germany)

Helgoland is a red sandstone island in the North Sea with an offshore bathing dune, which was a part of the island until the 18th century. The island has a size of 0.9km² and rises up to 58m above sea level. 

In prehistoric times the island was a Frisian cultic site. The island was part of Denmark between 1714 and 1807 and then belonged to England. In 1890 England traded Helgoland for privileges in Africa and Helgoland became a part of Germany. The island was completely destroyed during World War II, but it was reconstructed from 1952 onwards after Great Britain returned it to Germany. 

Today it is used as island for cures. It is a part of the German State of Schleswig-Holstein.

On the backside the card has a special postmark from 2015 about the 125th anniversary of the incorporation of Helgoland to the German Empire.

Strasbourg, a city between two countries (France)

In the Middle Ages was Strasbourg a Free Imperial City within the Holy Roman Empire. In 1681 the city was conquered by France, but it was still affected by the Germans. During the Franco-Prussian War Strasbourg was besieged by German troops and it capitulated in 1870. In 1871 it became the capital of the Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine within the German Empire. After World War I Alsace-Lorraine declared its independence, but it was soon captured by French troops. In 1940 the city was once again conquered by German troops and in 1944 it was freed by Allied forces. After World War II Strasbourg became a part of France.

Today is Strasbourg the capital and largest city of the Alsace-Champagne-Ardenne-Lorraine region in eastern France and the seventh largest city of France. The Grand Île, Strasbourg's historic centre, is since 1988 on the UNESCO World Heritage List. France's oldest and biggest Christmas market is also held in Strasbourg.

After World War II Strasbourg became a symbol of the French-German reconciliation and the European integration, as the city's European District became home to various European institutions. It is the home to the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights and the European Parliament. It is considered to be one of the Capitals of Europe. The European District of Strasbourg got the European Heritage Label in 2015.

Hambach and Frankfurt, important steps to democracy (Germany)

In 1832 people from France, Germany and Poland came together at the Hambach Castle to celebrate the Hambach Festival. They demanded democracy, freedom and the German Unity. It was one of the most important events in the era of the Vormärz.

Today is the Hambach Castle a symbol of the struggle for civil liberties in Europe. The Hambach Castle got the European Heritage Label in 2014.

Official European Heritage Label card in Czech

In the course of the March Revolution of 1848 the Frankfurt Parliament was elected. It was the first freely elected parliament for all of Germany. Its members were sent by the governments of the states of the German Confederation. It came together in the St. Paul's Church in Frankfurt am Main and produced the Frankfurt Constitution, which proclaimed a German Empire based on the principles of parliamentary democracy. The new constitution was not accepted by the Prussian King and various states of the German Confederation. Soon after the states withdrew their delegates and the parliament was dissolved. The last members of the parliament flew to Stuttgart to found another parliament, which was dissolved a few weeks later by the military of Württemberg.

On 7th May 1998 a souvenir sheet was issued which celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Frankfurt Constitution together with the 50th anniversary of the Parliamentary Council.

Bandung Conference and Non-Aligned Movement (Indonesia, Serbia)

In 1955 African and Asian countries came together in Bandung for the Asian African Conference. The conference was organised by Indonesia, Burma, Pakistan, Ceylon and India. Its aims were the strengthening of economic cooperation between Africa and Asia and the rejection of colonialism. 

Most of the participating countries were newly independent. The participating countries were the Kingdom of Afghanistan, Burma, the Kingdom of Cambodia, Ceylon, the People's Republic of China, pre-independent Cyprus, the Republic of Egypt, the Ethiopian Empire, the Gold Coast, India, Indonesia, Iran, the Kingdom of Iraq, Japan, Jordan, the Kingdom of Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, the Kingdom of Libya, the Kingdom of Nepal, the Dominion of Pakistan, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, the Syrian Republic, Sudan, Thailand, Turkey, Yugoslavia, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, the State of Vietnam and the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen.

A Second Bandung Conference was held in 2005 and a third in 2015. The conference was an important step toward the Non-Aligned Movement.

The Non-Aligned Movement was founded in Belgrade in 1961. The Non-Aligned Movement refused the forming of power blocs during the Cold War and supported the peaceful coexistence. In 2012 the movement had 120 members.

The Temporary Capital Kaunas (Lithuania)

In 1918 an independent Lithuanian state was formed, but the traditional Lithuanian capital Vilnius was already captured by Polish troops in 1920. So Kaunas became the temporary capital of Lithuania and soon evolved into a new cultural centre of the country. During that time many Lithuanians came back from other European countries with new ideas. Kaunas' time as capital was over when Lithuania joined the Soviet Union in 1940.

The Kaunas of 1919-1940 was awarded the European Heritage Label in 2014.