What means „FILOP“
Abbreviation „FILOP“ for the first time was used on January 13, 1996 commemorating fifth anniversary of Vilnius „Bloody Sunday“. This combination of words was created and for the first time used in the text of a souvenir cancel by an artist Antanas Šakalys. He specified that this mark is not official and it is the initiative of private citizens not indifferented in anniversary of this historical event. Since this time all not official philatelic editions are named „FILOP“. „FILOP“ - is abbreviation created on the basis of two words: „philatelic“ and „opposition“, also it is opposition to the editions of mail of official post.
Though this abbreviation is used since 1996 the edition of such material in Lithuania periodically updated exists since 1957. Yet in 1960 the group of cingenial men printed editions named "The Mail of young tourists". It were envelopes, labels and seals which propagated national consciousness. For such “improvisation“ they were terrorized by the Soviet authority through KGB. Criminal activity was incriminated to the main organizer of these editions Stasys Stropus who heavily suffered for it.
In 1988 Lithuanian liberation movement „Sąjūdis“ once again caused a wave of the self-edition. Then this self-edition began from posters and leaflets and it was proceeded by creating and printing propaganda envelopes, labels and cancels. Later, after the announcement of restoration of Independence of Lithuania on March,11, 1990 on all territory of Lithuania it were overprinted the Soviet stamps and envelopes by national symbols and texts. Souvenir labels were printed and produced with an occasionally cancels. It was obvious break of the civil initiative and it was a part of socially political movement. In this activity were engaged patriotically oriented people majority of which were philatelists and collectors not indefferented in historical importance of this period. Since 1988 in activity of such „FILOP“ movement more than eighty people integrated in all Lithuania. It shows that in this phenomenon were engaged not only single collectors but it was the social movement which has united motivated people not indifferented to proceeding of historical events of Lithuania. Some of these people already are not between us. They are the well known philatelists: Vytautas Matjošaitis from Raseiniai, Petras Kondratėnas from Panevėžys, Vytautas Vasiliauskas from Vilnius and Antanas Martinionis (chairman of the union of officers in resignation). But philatelic souvenirs created by them remained and today they testify important historical events of these days.
Since 1992 till today self-publishing production of „FILOP“ is stimulated by the official mail of Lithuania‘s post which production, with not the big exceptions, does not maintain any critic. Of course such form of self-publishing as envelopes, cancels, labels or souvenir stamps is linked to philately as it are attributes of mail, but it is very significant tool of propaganda. More than 120 years all countries of the world uses philatelic editions such as stamps, envelopes, special cancels, propagating their national and historical events. These philatelic editions broadly and very quickly distributes the information worldwide about the country from which it are sent. So such even small editions are especially important element of formation of an image of the country and as the mirror reflects its condition and quality.........
more : http://www.filop.org/istor/filivadasA.htm
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