19 Nov 26 – Axis Expansion In Europe
by Rex Dixon FRPSL
November 19 @ 13:00 – 17:00
Axis Expansion In Europe From The 1935 Saar Plebiscite Through To Stalingrad
There were many border changes and changes in administration in Europe in the period leading up to the Second World War, mostly peaceful, and into the wartime period, by then often as a result of fighting. This display attempts to illustrate these many changes, more than you may be aware of, by changes in the stamps used, in town names and their postmarks and with items of propaganda including postcards.
Pre-war changes included the Saar plebiscite in January 1935; the Anschluss of Austria in spring 1938; the end of Czechoslovakia in 1938/39; the German annexation of Memel in March 1939; and the Italian occupation of Albania and her attempt to invade Greece.
Germany’s invasion of Poland saw the Free City of Danzig and much of western Poland annexed to the Reich. The Soviet Union stabbed Poland in the back and annexed the east. The central rump became the General Government. The Soviets pressured the Baltic states into accepting being taken under protection, but Finland resisted, resulting in the Winter War. In March 1940 the Finns had to sue for peace; they lost Karelia.
In May 1940 the Phoney War ceased when Germany invaded France through the Low Countries. Germany annexed Luxembourg and Alsace-Lorraine, and Italy annexed Menton. In the east, Romania was the big loser, with Hungary, the USSR and Bulgaria each grabbing portions; and the Baltic States became Soviet Socialist Republics.
April 1941 saw Yugoslavia broken up by her neighbours, and Greece also fell. With Operation Barbarossa against the USSR, Reich commissariats were established in the Ostland and in the Ukraine. Finland joined in and retook Karelia and established a front area, East Karelia. Romania reoccupied Bessarabia and created Transnistria, centred on Odessa. The Wehrmacht’s surrender at Stalingrad marked the end of Axis expansion.
Presidents Programme 2026-2027
| 10 Sep 26 | 1 pm | Royal Collection | Material from the Collection of His Majesty the King |
| 24 Sep 26 | 1 pm | Sam Chiu | Exhibiting and Collecting Chinese Postal History, Specializing in Cities |
| 8 Oct 26 | 1 pm | Bill Hedley | The Republic of Venice, 1200-1797 |
| 29 Oct 26 | 1 pm | The Postal History Society | Display to celebrate 90 years of the Postal History Society |
| 5 Nov 26 | 1 pm | Hugh Feldman | Britain’s Mail Coach Era 1784 – 1840 |
| 19 Nov 26 | 1 pm | Rex Dixon | Axis expansion in Europe from the 1935 Saar plebiscite through to Stalingrad |
| 10 Dec 26 | 4 pm | Peter Chadwick | Early postal routes and Post Offices of Scotland |
| 17 Dec 26 | 1 pm | Atef Sarian | Egypt |
| 14 Jan 27 | 1 pm | Thames Valley Philatelic Federation | Group Display by members from the Thames Valley Philatelic Federation |
| 28 Jan 27 | 4 pm | Darryl Fuller | The Revenues of the State of Israel |
| 11 Feb 27 | 1 pm | Chris Harman | The work of Perkins, Bacon – Security Printers – Bank Notes and Stamps – 1819 to the 1880s |
| 25 Feb 27 | 1 pm | West Indies Philatelic Study Group | Group Display by the West Indies Philatelic Study Group |
| 4 Mar 27 | 4 pm | Adriano Bergamini | Two important parts of the Austrian Empire: Croatia and Czechia |
| 11 Mar 27 | 1 pm | Bo Ivanovic | British Post Offices Abroad |
| 25 Mar 27 | 4 pm | Angelo Terruzi | The postal relations between the Kingdom of Sardinia/Italy and the Austrian Empire |
| 8 Apr 27 | 4 pm | Jan Berg | Pre-colonial Samoa |
| 22 Apr 27 | 4 pm | Terje Heskestad | The Evolution of the Norwegian Postal System, 1719 to GPU |
| 6 May 27 | 1 pm | Laurence Kimpton | Airmails across the Middle East and India, 1918-1932 |
| 20 May 27 | 1 pm | Railway Philatelic Group | Display by the Railway Philatelic Group |
| 3 Jun 27 | 1 pm | President | Dominica |
| 17 Jun 27 | 1 pm | Jack Zhang | Aspects of Great Britain Postal History with Focus on Sir Rowland Hill and the Penny Black |
| 24 Jun 27 | Annual General Meeting | ||
| 8 Jul 27 | Devonshire Bowl |
Last updated 17 Aug 2026