In brief…(305) Olympic Games and European Championship football on German stamps

On January 1, 1978, Deutsche Post issued a stamp depicting a skier during a descent (fig.). The stamp bore the motto Sporthilfe and a value of 50+25 pf. With this stamp, the Sporthilfe/Für den Sport series was established, a series that continues annually to this day. The Für den Sport 2024 series was released on May 2 and consists of three surcharge stamps, dedicated to the Olympic Games that will be held in Paris from July 26 to August 11. Incidentally, the only things referring to the Games are the text *Faszination der Spiele* and, on one stamp, the Eiffel Tower. It is special that the stamps feature artworks by former athletes. On the 85+40 cent stamp is that of tennis player Michael Stich (1968), on the 100+45 cent stamp that of football star Josephine Henning (*1989), and on the 165+55 cent stamp that of ice hockey player Marin Valentine (*1976). The names of the designers appear on the bottom edge. The Deutsche Sporthilfe was founded in 1967 and supports 4000 athletes annually, including athletes in Olympic and Paralympic disciplines. Another sports stamp. On June 6, an 85-cent stamp was issued on the occasion of the UEFA Fussballeuropa-meisterschaft, for which Germany is the host country. The stamp features the European Cup with strips on both sides in the colors of the 24 participating countries.