Netherlands New Guinea was the official name of western
New Guinea while it was a colonial possession of the Netherlands. In many
countries it was commonly known as Dutch New Guinea. It is currently
Indonesia's two easternmost provinces, Papua and West Irian Jaya (administered
as one single unit prior to 2003 under the name Irian Jaya).
From 1898 to 1949 Dutch New Guinea was governed as part
of Netherlands Indies (Dutch East Indies). In 1949, when the rest of
Netherlands Indies became fully independent as Indonesia, the Dutch retained
sovereignty over western New Guinea, and took steps to prepare it for
independence as a separate country. Some five thousand teachers were flown
there. The Dutch put an emphasis upon political, business, and civic skills.
The first local naval cadets graduated in 1955 and the first army brigade
became operational in 1956.
Elections were held across Netherlands New Guinea in 1959
and an elected council (Nieuw Guinea Raad) officially took office on 5 April
1961 to prepare for full independence by the end of that decade. The Dutch
endorsed the council's selection of a new national anthem and the Morning Star
as the new national flag on 1 December 1961.
Indonesia attempted to invade the region on 18 December
1961. Following some skirmishes between Indonesian and Dutch forces and after
fierce pression by president Kennedy the territory was placed under United
Nations administration (UNTEA) in October 1962 and was subsequently transferred
to Indonesia on 1 May 1963. The territory was formally annexed by Indonesia in
1969 after a controversial plebiscite was conducted by the Indonesian military.
Capital: Hollandia
Government: colony of the Netherlands
Area: 323.000 km²
Population: 3214.000 (1951)
Currency: Netherlands New Guinease
guilder (100 cents)
For more stamps see:
United Nations
Temporary Executive Authority
Links
Netherlands New
Guinea in Wikipedia.
Flag of Netherlands New Guinea in Flags of the
World.
National
anthem of Netherlands New Guinea as decreed by the Governor-General on 18
November 1961.
Stamp catalogue
date: 7
April 1960
designer: Chr. de Moor
printer: Johan Enschede en Zonen
perforated: 12¾
1 25 c grieving
woman sitting on suitcases, WRY emblem, text "VLUCHTELINGENHULP"
blue
(cat. Michel 61/NVPH 61/SG 67/Yvert
56)
2 30 c grieving
woman sitting on suitcases, WRY emblem, text "VLUCHTELINGENHULP"
ochre
(cat. Michel 62/NVPH 62/SG 68/Yvert
57)
