Crete Stamps Postmarks Postal History

 Usually it is said, that post from the Cretan Government  did not reach the territory of the rebels ( Kohl Handbuch ) or the Cretan Government postal service no longer functioned in the revolutionary area (Feenstra) or something similar. The authors can't imagine, that stamps of the Cretan Government were accepted by the rebels. But  postal history of Crete is full of hidden surprise. One example follows: This one lepton stamp of the first  issue  of  Cretan Government is a Gem of Cretan Philately. It bears the unique postmark combination of Rural Dotted Cancellation "31", used in the years 1900 to 1907 by a postman working for the  Cretan Government  and ΜΑΛΑΞΑ ?? OKT. 1905 ΜΑΛΑΞΑ is one of the postmarks used by the rebels. It is very rare. Only 10 other usages are known, all on letters, which were transported inside the territory of the rebels. The only suitable explanation for this postmark combination is, that the stamp was  postally use...

In March 1905 a group of so-called Rebels or Insurgents took control of some villages in the NorthWest of Crete. They want Crete to be a part of Greece. Their headquarter was in Therison. Although there was no postal need, they decided to produce their own Stamps in order to give their so-called revolutionary government an official status. This Decision including the description of the first issue is part of a document with date 30th August 1905. Because of that all publications mention the 30th August or even the 1st September 1905 as first day of the Therison" first issue. In fact the first day of the first issue must have been earlier in August. The following picture shows a genuine 5 Lepta Stamp of the first issuev with a genuine postmark    (ΘΕΡ)ΙΣΟΝ (?)6  (Α)ΥΓ. (19)05