Welcome to the “New” German Postal Specialist. You may notice a few changes for 2026. The journal is slightly larger, a return to the size used many years ago. We’ve also added a higher quality cover. [Note: if you still have the old binders, the new size will still fit.] The Specialist will be a bimonthly publication going forward. The main reason, as noted in my President’s message last month, is that it cost almost twice as much to publish and mail the journal last year as the money we received from dues. Costs continue to rise, and we do not wish to raise dues.
The journal now has a Managing Editor. Jason Youngblood, our current production editor, has agreed to add management duties to his role. This is a slightly different model than we have used in the past. This role will replace that of the Editor in Chief.
We also need more articles from our readership to fill those pages as there have been fewer and fewer articles submitted in recent years. We want to publish your work. Short articles about a favorite stamp or cover or area of interest are welcome. This is YOUR journal. If we get an increase in articles submitted, we hope to be able to print more pages in an issue in the future. Our Board of Editors will be happy to help new authors learn the ropes.
Articles (and letters to the editor) should be submitted to Jason at jyoungblood@gmail.com.
The other important news involves our efforts for the 14th German-American Salon as well as our Annual General Meeting of the Germany Philatelic Society at Boston 2026. In this issue, you will find a page from the Boston 2026 Show Committee with basic show information. Second, you will find a tentative schedule of events at Boston 2026. We have broken out the Salon events from the main show schedule as well as all of the events surrounding the Annual General Meeting of the Germany Philatelic Society, including a number of talks and seminars that should be of interest to German area collectors. Third, there is a form to register for the three Salon events that require a count of attendees. These are the Opening Reception for the Salon on Tuesday evening, a City Tour of Boston on Wednesday morning, and the Salon Award Reception on Friday. Registration for these three events is required, and space may be limited. No registration is needed for any of our other events.
We will have a table at the show, together with the German Colonies Collector’s Group and the Third Reich Study Group, in the European Pavilion. Our Salon logo was created by former APS President and GPS member Cheryl Ganz. It shows the Concord, the ship that brought the first German immigrants to the United States in 1683, and the logos of the Bund Deutscher Philatelisten, the Boston 2026 World Expo, and the Germany Philatelic Society. There will be a limited amount of cacheted envelopes available for sale at the GPS table.
This is going to be an amazing show. We hope as many members as possible will come. International shows like this are rare and exciting. There will be much opportunity for philatelic fellowship. You will see exceptional stamps and exhibits, all under one roof, and there will be one of the largest bourses in the United States in recent years, including international dealers. See you in Boston!
Note that a tentative schedule for Boston 2026 and the Salon may be found on our Conventions page as well as a registration form for the events that require registration.
Ken Gilbert, President, Germany Philatelic Society