Life and work of 'Major Bosshardt' recognised in commemorative stamp set
The cover of the commemorative booklet
A SET of nine postage stamps has been produced in The Netherlands to celebrate the life of the country's most famous Salvationist – and one of its best-loved citizens – Lieut-Colonel Alida M. Bosshardt OF. The colonel was promoted to Glory in June 2007 after a lifetime serving the poor and needy. She is particularly remembered for her work in Amsterdam's red light district.
The nine stamps, each worth 44 eurocents, feature a variety of photographs or illustrations of 'De Majoor' ['The Major'] – as she was known even after promotion to lieut-colonel – in her famous Salvation Army bonnet.
Royal TNT Post, the main mail delivery service in The Netherlands, has also produced a special booklet which includes the new stamps and many more photographs of Lieut-Colonel Bosshardt through the years. A biography of the colonel is included in Dutch and English and makes it very clear that her inspiration to work with the poor and dispossessed came from her love of God. The front cover includes – again in two languages – the motto by which De Majoor led her life: 'To serve God is to serve people and to serve people is to serve God.'