German Occupation of Belgium WW1.

Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne. Both sides then dug in along a meandering line of fortified trenches, stretching from the North Sea to the Swiss frontier with France. This line remained essentially unchanged for most of the war.
Between 1915 and 1917 there were several major offensives along this front. The attacks employed massive artillery bombardments and massed infantry advances. However, a combination of entrenchments, machine gun nests, barbed wire, and artillery repeatedly inflicted severe casualties on the attackers and counter attacking defenders. As a result, no significant advances were made.
In an effort to break the deadlock, this front saw the introduction of new military technology, including poison gas, aircraft and tanks. But it was only after the adoption of improved tactics that some degree of mobility was restored.
In spite of the generally stagnant nature of this front, this theater would prove decisive. The inexorable advance of the Allied armies in 1918 persuaded the German commanders that defeat was inevitable, and the government was forced to sue for conditions of an armistice.

Issued on 1918.

Thessaly, Ottoman Occupation.

Thessaly was an important territory during the Greco-Turkish War of 1897, also called the Thirty Days’ War. It began in Crete, where the Greek population was still under Ottoman control. In late 1896 a rebellion broke out on Crete, and on 21 January 21, 1897 a Greek army landed in Crete to liberate the island from Ottoman control and unite it with Greece. The European powers, however, intervened, and proclaimed Crete an international protectorate.
The Greek army retreated to the mainland, where it next attempted to advance northwards into Thessaly and Epirus.
The Greek army, consisting of two divisions, was unable to capitalize on its early incursions across the Macedonia – Thessaly border and suffered defeats in several battles around the mountain passes between Macedonia and Thessaly south of Mount Olympus. The Greek front collapsed on 12 April 1897, and the Greek forces began to retreat into the Thessalian plain. Within two weeks and with little resistance, the Turkish army controlled all of Thessaly, including its major towns of Larissa and Volos.

Stamps were issued for Turkish occupation forces in Thessaly on 16 April, 1898. They were printed in an unusual 8-sided design. 300.000 series were printed. The last known date of usage is 9 June 1898. After the Turkish army left, Thessaly became Greek territory again. The remainders of these stamps were sold to two dealers in Paris and Vienna.

Issued on 16/04/1898.