International Bureau of Education

The International Bureau of Education (IBE), or Bureau Internationale d'Éducation (BIE) is an organization dedicated to that purpose. It was founded in 1925 as an independent charity. It is now part of UNESCO.

Beginning in 1930, it began a service to provide books and educational materials to prisoners of wars. Since paper and support came from the Swiss post office, the stamps are considered semiofficial. Used stamps were never cancelled. 
 * In 1940 they began using labels on the their mailings in four different colors with the inscription 'AIDE INTELLECTUEL / AUX PRISONNIERS / DE GUERRE and BUREAU / INTERNATIONAL D'ÉDUCATION. A 1942 souvenir sheet exists.
 * In 1944, the design was changed from Pestalozzi to Pére Girard.



Switzerland then granted franking power to the bureau, overprinting Swiss stamps for their use. 
 * In 1944, Swiss definitives were overprinted '''COURRIER DE BUREAU INTERNATIONALE D'EDUCATION in two or three lines.
 * In 1946, the Swiss Pestalozzi stamp was overprinted with a small vertical "BIÉ".
 * In 1948, the engraved views series was overprinted BUREAU / INTERNATIONALE / D'ÉDUCATION.
 * In 1950, the technical definitive series was similarly overprinted.
 * In 1958-60, an engraved set was issued with designs of a stack of books or the Pestalozzi monument.
 * In 1969, the IBE became part of UNESCO, using their stamps from that point.



[[Category:I]]