Collectors’ meeting in Bratislava

Collectors’ meeting Bratislava

Zbysek (†) was a Zoologist, banknote and passport collector I have known for years. He also wrote several articles for my website over the years. His knowledge on travel documents of Austria-Hungary, Slovakia and Czech Republic and its predecessor states is vast and so is his collection. Collectors’ meeting Bratislava

Bratislava

We met in the beautiful city of Bratislava, where Zbysek found a cozy family pension for me. My stay there was very enjoyable with a great room, a comfy bed and a breakfast with a fantastic selection and service. We explored the city, which is not that big, but has the highest density of embassies I ever experienced in a city. An embassy at every corner, including a rare SMOM embassy. Collector’s meeting Bratislava

Goulash & Beer Collectors’ meeting Bratislava

In the evening, we went to a traditional Slovak restaurant and had a delicious goulash. I didn’t have this dish for years and really enjoyed it.

What we like to do most

The next day, Zbysek invited me to his flat, and we went through a part of his vast travel documents collection. I was admiring his document cabinet where he stores orderly all the passport booklets. The large folios are archived flat in a binder. Collector’s meeting Bratislava

The collection is ~1400 documents strong. With plenty of passport types and/or notable events and people.

Stories Collectors’ meeting Bratislava

There is the story of Lieutenant Chaloupka from the 7th Regiment, 2nd Infantry of the Czech-Slovak army who travels on a French passport as a courier to Manchuria via Siberia to deliver dispatches to the American Ambassador in Peking in June 1918.

Or the German passport 1939 of Rajna Charousova, the wife from the envoy of Bohemia and Moravia in Berlin . See below. Some passports with lovely passport photos, which are always a joy to look at. Here are some exceptional examples of his fine collection. Collectors’ meeting Bratislava Collector’s meeting Bratislava

I asked Zbysek about his personal passports, flipped through the pages – and there it was – a visa of the DPRK from 1984. He told me the remarkable story of his two professional trips as a Zoologist to North Korea in 1986 and 1990. At that time, citizens of Slovakia didn’t even need a visa to go there. What an experience.

I appreciate the time you’ve taken to share these wonderful stories, my friend. May you rest in peace. (Zbysek passed away suddenly in February 2024). Collectors’ meeting Bratislava

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