Italy's Stamps Oversight: Language Controversy in South Tyrol

Italy's government retracted stamps depicting South Tyrol landmarks due to missing German inscriptions, violating constitutional protections for linguistic minorities. The industry ministry ordered an investigation and a new bilingual version. South Tyrol, predominantly German-speaking, has autonomy and a history of separatist sentiments.

Italy's government has come under scrutiny after withdrawing a series of newly-issued stamps that depicted natural landmarks in the South Tyrol province. The stamps were criticized for the absence of German inscriptions, a requirement under the Italian constitution, which safeguards linguistic minorities.

The industry ministry labeled the error as an 'anomaly' and is spearheading an investigation while also ensuring a new bilingual version is developed. The controversy centers on South Tyrol, a region that transitioned to Italian ownership post-World War I but maintains strong Germanic ties and sentiments.

The stamps, featuring the Catinaccio massif and Latemar range in the Dolomites, belong to a series celebrating Italy's natural beauty. Similar design oversights have had precedents, like the 'Gronchi Rosa' in 1961, which became a collector's item due to geographical misrepresentation.

(With inputs from agencies.)