From 2 to 15 August 1933, Gödöllő hosted the 4th World Scout Jamboree, attended by around 25,000–26,000 Scouts from more than forty countries around the world. Hosting the event offered an exceptional opportunity not only for Hungarian Scouting, but also for post-Trianon Hungary to present a positive image of the country to an international audience.
The Jamboree was led by Pál Teleki, and Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scout Movement, also attended in person. And naturally, Regent Miklós Horthy appeared at the opening ceremony as well – according to the surviving contemporary newsreel footage, once again on his white horse.
For those two weeks, an entire temporary town was effectively built at Gödöllő, complete with subcamps, shops, medical services, sports facilities and community programmes. The symbol of the event was the miraculous stag from Hungarian mythology. The official rallying cry of the Jamboree was also connected to it: “Hajrá, Csodaszarvas!” – “Forward, Miraculous Stag!”
Naturally, the Hungarian Post also issued a special stamp set to promote the event. All five denominations feature the same design, depicting the miraculous stag, the symbol of the Jamboree.
The stamps were designed by Sándor Légrády, and we can most likely thank him for their beautiful, vivid colours as well. Thanks to this colourful treatment, the five denominations with their identical design do not feel monotonous at all.
