The Szekula Family of Stamp Dealers

EN / DE
Béla Sekula is not only responsible for all his brothers and several next generation family members entering the stamp trade. During his time in Lucerne, he founded four companies: his wholesale and retail business Béla Sekula, Cosmophilatelist AG, Globus AG, and Stamps Import and Export AG. Some of his employees later opened up their own stamp shops, or continued companies originally founded by Béla independently after his departure. Some of them are listed below.

© 2018–2025            Contributors: Max Brack — Albert Little — David Rossall — Bob Medland — Ed Pieklo

Emil Gogarten

 
Postage stamp with red E. Gogarten handstamp on back
Greece Michel #250 with
E. Gogarten handstamp on back
newspaper ad.
Freiburger Nachrichten
February 20, 1934

Dr. phil. Carl Emil Gogarten, born on November 29, 1881 in Dortmund, Germany, as son of Emil Gogarten and Friederica Bennekaemper, had already lived in Switzerland (Zollikon, Zurich) since at least 1909 when he joined Béla’s stamp business. In February 1911, he and his first wife Helene Johanna Elfriede Nanny, née Sehrwald (June 17, 1882), were granted land rights in the Canton of Zurich and became Swiss citizens. He was employed as an officer with signatory rights (Prokura) from March 1920 to August 1923. Even after he left Béla's company, he continued to sell stamps and ran his own stamp shop in Ebikon until 1929. Around 1930 he moved away, first to Neuchâtel and then to Zurich in 1935. Dr. Gogarten died in January 1938 at age 57 in Zurich, survived by his second wife Johanna (née Pieterse, 1892–1974) and his daughter Hanny (b abt 1916).



Cover — July 10, 1923

Registered airmail sent on July 10, 1923, from Liepāja, Latvia, to Ebikon, Switzerland. Arrived on July 13, 1923.

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Cover — May 18, 1925

Registered mail sent on May 18, 1925, from Lucerne, Switzerland, to Vreed en Hoop, British Guiana (today Guyana). Arrived on June 15, 1925.

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Cover — June 3, 1925

Registered mail sent on June 3, 1925, from Lucerne, Switzerland, to Thun.

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Scan provided by Max Brack.


Cover — October 14, 1925

Registered mail sent on October 14, 1925, from Lucerne, Switzerland, to Ennenda.

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Scan provided by Max Brack.


Cover — December 6, 1926

Registered mail sent on December 6, 1926, from Lucerne, Switzerland, to Brandenburg a. d. Havel, Germany. Arrived on December 7, 1926.

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REM
Bote vom Untersee und Rhein
February 11, 1927


Cover — December 4, 1928

Registered mail sent on December 4, 1928, from Lucerne, Switzerland, to Netstal.

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Scan provided by Max Brack.


Cover — June 24, 1929

Registered mail sent on June 24, 1929, from Lucerne, Switzerland, to German: Neustadt (=Nové Město), Czechoslovakia (today Czech Republic).

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Cover — February 21, 1933

Registered mail sent on February 21, 1933, from Neuchâtel, Switzerland, to Zug. Arrived on February 22, 1933.

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REM
Neue Zürcher Nachrichten
November 16, 1933
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L'impartial
February 13, 1934
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Feuille d’avis de Neuchâtel
December 21, 1937