(wm-pcp) The former long-standing president of the Bundes Philatelistischer Prüfer e.V. (BPP) died on 1 March 2025 after a long illness. As the funeral took place in the presence of his closest family, this was only recently announced. Penning was a significant figure in German philately, not only for the BPP, of which he had been a member since 1981, serving as treasurer from 1990 to 1999 and then as president until 2011. He brought associations together, resolved problems wherever they arose and did not shy away from making unpopular decisions when they were in the best interests of the organisation. In this way, he led the BPP to a position of excellence that was virtually unrivalled.
Penning was born on 16 April 1941 in Coburg. From 1960 to 1965, he studied economics at the Friedrich-Alexander University in Erlangen/Nuremberg, graduating with a degree in economics. In 1969, he obtained his doctorate in political science from the same university. From 1984 to 2001, he was spokesman for the board of Volksbank Brühl-Erftstadt eG and retired as bank director on 1 January 2002. He was also involved in activities outside philately, serving as chairman of the supervisory board of Senioren-Wohnheim Brühl gGmbH from 1973 to 2022, where he spent his final years accompanied by his wife Hiltraud P., née Hein.
Penning was a long-time collector and the areas of his collections were almost mirrored in his memberships, which were too numerous to overlook. He had been a member of the Consilium Philatelicum of the BDPh since 2011 and had belonged to the World Association of Authors and Journalists in Philately (AIJP) since 2006, as he himself was also a prolific author and publicist. His book publications include: ‘Die Gebührenzettel von Freudenstadt’ (together with Dr Hans Haferkamp), 1975); ‘Die Gebührenzettel von Titisee’ (together with Hartmut Arenz and Dr Jürgen Spilker) in the Handbook and Catalogue of the French Zone, 1990; ’ 50 Jahre Bund Philatelistischer Prüfer 1958–2008’ (50 Years of the Association of Philatelic Examiners 1958–2008), volume 3 of the BPP series, Brühl 2008 (together with Dr Helmut Oechsner); “Die Gebührenzettel von Freudenstadt” (The Fee Slips of Freudenstadt), volume 6 of the BPP series, 498 pages, Bornheim 2014.
Dr. Penning never exhibited any of his stamp exhibits in public, as he felt that the environment offered by exhibitions was not suitable for the issues of conservation and protection of stamps that were important to him. However, his works were recognised in the literature class of individual exhibitions (e.g. NAPOSTA 76 for ‘Die Gebührenzettel von Freudenstadt’: silver bronze; ROSSICA 2014 for ‘Die Gebührenzettel von Freudenstadt’ large gold).
Pennings’ achievements were honoured many times by societies and associations. In 1979, he received the Kurt Zirkenbach Medal from ArGe Loknot, and in 1996, the Baurat Luce Memorial Medal from the Verein für Briefmarkenkunde 1878 e.V. In 2008, his book on the examination system in Germany (volume 3 of the BPP series) was awarded the Sieger Prize for philatelic literature in conjunction with his pioneering research, particularly on post-war philately from 1945 onwards. In 2011, he received the Heinrich Köhler Prize for outstanding services to philatelic certification, and in the same year, the Federal Association of German Stamp Dealers (APHV) appointed Penning as an honorary member. He was awarded the BDPh Medal of Honour in 2012, having been appointed to the Consilium Philatelicum the previous year. On 28 November 2016, he was awarded the Fritz Heimbüchler Medal by the Munich Stamp Club (Münchener Briefmarken-Club e.V.) for his outstanding services to philately and philatelic certification.
Pennings’ Prussian collection was auctioned by the Dr. Derichs auction house in Cologne in 2008. His “GDR service stamp collection” was sold at the 175th Dresden Stamp Auction on 17–18 May 2017. A special catalogue was also published for this occasion.
An obituary in the Schlossbote Werbekurier on 28 March 2025 reads: ‘We are very sad, but very grateful that you were with us.’ Many will echo these words, and our sympathy goes out to his wife and children – even if his death may have been a relief.
Photo credit: Wilhelm van Loo (2006)
Translated with DeepL (www.deepl.com)
