Date of use : 1962 Germany

Envelope to Agence Havas, World's First Modern News Agency

The red stamp on the envelope indicates various companies based in Germany that are typically involved in publishing, photography, radio technology, book sales, and antiquarian services. The recipient of the letter is Agence Havas. Agence Havas was founded in 1835 by Charles-Louis Havas in Paris, France, and is recognized as the world's first modern news agency. Havas began as a business providing commercial information and news, and later evolved into an agency supplying news reports to newspapers and other media outlets. The agency grew throughout the 19th century and established an international news network.

Charles-Louis Havas started the agency by providing regular financial and commercial news services to newspapers across Europe. In 1835, the agency developed a modern system for collecting and distributing news. The agency served both public institutions and private companies, organizing press releases to meet the news needs of newspapers. At this time, news was primarily transmitted via telegraph. By the mid-19th century, Agence Havas had begun to establish an international news agency network. It set up offices in countries like England, Germany, and Italy, thereby gaining control over the flow of news in these countries.

In 1859, Havas entered into an agreement with Reuters (UK) and Wolff's (Germany), whereby the agencies decided to share world news regionally. This cooperation allowed for the rapid and widespread dissemination of news, increasing the international influence of the agencies. In the 1940s, the news agency division of Havas was renamed Agence France-Presse (AFP), which is now one of the largest news agencies in the world. In 1968, Havas was restructured as an advertising and public relations agency, offering media buying and marketing services.

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