Disclosing one’s birthday isn’t a requirement in Postcrossing, but it does allow us to compile statistical data, send you an email on your special day, and occasionally, spot some cool postcrossers… like Corrie (aka Corry1919) from the Netherlands!
As you can probably guess from her username, Corrie was born in 1919, and is now 96 years old, making her one of the oldest postcrossers on the website. Her life spans several major events in the history of the world, and so much has changed in the meantime that we were curious to hear about her experiences — especially in relation with mail. So we talked with her about it with the help of her two nieces Marry and Marian, who introduced her to Postcrossing “to make her world a little bit larger again. When you are that old, friends and family pass away and only loneliness remains. We thought that postcards from all over the world would bring her back the world.”
From them, we learnt that Corrie Loos was born on May 25th, 1919 in Wognum, a small village in West-Friesland. She’s the fifth child in a family of eight siblings and used to work as a housekeeper and later in a butcher shop until she retired at the age of 65.
Because of her beautiful handwriting, she was recommended in the thirties to apply for a position at the Land Registry. She did, but was rejected for health reasons… though you’d never guess it looking at her now 96 and still in good health! :) To know more about her relationship with mail and Postcrossing, we asked her a few questions.
- Corrie, what is your first memory of writing letters and postcards?
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When I was young I sometimes got a postcard for my birthday. Later, when I was on holidays I would always send postcards to my family and friends. I have also corresponded for many years with a Hungarian girl who had moved from Hungary to the Netherlands. She has lived with my family for many years and in the sixties, she moved back to Budapest. From then on, we regularly sent postcards to one another to keep in touch. Internet was not available in those years of course.
- How did you hear for the first time about Postcrossing?
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My niece Marry was already a postcrosser and she thought it was a lovely idea to create also an account for me. She made Marian, another niece of mine, also an enthusiast and then ‘suddenly’ I got postcards from all over the world! Now that I am old and my legs are painful, I don’t go out much anymore. But with Postcrossing the world comes to me at my home! It is always a great joy when I find new postcards in my mailbox. My favorite card I got from Aats and Nica (aka aatsnica) from Estonia. There is an old barn on it with some sheep and chickens, very beautiful!
- How does Postcrossing work for you? What can you do yourself and on what parts do you need help?
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My nieces Marry and Marian actually do most of the work. They write and translate the cards and put the pictures on my profile. Every week my niece Marian visits me. She then brings her laptop and a stack of new, unwritten postcards with her. First she translates for me the cards I received that week and then we read about the details of the new Postcrossers we are going to write and look for suitable cards. So my nieces keep me very much involved with Postcrossing, which is, I think, a modern version of an old-fashioned way to connect people with one another from faraway places.
- What do other people think about your hobby?
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They love it! I live in a retirement home and sometimes my neighbours visit me of course. I think they are a bit jealous. They always ask how it is possible that I get so many beautiful cards. The nursing staff speak some English and translate the text when I receive a new postcard. They are also always very curious if I have got new cards again.
- How has mail changed during your lifetime? Is there anything that was particularly different before, compared to now?
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Yes it is! Previously we wrote and received many letters, nowadays almost everything goes through the e-mail. Even the bills you get are digital. Therefore, the postal traffic is becoming increasingly expensive. I’ve got a card from my father in 1937 with a stamp on it of 1.5 cents. Nowadays you have to pay 73 euro cents for a stamp; you could send a hundred postcards for that, back then! Can you imagine that! And if you would send a card with a short or incomplete address, it would still come to the right house. During the war my younger brother was sent to Germany to work there. When for the first time we got a letter from him, it went like wildfire through the village. Everyone wanted to read it, the world was so much smaller.
Postcard sent by Corrie’s father from Bergen to Wognum in 1937.
Thank you Corrie, Marry and Marian for this wonderful interview!
PS – Thank you everyone who sent Corrie a postcard for her birthday — she got more than 900 of them! Head over to our Facebook page for some photos, plus a message from Corrie and her nieces. :)
131 comments so far
Congratulations, Corrie! I hope you have a very happy birthday!
What a fantastic story. Best wishes to Corrie!
Beautiful story and beautiful woman. Happy Birthday!
What a wonderful story and what a nice lady! Congratulations, hartelijk gefeliciteerd!
Keep it up, Corrie and blessings to your nieces too.
Great story ;-) Congratulations & happy birthday !
I was so lucky to get a beautiful postcard from Corrie at the beginning of this year! <3
Congratulations nice nieces, to turn your auntie's life much more interesting!
Wat fijn dat u zoveel plezier beleeft aan het postcrossen. En Marry en Marian: jullie verdienen òòk een pluim, dat jullie dit mogelijk maken! Een fijne verjaardag, en nog heel veel kaarten gewenst! Misschien ook wel een van mij?Groeten uit IJmuiden, Lidwien
hallo corry vast gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag heel bijzonder dat je al zolang aan postcrossing doet
gr marja hoorn
LOVE this story. What a beautiful family! <3
Preciosa historia, mis mas mejores deseos de felicidad de paz y amor, desde Lleida ( Spain ).
A beautiful story.
I wish her good health and a happy life.
Happy Birthday to Corrie!!
wat een prachtig verhaal , zo belangrijk dit
Beter dan het internet ook al kun je er soms niet omheen Wens je dan nog heel veel gezonde jaren zodat je hiervan kunt genieten
Groet Tina
Can we share thw adress with non postrossers?
A great story about a beautiful woman....
@PatitaF We would prefer the address wasn't posted on other websites — just share the link to this post with your friends! :)
How lovely! I'll be sure to send a birthday postcard her way. :)
Happy Birthday in advance and hope you will hit the century!! Best wishes.
Happy Birthday Corrie ! Greetings from Kampala, Uganda :)
Nou Corrie....wat een gezegende leeftijd Ik hoop dat het in je naam zit, want dan heb ik nog een eind te gaan! Van Harte Gefeliciteerd! groetjes Corrie
Postcard sent! :)
Happy Birthday,Corrie,Greetings from Istanbul,Turkey.
Wish you happy days.
How amazing!!! I wish many nice surprises and postcards for Corrie's birthday! Will send mine, soon! :)
Dag Corrie,
Van harte gefeliciteerd met u 97 ste verjaardag en veel plezier met alle kaarten die u krijgt.
Groeten van Willemien uit Sinderen
She sounds so sweet!! Gonna send her a postcard. :)
Prachtige idee. Ik ga een kaartje sturen!
This made my day. Keep an eye out for something from me for sure!
Karla
Wat een geweldig verhaal! Alvast van harte gefeliciteerd met deze gezegende leeftijd, Corry. Geniet van de dag en alle feestelijkheden op 25 mei. Enne....OP NAAR DE 100! Groeten van Marianne van Lieshout uit Veghel in Brabant
Van harte gefeliciteerd, Corrie, en ik wens u nog heel veel mooie kaartjes in je bus!
Corrie, alvast van Harte Gefeliciteerd! Het kaartje komt nog in je brievenbus! Groetjes, Ine uit Limburg
Love this! Sending out a new batch of postcards today so will definitely send one out when I head to the post office shortly.
I've got one all filled out for Corrie and ready to go out with tomorrow's mail!
Is there something before the 1687? Sometimes my phone doesn't translate something and it just looks like two envelopes.... Thanks in advance.
Happy Birthday, Corrie! Another reason to hunt for more post cards ;)
Happy birthday Corrie, I hope you feel the love being sent by all your postcrosssing friends. Blessings from Wisconsin U.S.A.
Happy birthday! Corrie.
Ready to send postcard for you.
Hope you enjoy your special day.
Hartelijk gefeliciteerd met de gezegende leeftijd van 96 jaar Corrie. Hoop dat er nog vele mooie jaren in 't verschiet liggen met heel veel mooie kaarten uit alle wereld delen. Hartelijke groeten uit Zaandam
This is a lovely story and made my day brighter! Happy birthday Corrie and keep postcrossing!
Very nice to know about Corrie story.
Happy birthday to her.
Happy Birthday, Corrie! *
Happy birthday, I hope you receive my birthday card to you soon
Best wishes. Wish you've always joys and health. Congratulations on your 97 years of life! I am sending a postcard. Hugs.
Proficiat, Corrie, met het behalen van zo'n mooie leeftijd. Ik stuur je ook nog een kaartje, volgens mij gaat je brievenbus helemaal vol zitten. Fijne dag gewenst.
Congratulations, Corrie!!! Hope you will have an amazing and Happy Birthday!!!
Wat een geweldig verhaal. Heel erg bedankt dat u dit met ons wilde delen! (^_^)
Er komt zeker een kaartje vanuit 's-Hertogenbosch uw kant uit. Alvast een heerlijke verjaardag gewenst.
Van harte gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag Corrie! En nog vele leuke kaartjes om te sturen en te ontvangen!!
@Postcrossing, please write a line or two about privacy policy / publishing addresses or share emailaddresses two third parties or here on the homepage. I presume the family has given permission to show the address here, but you did not say somewhere.
@jmarcou If you just mean the postal code then you read it right: 1687 BX is the Dutch postal code with 4 numbers and then 2 capital letters.
Thanks for this great interview! Corrie is a very special Postcrosser indeed! And I´m sure her mailbox will spill over around her birthday!
Nice story. Birthday card is under way.
@HM We wouldn't be sharing an address without permission to do so, but you're right, maybe we should have made it more explicit on the post. We'll add a note!
Great story, Happy Birthdat Corrie. I'll send postcard!
Happy Birthday from Austria, dear Corrie. A card is on the way to you.
What a lovely story! <3 It really makes me happy to read things like this! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR CORRIE! I hope you get lots of postcards! Mine is on the way... Love from Slovenia, Maja
God Bless YOU, Corrie and wishing you a very Happy Birthday!!!!!
Postcard sent with best wishes!
What a great Story ! HAPPY BIRTHDAY CORRIE and my card for you is on the way. Greetings from Austria
Sweet story! Thanks for sharing.
God bless you. I wrote a postcard for you.
Ofcourse I will send her a birthday greeting :-)
Happy early Birthday Corrie - and my card for you is on its way from Arizona in the US!
Yes, I'll send a postcard! Great story, thanks. Happy birthday Corrie.
Getting old is not for sissies. So you have proven that you are a wonderful and strong Lady. I wish you as many pain ree days as possible.
Ed
Happy Birthday! I'll be sending a post card to Corrie for sure!
Happy Birthday! The card is on its way:)
Happy birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will send a card for sure she is so great
Done! Card with sunflowers on a way! :) Happy Birthday, Corrie!
♥ Card will be sent to this nice lady. Have a wonderful spring, Corrie. There is no age for letters (and for love).
Happy birthday!!!Greetings from China.This beautiful lady is as old as my grandmother.Amazing!
Congratulation to this wonderful lady! My postcard is on the way with the picture of a little birthday cake!Enjoy and have fun with cards from all over the world!
simonartis
Happy birthday Corrie !
Great Story!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU CORRIE!!!!!
Birthday card is on the way,God bless you!!!!
Wonderful heartfelt story. I was lucky enough to send Corrie a postcard in June 2015 with a lovely Robin on it. I am delighted to add my congratulations to Corrie here and will take great pleasure in selecting and sending a birthday card to her. 😀
Wonderful interview.I'll send you a postcard from Japan.
Hallo Corrie,
Alvast gefeliciteerd met uw verjaardag.
Ik wens u een hele fijne dag toe...geniet er van...97 is een prachtige leeftijd.
Groetjes van Monique uit Oostwoud
Happy birthday Corrie! My sons and I wish you a wonderful birthday and we are choosing a postcard from Canada now.
Happy birthday Corrie! My birthday is also at this month. Postcard on the way :)
This is lovely! Thank you for sharing with us!! Greetings from Canada!
Hip! Hip! Hooray! It's your Birthday on the 25 May :)My fingers are XX that our Aussie Birthday Day Wishes reach you in time to help Celebrate your very Special Day Corrie!
AVAGOODONE:)!
Van harte gefeliciteerd, Carrie.. :)
Groetjes van Indonesie.
Happy Birthday Corrie! There's a postcard for you on the way from Singapore =D
Happiest of birthdays! Enjoy! :)
Dear Postcrossers, thank you so much for sending me attention, beautyfull birthdaycards, notes and more. It makes me very happy to discover that so many people think of me. I have received 77 postcards already. It makes me a little bit speechless... Corrie
It is so inspiring to read Corrie's interview! And specially to know that her nieces with a little act did such a great thing to make her days so happy! Mail rally does that, connects us to the world, brings us so many different views of people and places!!!
I sent a Happy birthday card for Corrie, from Brasil!! I am sure she will enjoy it!
Happy wishes for Corrie and for her nieces!!!
Deborah
What a wonderful feel-good story. Wishing Corrie a wonderful 97th birthday. I've just written her a postcard from Perth, Australia.
Great story!!
I am so glad you included an address for the lovely Miss Corrie -- am addressing a postcard to her from South Texas as I write this reply. Be sure to get some photos taken to share with us. All the best,
Betsy (Betslets)
Happy Birtday Miss Corrie !!!
My Postcard is on the way to you . Wonderful sommergreetings from Hildesheim / Germany. Take care..
Bettina
What a great woman！ Hope Corrie have a wonderful birthday！
Happy Birthday Ms. Corrie!
Happy and happy and happy and happy and happy and happy and happy and happy and happy and happy and happy and happy and happy birthday!
gefeliciteerd, wij wensen u een hele fijne dag
....what a nice lady, a great interview and a special birthday which stands in the wings ;o) ... one more postcard waits to be read by Corrie ...Happy happy Birthday Corrie <3
Happy Birthday Corrie! 96(97) years young!
Off to find a beautiful postcard from my collection to send.
Beth from Washington State
Beste Corrie, wat een prachtig verhaal....en zo dicht bij mij in de buurt! Ik woon 20 km bij u vandaan! Alvast gefeliciteerd met uw verjaardag, groet van Ineke.
Dear Corrie, what a wonderfull story....and so near my house, almost 20km!(maybe I'll bring some flowers)! Happy birthday, Ineke.
Happy Birthday Corrie! You were born under lucky stars! WONDERFUL!
Wishes! Pirjo from Finland
This is fantastic, very inspirational story and very inspirational human being indeed. I will surely try to send a postcard to Corrie for her birthday. all the best from Czech republic,Jana
One of the reasons I love postcrossing so much!!! :) Thanks for the amazing interview!
God bless your birthday Corrie & thank you for sharing with us!
I admire people like Corrie, with such brilliant sence of life. Happy coming birthday!
Great story! A card is prepared. I would really like to know how many cards she will receive at least.
Grüße aus Deutschland
Antje
Happy Birthday, Corrie!!
Wonderful interview! My very first Postcrossing postcard was from this lovely lady :)
Happy Birthday Corrie! I hope you will have a wonderful day!
It is an amazing story! Happiest of birthdays, Ms Loos!!
Happy Birthday!!!
Happy birthday! A card will be on the way soon for you! :)
Happy Birthday when it comes, I'm going to be selecting a card for you very soon xx
Verjaardagskaart verstuurd!!! Ook via deze weg: van harte gefeliciteerd en nog veel plezier met Postcrossing!
Happy Birthday, a card is on the way to you. 🎂
Happy Birthday!!! I´m sure your postbox will burst at the seems! My card is on the way....
Happy Birthday Corrie! This is inspiring. And I totally agree with you about the postal prices :)
Enjoy each and every day and have a very "Happy Birthday".
Happy Birthday Corrie! I'm sending you a card :-)
Happy Birthday!
Postcard from Russia on the way :)
Happy Birthday Corrie! I wish many nice surprises and postcards for Corrie's birthday! Will send mine, soon! :)
Corrie, we have at the same day birthday! I think on you...and I wish you a lon life....
Postcard from Slovakia on its way! thank you, Postcrossing, for opportunity to wish happy birthday to this lovely lady!
Happy Birthday!! I will make sure to send you a wonderful postcard!!
just sent a card!
Happy Birthday, Corrie!! I hope you have a wonderful birthday with your friends and family. :)
Postcard on the way from USA :)
Wonderful story! :)
Happy birthday!
Happy Birthday, Corrie!:)
Have a fun special birthday!
My card is on the way to you from Japan:)
Happy Birthday, Corrie! I hope you have a wonderful birthday with lots of cake to eat!! A special birthday postcard that I colored just for you is on its way from Oregon, USA. I hope you like it. P.S. A big Thank You to Marry and Marian for helping you with your Postcrossing! Bye now, Kathleen
Alles van de beste, Corrie, for your birthday tomorrow! I'm glad that you can still enjoy the beautiful wide world out there! You are an inspiration to us all, & I appreciate the efforts of your wonderful nieces too. I wish you good health & lots of cheery postcards through this Chinese Year of the Red Monkey! Warm greetings from Bev Braam, Sydneyxox
Hallo Corrie,
Alvast een hele mooie gezellige verjaardag morgen gewenst!
Met hopelijk een overvolle brievenbus!
Mijn kaartje voor u, is vandaag op de post gegaan.
Groetjes, van Fleur Soppe (13 jaar) uit Dalen, Drenthe
sent a Birthday card today from Germany :)
Hello everybody, here is Corrie. I can tell you that I recieved over 900 postcards for my birthday. I'm still a bit dazed from it. THANK YOU ALL!! Do you want to see the picture? Go to: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1096996463673167&set=o.11928160867&type=3&theater¬if_t=page_wall_approved¬if_id=1464352729826079
I just read this article. I wish I could have sent you a card. I hope you had a wonderful birthday Corrie!!!
Thank you, Postcrossing, for sharing this charming story.
Happy Birthday, Corrie!
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