Treaty of Bern (1874)
Bern, Switzerland
What happened
Representatives of about 20 countries, from the United States to the Ottoman Empire, signed the treaty, based on plans by the German postmaster Heinrich von Stephan. Before this treaty, every country had its own postal rules and prices, so sending letters abroad was complicated. Delegates met in Bern and agreed on one flat price for letters and equal treatment for foreign and home mail. They set up the General Postal Union to run the system.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It made it simple to send a letter almost anywhere in the world. Its rules let each country keep the postage it collects on international letters.
What came next
It was renamed the Universal Postal Union in 1878 and became a United Nations agency in 1948. Its headquarters are still in Bern.
Did you know?
World Post Day is held every year on 9 October, the day the treaty was signed.
Timeline
- 15 September 1874The postal congress opens in Bern.
- 9 October 1874The Treaty of Bern is signed.
- 1878Renamed the Universal Postal Union.