2019The Municipality of Vestmannaeyjar - 100th Anniv. - First Day Cover

Vestmannaeyjar – the Westman Islands – first acquired municipal rights along with five other towns in 1786, all of which became the first townships in Iceland. In 1836, all except Reykjavík lost their municipal rights, gradually regaining them with more being added. New legislation enacted by Althing on the township rights of Vestmanna­ eyjar took effect on January 1st, 1919. At that time, the population numbered more than two thousand people. The solidarity of the islanders has been tested in great tragedies. In 1627 pirates from Algeria abducted 242 islanders while killing 36. The development of the town was also affected by great infant mortality and vast migration to America in the 19th century.