NAZI-Era Cigarette Cards (1933-45)


Figure 1.--Here we see the back of one of the 'Deutschland erwacht' cigarette cards. There was only a brief caption for each card. Most if the text describes the series.

Collectable cards were issued by a variety of companies. By far the most common were cigatette cards. Cigarette cards were sold in many different countries, but nowhere were thet more popular than in Germany. They were so popular that people bought albums to display their collection. Collecting a complete set was complicated as one often got cards they already had when they purchased a pack of cigarettes. One German company solved this problem by putting cupons in the cigarette packs rather than the actual cards. This way the customers could semd in the cupons and get a complere set as well as an album to hold the cards. The whole subject of cigarette cards is an interesting one. We have not yet addressed this topic in detail. We do notice some of the cards issued during the NAZI era which is interesting because the NAZIs with their penchant toward health, discouraged smoking.

Cigarette Cards

Collectable cards were issued by a variety of companies. By far the most common were cigatette cards. Cigarette cards were sold in many different countries, but nowhere were thet more popular than in Germany. They were so popular that people bought albums to display their collection. Collecting a complete set was complicated as one often got cards they already had when they purchased a pack of cigarettes. One German company solved this problem by putting cupons in the cigarette packs rather than the actual cards. This way the customers could semd in the cupons and get a complere set as well as an album to hold the cards. The whole subject of cigarette cards is an interesting one. We have not yet addressed this topic in detail.

NAZI Era Cards

We do notice some of the cards issued during the NAZI era. These may have been an effort of the cigaratte compznies to engratiate themselves with the NAZIs than a NAZI propaganda effort. Here we are not yet sure. We are also not sure just what companies wrre involved.

Cigarettes

NAZI-era cigarette cards are interesting because the NAZIs with their penchant toward health, discouraged smoking. Apparently this did not have much impact on adults. Although it may have affected youth attitudes.

Deutschland erwacht/Germany Awakes

"Deutschland erwacht" was a NAZI slogan. An unidentified company began to issue a series of cigarette cards with this title in 1933. There were quite a large number of different cards in several different groups. There was only a brief caption for each card. Most if the text describes the series.

German text

The German text of the card here read:

Sammelwerk Nr.8. Deutschland erwacht. Werden, Kampf und Sieg der NSDAP. Bild Nr.165. Gruppe 30. Ein Schnappschuß: Ein Hitlerjunge erzählt Dr. Goebbels seine Erlebnisse.

Zu dem in Leinen gebundenen Sammelwerk Nr.5: "Deutschland erwacht" gehören die Bildergruppen 28, 29, 30, 31. 32, 33. Einband und Buchschmuck wurden von dem SS Obersturmführer Felix Albrecht, die technische Ausgestaltung von Wilfried Bade, dem Verfasser des Werkes "Die SA erobert Berlin", geschaffen. Der Reichs Bildberichterstatter der NSDAP, Heinrich Hoffmann, stellte das reichhaltige Bildmaterial zur Verfügung und übernahm die künstlerische Durcharbeitung der Reproduktionen. Die zahlreichen in dem Buch enthaltenen ganzseitigen Abbildungen und das Panorama der Standartenweihe während des letzten Reichsparteitages 1933 vermitteln mit überwältigender Wucht die Größe der Ereignisse unserer Tage.

English translation

Collected work # 8. Germany wakes up. Growth, Battle and Victory of the NSDAP. Picture # 165. Group 30. A snapshot: A Hitler youth talks about his experiences to Dr. Goebbels.

The picture groups 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 belong to the linen-bound collected work # 5: "Germany wakes up". Cover and book decoration has been created by SS Obersturmführer Felix Albrecht, the technical design by Wilfried Bade, the author of the work "The SA conquers Berlin". The Reich photo reporter of the NSDAP, Heinrich Hoffmann, made the extensive photo material available and took the artistic workthrough of the reproductions upon himself. The numerous full-page pictures that are included in the book and the show of the standard consecreation during the last Reich-party day 1933 conveys the greatness of the events of our time with overpowering force.

SS Obersturmführer Felix Albrecht (1900- )

We found some information about SS Obersturmführer Felix Albrech who ws responsible for the 'Deutschland erwacht' series.

Albrecht, Felix geb. Darmstadt 06.07.1900. Sohn eines Hochschulassistenten; 00.00.1917 - 00.00.1918 Kriegsdienst; Betriebsingenieur; 00.00.1924 Eintritt in die DNVP; 00.00.1925 - 00.00.1927 Studium an der Staatlichen Hochschule für bildende Künste in Berlin, anschließend als freier Künstler, Illustrator, Buchausstatter und Schriftsteller tätig. 27.05.1927 Eintritt in die NSDAP (Mitgliedsnr. 62.499), Plakatgestalter für die NSDAP, 00.00.1930 Eintritt in die SS (Mitgliedsnr. 2.596), 18.10.1931 Teilnehmer am SA-Treffen in Braunschweig, 06.12.1931 SS-Sturmführer, freier Mitarbeiter der Reichspropagandaleitung der NSDAP und des RFSS, 00.00.1933 Mitarbeiter der Abteilung Werbung des Agrarpolitischen Amtes der NSDAP, 09.11.1933 SS-Obersturmführer, 00.00.1933 Beisitzer der Reichsschrifttumskammer in der Filmprüfstelle, 00.00.1934 Kunstfachberater im Hauptamt für Volkswohlfahrt der NSDAP, 09.09.1934 SS-Hauptsturmführer, 00.00.1938 Anstellung im Hauptamt für Volkswohlfahrt der NSDAP. Werke: „Deutschlands große Führer“. [Schulz]

Felix Albrecht was born in Darmstadt (1900). His father was a high school assistant. I thought that meant a junior teacher, but a German reader tells me that it meant an assistant to a university professor with a high school education. Albrecht served in World War I (1917-18) as an operating engineer. This meant that he joined or was inducted as soon as he was of age. We are not sure, hoever, what an 'opeating engineer was. He joined the Deutsch-Nationale Volkspartei (German National People's Party--DNVP) after the War (1924). This was a conservative party which shared many policy goals with the NAZIs. He entered the State Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin (1927). He then worked as a freelance artist, illustrator, and Statter Buchau writer. He joined the NAZI Party--membership number 62.499 (NSDAP) (1927). He designed NAZI propaganda posters. He joined the SS--membership number 2,946 (1930). Notice how small the SS was at the time. It is sometimes believed that the SS consisted of crazed only killers. This is a misconception. There were of course some and many others who had no compuction about killing. But as Himmler expanded the SS, he wanted people witha wide range of skills, the SS included doctors, engineers, academics, and many others including artisrs like Albrecht here. We are not sure yet what Mitgliedsnr meant. According to the biography we found, Albrecht also worked with the SA. I'm not sure how that worked as he was in the SS. Apparently there was some kind of meeting in Braunschweig. He was commissioned a SS lieutenant (1931). After the NAZI seizure of power, he worked in the Reich Propaganda Office of the NSDAP and the RFSS. He then worked in the Department of Advertising of the Agricultural Affairs Bureau of the NSDAP. He was promoted to SS First Lieutenant (1933). He was appointed to the Reich Chamber of Film Censors (1934). He was an art consultant in the Office of the Chief of Public Welfare of the NSDAP (1934- ). He was promoted to SS Captain (1934). He was appointed to the Office of the Chief of the Volkswohlfahrt (People's Welfare Organization--NSV) (1938). The NAZI Party after seizing power took over charitable fund raising and by that means the German welfare system and which had been dominated by the churches. This of course created many jobs for NAZI Party members, including men like Albrecht who had not chowed the slighest interest in welfare and charity. His published book was Germany's Great Leader. There is no information about his role in World War II.

Individual 'Deutschland Erwacht' Images

'Deutschland Erwacht' was an early Third Reich cigarette card series. It was composed of groups 28-33. There werw groups before and after the NAZIs seized power. As was common at the time, the cards and albums were obtained by sending in the cupons attached to cigarette packs. The black and white photo cards portraying NAZI leaders at the time Hitler seized power (1933). The cards depicted leaders and members of the SA, SS, HJ, BdM, Stahlhelm, DLV, and much more. The SA played a major role in the seizure of power, As a result, the SA figured much more sigbnificantly in the NAZI pantheon than was to be the case the following year after the arrest and execultion of SA leaders. The importance of the SS was not yet appsrent. And the remilitarization of Germany was still in the planning stage. The HJ was still a relatively small group, but rapidly growing. After seizing power, the HJ rather than the SA was the image Hitler wanted to project. This was, however, not yet clear, the the people who selected the images for the series. In the days before television, these images were coveted by many peoople. At the time, Viktor Lutze was the Stabschef SA. HBC has archived several of these cards. We will cross reference them here.

Sources

Schulz, Andreas. Axis History Forum (September 9, 2004).







HBC





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Created: 2:03 AM 9/8/2010
Last updated: 9:00 AM 6/14/2012