Figure 1.--This little boy donates a coin to the WHW drive. The soldier holding the collection can is in the Luftwaffe. The photograph is not dated, but was probably taken early in the War.

The "Winterhilfswerk of the German People" (Winter Help Work--WHW) was founded as result of the desperate winter need during the Depression (1931). It became the official NAZI-Pary winter relief charity after Hitler seized power. Hitler proclaimed the WHW (September 13, 1933). In a speech he explained, "This great campaign against hunger and cold is governed by this principle: We have broken the international solidarity of the proletariat. We want to build the living national solidarity of the German people!" The Party published small booklets fiven to conrtibutors explaining what the Party was accomplishing. The NAZOs issued a booklet for each of the pre-War years (1933-39), There were also specialized editons for different War campaigns, for soldiers awarded the Iron Cross, and various other pyrposes. The text in manty of the books was taken from Hitler's speeches. There were a variety of funding approaches. There were monthly street collections. The Party also sold badges which were advertized on the radio, on posters, or in newspapers. The badges (donation pins) were made in an amazing varietiy, commonly devised in local areas. We note a hand sewn Danzig badge in 1934 to promote the hand work of Germans. Badges were issued for Bread Day to promote WHW donations. There were hand crafted celluloid flowers to promoting German native flowers. There were also regional badges as well as those for the whole Reich. Large numbers of Gemans received assistance of varous forms through WHW. There was never any public accounting of te funds collected and dispersed.

Foundation

The "Winterhilfswerk of the German People" (Winter Help Work--WHW) was founded by The drive was originally set up under the government of Heinrich Brüning (1931). Hitler and the BAZIs would later claim sole credit. [Burleigh, p. 223.] The NAZIs after Hitler was appointed Chsancellor did begin to make it a much more highly publicized event. It became the official NAZI-Pary winter relief charity. Hitler proclaimed the WHW (September 13, 1933). In a radio speech he explained, "This great campaign against hunger and cold is governed by this principle: We have broken the international solidarity of the proletariat. We want to build the living national solidarity of the German people!" Winterhilfswerk was afministered by Nationalsozialistische Volkswohlfahrt (People's Welfare Organization--NSV). This was the NAZI umbrella charity organization whuch undrmined private charities, esoecially religious charities.

Purpose

The WHW was created to support the poor during the cold German winters. The Depression had severly impacted Germany. Many families ascwintervapproached were in a desperate suruation needing fuel (coal), food, and warm clothingg to get through the winter. The WHW was meant to helped the poor during cold and hungry during the winter months.

Collections

Winterhilfswerk collected money in a variety of ways. One of the most obvious ways was using the Hitler Youth children to collect coins. The children were called 'kann klappern' (can rattlers) and were often reletnless in their pursuit of coins. No HJ child wanted to nturn over an emoty cam. At first this was on street corners, but as the number of HJ members increased, the children began going door to door. There were aksondonation in kind, sych bas clothing drives. Donations were theoretically voluntary. Those who did not give might have their names put in the paper to shame them into giving. Peiole weee cinstanrly under ibservation by block leaders. Neighbors were encouraged to report suspiiys vehaviir to block leaders. Andcthis included not making WHW donations. There were even procecutiins for not making 'voluntary' donations. One civil servant was prosecuted for redusing to donate. He protested that it was a voluntary drive. The court dismissed the Orwellian argument that it was an extreme view of liberty to neglect duties not actually prescribed by law and therefore an abuse of liberty. [Mazower, p. 36.] Anbd people lost their jobs fior not donating. The firings were upheld by a labor court on the grounds that it was 'conduct hostile to the community of the people [...] to be most strongly condemned'. [Shirer] The WHW collections would continue into the final year of NAZI ruke, the 1944-45 winter with Allied armies at the borders of the Reich.

NAZI Welfare Efforts

Welfare programs were and continue to be an important element of a totalitarian movement's program along with propgaganda, organixation, persuassion, and coersion. This was all part of mass mobilization whivch the NAZIs referred to as Menschenfuehrung--basically translating as "leadership of men". Welfare programs were important, not only did they create apositive image for the Party, but also because it created good will and made recipients more receptive to Party propaganda. It also generated potential recruits from those who received assistance. As one author explains another impact, "... the mechanics of welfare administration projected party influence into the home and family and thus prvided an important channel of party control." [Unger, p. 125.] The German word for welfare or care is "Betreuung", but with the NAZIs as explained in a Party publication there was an element of "continued education and lasting supervision of our people". [Unser ...] Notice the trm supervission in association with welfare.

WHW Booklets

The Party published small booklets fiven to conrtibutors explaining what the Party was accomplishing. The NAZOs issued a booklet for each of the pre-War years (1933-39), There were also specialized editons for different War campaigns, for soldiers awarded the Iron Cross, and various other purposes. The text in manty of the books was taken from Hitler's speeches.

Funding

There were a variety of funding approaches. There were monthly street collections. The Party also sold various items to raise money. Perhaps the most popular items were badge. They were advertized on the radio, on posters, or in newspapers. WHW fundraisers in appreciation for donations would normally provide the donor with a token memento. The badges (donation pins) were made in an amazing varietiy, commonly devised in local areas. We note a hand sewn Danzig badge in 1934 to promote the hand work of Germans. Badges were issued for Bread Day to promote WHW donations. There were hand crafted celluloid flowers to promoting German native flowers. There were also regional badges as well as those for the whole Reich. As part of the NAZI ideological aooeoach emphacizing the community over the individual, individuals donations were nor reported, only what each branch raised. [Grunberger, p 79.]

Beneficiaries

Large numbers of Gemans received assistance of varous forms through WHW. The NAZIs in 1933-34 claimed that WHW beneficiaries exceeded 16.6 million persons. This would mean that one out of every four Germans received WHW assistance. [Unger] How accurate that assessment was we do not know.

Accounting

There was never any public accounting of the funds collected and dispersed. There were propaganda photographs of families receiving aid during the summer. But there was not explanation abiut who git aid or the actual valie of dispersments.

Sources

Burleigh, Michael. The Third Reich: A New History (New York: Hill and Wang, 2000).

Grunberger, Richard. The 12-year Reich: A Social History of Nazi Germany, 1933-1945 (1971).

Mazower, Mark. Dark Continent: Europe's 20th Century (1998).

Unger, Aryeh L. "Propaganda and Welfare in Nazi Germany," Journal of Social History Vol. 4, No. 2 (Winter, 1970-1971), pp. 125-140.

Shirer, William. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich (Simon & Schuster Touchstone Edition: New York: 1990).

"Unser Willie und Weg," Monthly Journal of the Reich Propgada Office of the NSDAP (Munch 1938), No. 2, p. 58.

Created: 5:18 AM 8/14/2007
Last updated: 7:25 AM 5/14/2020