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Metal donation collection box (Sammelbüchse) belonging to the Winterhilfswerk des Deutschen Volkes (WHW), the National Socialist German Winter Relief organization, associated with Gau Sudetenland, the Sudeten region incorporated into the Third Reich following the German annexation of 1938.
The collection box is made of red-painted sheet metal and bears the inscription “Gau Sudetenland” on its lower section, identifying the territorial district in which it was used. It features a lid with a security locking mechanism designed to prevent unauthorized opening and protect the collected donations.
The Winterhilfswerk des Deutschen Volkes (Winter Relief of the German People) was a social welfare organization promoted by the National Socialist regime from 1933 onwards. It organized regular fundraising campaigns and distributed material assistance to sections of the population considered in need under the regime’s social, racial and political criteria. Its activities also served as an important instrument of propaganda and public mobilization.
Collection boxes of this type were used by volunteers and members of WHW-affiliated organizations to collect donations in streets, public establishments and during fundraising campaigns.
Gau Sudetenland was established following the German annexation of the Sudetenland in October 1938. The object can therefore be dated to the period 1938-1945, encompassing the Second World War.
Winterhilfswerk des Deutschen Volkes (WHW) metal donation collection box (Sammelbüchse), associated with Gau Sudetenland. Red-painted sheet metal construction, bearing the inscription “Gau Sudetenland” and fitted with a security locking lid. Germany, Third Reich, 1938-1945.
