Original Item: Only One Available. The WHW, Winterhilfswerk (Winter-help-work), was an annual charitable donation event held by the "NS -Volkswohlfahrt" (National Socialist - Peoples’-welfare-organization), in which personnel from all of the organizations would solicit donations from the public, and reward contributors with a wide variety of lapel badges or propaganda booklets.

This is a very nice red-painted, sheet metal can, roughly 17cm in overall height, and 10.5cm in diameter. Featuring a hinged lid which is stepped as it ascends, with an angled coin slot to its apex, unto whose surface are the raised serial numbers 25681. To the lid, immediately above its hinge, is a small, circular perforation, with Papier (Paper) embossed to one side of it and Geld (Money) to the other. Unlike almost every other example we have seen, this has a hinged handle on the top, not the usual beer mug style handle attached to the side. It also has an early pattern hinged tab to keep the lid closed, where a lock would be placed. The mechanism under the coil slot to prevent coins from being shaken out of the can is intact and looks to be functional.

Embossed to the can itself under the paper label is Gau Oberdonau, an administrative division of Germany, created after the Anschluss (annexation of Austria) in 1938 and dissolved in 1945. It consisted of what is today Upper Austria, parts of Southern Bohemia, and a small part of the Salzkammergut which was annexed from Styria.

The bottom of the can is embossed with the maker’s name; M. Westermann & Co, with G.m.b.H. underneath it, for Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (Company with limited Liability), both arching above WESCO within a diamond, and with Neheim-Ruhr arching beneath that. The embossed number 8 may be seen below the latter location, which could indicate a date.

This scarce example also features the original paper label pasted around its circumference, which is almost never retained. It has the WHW emblem, and reads:

TAG DER DEUTSCHEN
POLIZEI

This translates to German Police Day, which was the event the donations were being collected for. The paint on this example is mostly retained with some loss on the handle, the top and bottom rims, and the hinge.

Examples of these cans have become harder and harder to find, especially with its original label. Comes ready for further research and display.