OFFICIAL POSTCARDS
(1939)

This page was last updated
21-Feb-2025 07:14

SONDERPOSTKARTE fur das WINTERHILFSWERK
P285 / 01 to 06

VALIDITY: 27th Oct 1939 until 30th Jun 1940 (a mere 8 months)

BACKGROUND: Issued in stages from 27th Oct 1939, this 6 postcard series was released to raise funds for the 1939 War Winterhilfswerk charity drive. The 1939 series should not be confused with the 1940 series which features the same designs and was issued to commemorate the 6th WHW Street collection. The 1939 cards lack the K.d.F symbol and additional text printed to the right of each of the portraits that is found on the 1940 cards.

These cards were printed by the Reichsdruckerei and feature a 6 + 4 Rpf indicia stamp.



ABOVE LEFT: 1939 P285 version
ABOVE RIGHT: 1940 P286 version with additional text and K.d.F logo

The cards were designed by artist Hann Trier of Cologne.

The left-hand side of each card features the image of an important German historical figure, a well-known saying of theirs, and their signatures (except for the first card featuring Heinrich I, which has no signature).

Some of these cards were also available with additional private printing, see further below.

The six cards are as follows:

P285/01: HEINRICH I
P285/02: MARTIN LUTHER
P285/03: ULRICH V. HUTTEN
P285/04: FRIEDRICH DER GROSSE
P285/05: V. BISMARCK
P285/06: CARL PETERS

SPECIAL CANCEL: There are four somewhat related special cancels as follows:

1. Stylised image of a Reichsadler with text on three lines to the right and beneath "WHW | Ein Volk | hilft Sich Selbst" - "WHW | One People | Helps Itself".

2. Steel helmet with oak leaf behind and text on four lines to the right and below "EIN VOLK | HILFT SICH | SELBST | KRIEGS-WHW" - "ONE PEOPLE | HELPS | SELF | WAR WHW"

3. Similar design eagle to 1) above only now with thick black border above and below and text on three lines to the right and below the eagle "Kriegs | WHW | Ein Volk hilft Sich Selbst" - "War | WHW | A people helps itself".

4. Horizontal sword wih black swastika handle pointing to the right, text above "KRIEGS" and below "WHW".






ABOVE LEFT: P285/01 - HEINRICH 1 - More details
ABOVE RIGHT: P285/02 - MARTIN LUTHER - More details




ABOVE LEFT: P285/03 - ULRICH V.HUTTEN - More details
ABOVE RIGHT: P285/04 - FRIEDRICH DER GROSSE - More details




ABOVE LEFT: P285/05 - OTTO Von BISMARCK - More details
ABOVE RIGHT: P285/06 - CARL PETERS - More details

MAIN REFERENCE SOURCES

1. MICHEL GANZSACHEN DEUTSCHLAND 2018. ISBN: 978-3-95402-225-0
2. BOREK GANZSACHEN-SPEZIAL-KATALOG DEUTSCHLAND ab 1933. ISBN: 3-87091-060-7
3. MICHEL BILDPOSTKARTEN- UND MOTIVGANSACHEN KATALOG DEUTSCHLAND 1997. ISBN: 3-87858-631-0
4. GANZSACHEN-HANDBUCH DES "DITTEN REICHES" 1933-1945 by FRECH. ISBN: UNKNOWN