Winterhilfswerk (winter help work) Gau Southern Hannover Braunschweig Day badge: Mrs P Starke (enemy alien)

A 1938 Winterhilfswerk (winter help work) Gau Southern Hannover Braunschweig (Brunswick) Day badge. The shield shaped badge consists of an embroidered face with a thin metal frame painted gold. The obverse design includes a black eagle under 'GAU- TAG/ 9-12. 6. 1938'. Beneath the eagle are six heraldic district/state symbols, a swastika, and the words 'SUD-HANNOVER/ BRAUNSCHWEIG'.

This Nazi Germany Winterhilfswerk (winter help work/winter relief) day badge for the Gau Southern Hannover- Braunschweig district belonged to Mrs P Starke of Adelaide, South Australia.

The Winterhilfswerk was an annual months-long compulsory charity drive. It was established as early as 1931 by the Heinrich Bruning government, and was adopted and championed by the National Socialist German Workers' Party or Nazi Party as early as 1933. The drive took place through the months of October to May to raise funds for basic needs for the poorest during winter. Food, clothing, coal and other items were were handed out by the Nationalsozialistischm Volkswohlfahrt (National Socialist People’s Welfare Organization), whose slogan was 'none shall starve nor freeze'. Various groups including the Hitler Youth went door to door soliciting donations from the public, and in return gift the latest lapel design or booklet. At times the designs would change as often as weekly so that the public were pressured into contributing money frequently by having the latest badge. By 1945 over 8000 different badges had been produced, in a variety of material and techniques including wood, glass, paper, metal, plastic, leather and amber. People who were not wearing the latest lapel were publically shamed and their names at times printed in the newspaper. Community pressure ensured constant giving from the German people.

This item forms part of a large collection of illegal material that was confiscated from enemy aliens and Fascist organisations in Adelaide at the start of the Second World War. This material was held by the Adelaide Attorney-General's Department for the duration of the war. Decades later, effort was made to reunite the confiscated material with its owner where they could be found, with the remaining material acquired by the Memorial.