Germany once possessed a long and storied history of collectable cigarette and trading cards that went all but extinct following the Second World War.The tradition started with pictures printed on the inside of wrappers, which later evolved into cards included in the packaging.

While the cards are today known as ‘cigarette cards’, cigarettes were a luxury before WWI and the vast majority of Germans were not smoking, giving cigarette companies little reason to include collectable cards in the packaging. However, WWI changed this, as it did many other things. The distribution of cigarettes to the troops in the trenches would lead to much more widespread smoking after the war.

It was this time that one of the most prolific producers of cigarette cards would come into existence. Reemtsma, a cigarette company founded in 1910, would print its first series in 1923 and would later introduce the concept of picture coupons, which would change the way cigarette cards were collected in Germany. Picture coupons could be collected and then exchanged for a set of pictures. This system was much more favorable to collectors because it meant more collectors were less likely to acquire only half the series before production stopped, there were a variety of series to choose from, and a set of cards nearly always arrived in mint condition.

Card series could be on a variety of subjects, and often there were albums published in which the pictures could be stored. These albums were essentially texts with spaces left blank where the cards could be added in to act as illustrations.

The rise of the NSDAP (National Socialist German Worker’s Party) brought changes to collectable cigarette cards. The 1930s featured cards that celebrated the NSDAP and its achievements. As the NSDAP, and indeed Hitler himself, were very much against smoking, this was probably an attempt by some companies to stay in business, regardless of how they actually felt about the party and its leadership.

Newspapers of the 1930s also changed to suit NSDAP agenda. Often they were taken over by the Third Reich’s Propaganda Ministry, which used various forms of media to enforce party ideology. Books, films, newspapers, magazines, posters, and radio programs were all used to influence public opinion.

However, the NSDAP had other motives besides producing propaganda, some of which genuinely benefitted the German public. The Winterhilswerk (WHW) was a charitable organization intended to provide necessities to less fortunate Germans during the winter months. In exchange for donations, collectable items were distributed as well as a paper cards that verified a citizen had participated that month.

Examples of cigarette cards, propaganda, Winterhilfswerk items, and other WWII ephemera were collected by Harold S. Griswold during his service.

Harold S. Griswold (1907 – 1986) was one of four brothers from Fort Madison, Iowa, who served in World War II. After graduating from the University of Iowa with a degree in Sanitary Engineering, he joined the US army and served from 1942 to 1946.

During the war he was assigned to the V Corps and served in Belgium and Germany. While in Germany, Captain Griswold worked on water systems of bombed out cities and helped to supervise the health of displaced persons in refugee and concentration camps.

After the war he served as acting director of the Southwestern Branch Office of the Indiana State Board of Health in Washington, Indiana.

His son, Harold E. Griswold, is Professor Emeritus of Music at Towson University.