WHW Tinnie - or is it??

[gebirgaussie]

How's this for an unusual tinnie badge? I bought this from a dealer in the US who thought it was an Edelweiss tinnie (like a sweetheart brooch of some kind). I sent the photo to a collector in the Netherlands. He told me he had an identical badge and had been told it was a U-boat sweetheart lapel!! I then sent the photo to a collector in Germany who said straight away that it is not an edelweiss, but a rose, and it was given out on street corners to anyone who donated a small amount of money to the Winterhilfswerk. He tells me they are very common in Germany. I would be interested to hear the views of anyone else on this forum. I personally believe that my German contact is correct about this tinnie. Were they from a particular region of Germany? If they are so common then why don't we see them more often?
Ian
Photo of WHW Rose Tinnie

[Marc Sherriff]

WHW des Deutschen Volkes 1936/1937.

Available across Germany on the 2nd and 3rd January 1937, a Rose 32 x 28 mm in white metal (also found in a gold colour). Over 16 million produced. Value today 2-5 euros. The gold coloured Rose is less common.

[gebirgaussie]

Marc, Thank you for the great information! You would be surprised how many Third Reich collectors I have shown this badge too and they say they have never seen it before. One collector even denied that it had anything to do with the Third Reich, saying it was "probably just a rose society badge"!