Catalogue information
Catalog no: PL1401.3t Current copy Winterhulp was founded on October 22, 1940 by Reich Commissioner Seyss-Inquart. According to parlance, the assistance was aimed at winter. The Winter Aid took the form of a foundation led by a director general who was accountable only to the state commissioner. The first director general was Carel Piek (until June 1) 1942 and the second (and last) Frederik Willem van Vloten (until the collapse of Winter Aid after Mad Tuesday). A national honorary committee and a committee for monitoring finances would have administrative responsibility. The honorary committee included several secretaries-general and all eleven commissioners of the provinces, Meinoud Rost van Tonningen was also a member of the honorary committee. The audit of the finances took place under the leadership of the Secretary General of Finance, LJA Trip. All Dutch mayors were appointed local directors. Each province had an office, and there were also offices in the major cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague. There was also talk of 'circles', including in the Gelderse Vallei, and of local branches, including in Maassluis. The head office had a departmental structure: there were departments for propaganda and information, organization, statistics, purchasing and finance. As a benefit, Winterhulp Nederland issued vouchers with which the recipient could buy food, clothing, shoes and fuel. All stores were required to accept the vouchers. It was forbidden to exchange the vouchers for cash. After application, the WHN first checked whether people were eligible for vouchers.
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