Rare WWII Nazi German Third Reich Bone Collection Sammelbogen – 1kg Knochen Kernseife Soap Card

Unusual and scarce WWII German home-front recycling and rationing ephemera, issued under the authority of the Reichskommissar für Altmaterialverwertung (Reich Commissioner for the Utilization of Waste Materials).

This is a Sammelbogen, or collection sheet, approximately postcard size but printed on thin paper/card stock rather than conventional postcard stock.

The sheet was designed to hold five individual 1-kilogram bone collection stamps. One original green stamp remains attached in the upper-right position, while the other four spaces are empty.

The attached stamp reads:

“1 kg KNOCHEN ABGELIEFERT”
“Der Reichskommissar für Altmaterialverwertung”

Translation:

“1 kg of bones delivered”
“The Reich Commissioner for the Utilization of Waste Materials”

The large printed text reads:

“SAMMELBOGEN – FÜR 5 MARKEN ERHÄLT MAN IM HANDEL 1 STÜCK KERNSEIFE”

Translation:

“COLLECTION SHEET – For 5 stamps, one receives 1 bar of hard soap through the retail trade.”

Historical Significance

This is a fascinating example of the German wartime raw-material salvage and recycling system. Households could turn in collected bones, which were an important recyclable raw material. A 1 kg collection stamp was issued for the qualifying amount delivered.

Once five 1 kg stamps had been accumulated on this sheet—representing 5 kilograms of bones—the completed sheet entitled the holder to obtain one piece of Kernseife, or hard household soap.

Period information from 1944 specifically discusses the system and states that the bones had to be air-dried and free of meat and grease to qualify.

This is therefore more than simply a ration coupon: it documents the wartime system of exchanging strategically useful salvage material for scarce civilian consumer goods.

Condition

Original period example showing age appropriate to its use. One original 1 kg Knochen stamp remains attached; four stamp spaces are empty. The sheet is approximately postcard size and made from relatively thin paper. Please see all photographs, including the ruler image, for exact dimensions and condition.

A very interesting and unusual piece of WWII German home-front, rationing, recycling and civilian economic history.

Rarity / Value

This is a genuinely collectible piece. I found a specialist German militaria dealer currently offering the same type of “Sammelbogen für 5 Marken … 1 Stück Kernseife,” DIN A6 for €60.

Because yours retains one of the original 1 kg bone stamps, I would price it at $69.95–$79.95 on TRS. I would probably start at $79.95.

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