1921 - German Nature Protection Park Association - 1 Mark (Rare)

CA$10.00

Main Title:
“Hilfsschein des Vereins Naturschutzpark e.V. Sitz Stuttgart” —
translates to “Aid Note of the Nature Protection Park Association, Stuttgart.”
Below it reads “Gutschein über eine Mark” (“Voucher for one Mark”).
Left Side Text:
States that the note is valid only in the guesthouses of the Nature Park Association in Wilsede and Niederhaverbeck, in the Soltau district (Hanover), until December 31, 1921.
Right Side Text:
Notes that the Association’s office in Stuttgart (Pfizerstraße 5) guarantees redemption of the note.
Hand-signed by the association’s treasurer.
Central Image:
A pastoral woodland scene — trees and grazing deer in silhouette, symbolizing nature preservation in the Lüneburg Heath (Lüneburger Heide).
The design evokes calm and reverence for nature, matching the association’s environmental mission.
Bottom Motto:
“Erhaltet dem deutschen Volk den Heidepark”
— “Preserve the Heath Park for the German people.”

🕊️ Historical Context

This is not a typical municipal Notgeld but an eco-charity voucher, issued by Germany’s first national conservation organization.

The Verein Naturschutzpark, founded in 1909, sought to preserve natural landscapes threatened by industrialization. The funds from this “Hilfsschein” series supported the purchase and protection of the Lüneburg Heath, which became Germany’s first official nature reserve.

These notes were accepted as payment in park facilities and inns, serving both as local currency and donation receipts for environmental conservation — making them an early example of “green” fundraising.