The displayed pack contains 20 filtered cigarettes. During World War II, cigarettes were a mandatory item in Wehrmacht rations. Most of the packs contained the daily allowance of six cigarettes set in 1941. This restriction resulted from the anti-smoking campaigns in Nazi Germany. The women who performed support functions in the Wehrmacht were forbidden to smoke. The president of the Medical Association in Germany declared, “German women don’t smoke!” The Nazis were concerned about the effects of tobacco on genetics, it was regarded as a cause of infertility, cancer, and heart attacks, and a hazard to the national welfare and health of the nation. The Nazi regime undertook an aggressive anti-smoking campaign that included extensive health awareness programs, as well as bans on certain types of advertising and smoking in public places. Despite all the restrictions, tobacco products remained popular in Germany, particularly among soldiers. The largest cigarette factory in Germany was Reemtsma with a share of about 60% of the market, while other major manufacturers included Waldorf Astoria, Josetti, and Eckstein-Halpaus. After the annexation of Austria by Germany, a large Austrian network of tobacco factories Austria Tabakwerke became part of the German tobacco industry.

As a rule, each cigarette was labeled with the logo of the tobacco factory. In general, cigarette packs were made of cardboard and consisted of a rectangular container and a sleeve with the pull tab fixed with a glued excise stamp. However, there were other designs of packs made of soft cardboard, paper, or tin.

Tobacco became scarce in Germany only towards the end of the war when the Red Army liberated Bulgaria and Romania with their tobacco plantations. During that time, “ersatz” (substitute) cigarettes appeared which had tobacco mixed with other substances. At least, such cigarettes did not spark, unlike similar ersatz cigarettes of the Red Army. The most widespread cigarettes in the Wehrmacht were Ekstein No. 5 and Juno, along with many other brands.