Beer Stein? Shaving mug? Help.

My dad and I got this from an old turn of the century Wisconsin dump site. We used to dig for old blob-top bottles, and we came across this. I have been sitting on it since we got it in 1991'. We thought it might either be an old ceramic beer stein (the written inscription going around the mug toward the bottom is written in German). Although it seems too small to be a beer stein, at only 5 inches, my dad thought it might have been a shaving mug. It is in poor shape as you can see by the photos. It does have some heavy cracks (as you can also see) , but it is surprisingly all still in one piece. I fear that if I try and clean it up real good one of the deep cracks will break all the way through. If you can give my any insight into what this is just out of historical curiosity, it would be greatly appreciated. Or possibly direct me to whom might provide me with some insight.
Thank you,
Chris