German Rations

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Hans
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Post by Hans »

One of my uncles was a very finicky eater. If it wasn't fresh and top quality he refused to eat it. After his stint in the German Army in WWII he ate anything, living, dead, fresh or rancid. If it was swallowable, down the hatch.

- Hans
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Sani116
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Re: Eiserne Ration

Post by Sani116 »

Rudi S. wrote:HN,
I remember what you said about the Eiserne Ration. I believe that we couldn't touch it until 3 days after we received no regular rations. One time, while our tank stood guard at the Narwa Front, our kitchen personnel were finally lucky to drop off an insulated food container (have forgotten the German word for it) a few hundred meters from our tank. I had to retrieve it. Of course, by the time we have gotten it, there was about an inch or so frozen liquid on top of the goulash. We used the Bunsenbrenner (correct word?) to melt the ice and ate some of the goulash. As it was ice-cold and I ate it fast, I got sick in my stomach and gave everything back to mother nature.
At least, it broke the monotony of standing guard in the turret right next to the swamps and forrests.
Are you familiar with the Narwa Front?
Mit besten Grüssen,
Rudi S.
Hallo Rudi and Haen.

Thank you very much for your comments. :D I am wondering though, what was the "normal" sort of rations you were issued with? Was it soup auf die essenbehalter?

A Falschirmjäger veteran was telling one of my comrades the other day exactly the same as you chaps, if you could bearly eat it, it was given. I think one thing we have to left to try is something he could only describe as "dust" bread. I must admit though, its not always the nicest of things to be eating in a cold and wet foxhole.

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Tom.
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Fallschirmjager !
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Post by Fallschirmjager ! »

Thanks for the stories Rudi S. and Haen2

Rudi S.
We used the Bunsenbrenner (correct word?) to melt the ice and ate some of the goulash.
Correct word but the spelling is: Bunsen burner. Not criticizing, your English is a thousand times better than my German!
As it was ice-cold and I ate it fast, I got sick in my stomach and gave everything back to mother nature.
Very eloquently put :up: :D

Nick
Fallschirmjäger - Nick M.
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Rudi S.
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G. I. Bread in German WWII Army

Post by Rudi S. »

Good morning,
we called our bread Kommissbrot (correct word) and also sawdust bread. Again, if I remember correctly, at the front we usually got Gulasch with Kommissbrot.
When in basic training and when, in the FHQ, not standing guard, our rations were not too bad; however, when standing guard (every other day 3 hours on and 3 hours off), they fed us like they feed watch dogs, no large portions. We complained amongst ourselves that we were treated like watch dogs - they stay more alert when hungry.
Have a good day,
Rudi S.
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haen2
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brenner

Post by haen2 »

Hi Rudi
You were correct, we also learned the "Gross-germanisches wort" as Bunsenbrenner (German), as well as Bunsenbrander (dutch.)
Grüssen !!!!, und Besten !
HN
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Rudi Welz
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Rations

Post by Rudi Welz »

Sorry, I can't remember those rations any more (except the Dauerbrot, which, if you opened it, fell in sawdust.
As I said before: in the early 1945 we had to look for our food alone, because there was no regular transportation in southern Germany.
I remember that we were so sad about our "Feldgendarmerie" because they didn't allow os to get food from the trains the Red Cross had stay all over south Germany for american POW's. (The trains were standig till the end of war, I hope the civilians got the food).
Rudi (Arminius)
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haen2
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food

Post by haen2 »

Hi Rudi,
Glad to see you back in the running. Hope you feel beter. I remember the "sawdust" bread also; and sometimes by the time we got it it was green with mold.
another version was "kommis" that had beans- or peas meal in it.
Another one that popped into my mind is: "Knäckerbrot". A kind of matzos, made from flourmill leftovers or so. It was packed in a wrapper that said something like: "Kamerad kennst du Knächerbrot"?
Funny, the stuff is still sold in the US as a specialty to get some 'roughage" in your diet.
HN
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Rudi S.
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Hamsterer

Post by Rudi S. »

The word Hamsterer is keyed after the animal called Hamster, which hoards food.
During WWII, especially city people went to the countryside to farms and rural populations in order to ask for food. They, in our small town, usually came from Munich by train, to go from house to house to ask for clothing and food.
Rudi S.
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Commissar D, the Evil
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Post by Commissar D, the Evil »

Great Thread Guys! I'm learning a lot here! :up:

Best,
David
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Post by chambers »

Thanks gentlemen for the input.

Sawdust bread, I've read about it, doesn't sound very tasty.

Hello Rudi S., sorry to hear you weren't feeling well. I hope you are doing ok.

Brooke
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haen2
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Bread

Post by haen2 »

I have begun baking our own Kommis brot, once a week at home.
The only things I leave out are the caraway and/or cummin seeds.
The family LOVES it.
So I am still good for something afteral. :D :D
Thank heaven for the breadmachine. :wink: :wink: :D
HN
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Sani116
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Post by Sani116 »

Excellent replies, thank you very much gentlemen.

Can I ask one question though? What were your favoured sweets/bonbon's during the war? :D

Tom.
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Rudi S.
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Sweets?

Post by Rudi S. »

Hello all,
I cannot remember to get any 'sweets' - maybe some jelly and maragarine for the Komissbrot.
However, I do remember that during basic- and Panzer training, on Sundays, instead of the 'Malzkaffee' (not real coffee - I think that it was roasted barley), we got some "real" coffee. It was not very strong and we joked about the way it was prepared: "The cooks boiled the shadow of one bean of real coffee".
It is odd that one, after over 60 years, remembers little details like this!
Best,
Rudi S.
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haen2
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goodies

Post by haen2 »

Hi Rudi,
Remember the "Kunsthönig" (initation honey) .
We sometimes got that instead of margarine.
Regards
HN
joined forum early spring of 2002 as Haen- posts: legio :-)

Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think !
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Rudi S.
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Kunsthonig

Post by Rudi S. »

Hello HN,
I vaguely remember it. Hat aber ganz gut geschmeckt, nicht wahr?
BTW, my family and I (5 of us) had planned to visit Germany (mainly Bavaria and Austria); but we cancelled the trip after I couldn't sleep fo a few nights - I worried too much about what could happen if I would get ill - I am the only one in the family who speeks German (well, with a little Bavarian accent). Instead, we are going to enjoy a worry-free vacation in Disney world.
Are you still having a subconcious anxiety syndrom? That's still my problem since the direct hit by a Stalin II (lucky) shot.
Viele Grüsse an Dich und Deine Familie,
Rudi S.
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