Rations of the Wehrmacht, SS and ordinary Germans

[Schokakola]

I have ordered the milk chocolate version, but it has yet to arrive, as it is coming from the United Kingdom. I think it will be very delicious.

I thought the chocolate ration that was the only thing those with dysentery could tolerate was a Hershey's Tropical Bar?

[housil]

I thought the chocolate ration that was the only thing those with dysentery could tolerate was a Hershey's Tropical Bar?

I guess in lack of antibiotics, there wasn´t any before Penicillin was intended 1941-43, they tried to cure the diarrhea with the known effect, that chocolate "clogs" (congest).

[rationtin440]

I'm not sure if the Hershey's Tropical chocolate bar would have been well-tolerated or not. I recall reading something many years ago which mentioned the benefits of dark chocolate, and as housil mentioned the congesting effect on the bowels. I do recall my dad's uncles saying that the D-Ration bar was very solid and guys who tried to bite off a piece would usually break their teeth. Another bizarre side-effect of that ration that he mentioned was that you could tell who the guys were that ate it for several days; their breath smelled like kerosene! I'd say about the best effect you could hope for with a ration like that would be relief of diarrhea.

[donaldjcheek]

Schokakola

Welcome to the forum.

When you set about recreating German rations, don't forget that the Germans DID NOT have a standardized ration, but rather a standard ration scale - all sorts of substitutions were not only allowed, but actually planned for. What the German soldier got in his mess kit depended very much on (a) his authorized ration class* (combat troops & troops in the Arctic got more than an office clerk in Germany, for instance) and (b) what was available.

For example, troops in North Africa were fed dried beans & macaroni rather than potatoes, olive oil instead of butter, and canned Italian beef in place of fresh meat or sausage. Troops on the Russian front often got kasha (boiled buckwheat groats) in lieu of potatoes.

Also bear in mind that foods and packaging in 1939-45 were different from today. No large Idaho baking potatoes, for example, but rather small, waxy red & brown "hard" potatoes, and small red & green apples instead of the big Red Delicious we have here in the US. Cans were smooth, slab-sided, often with soldered joins, with thicker walls than the thin ribbed cans we use today. No plastic packaging, and aluminum being a strategic commodity, very little use of foil; most things came in bulk crates, or wrapped in paper or sealed in cellophane.

In theory, German soldiers were issued food once per day, at noon. Dinner would usually be issued as a soup or stew and comprised 1/2 of the daily ration. Supper & breakfast, issued at the same time, normally consisted of items the soldier could eat without further preparation; supper comprised 1/3 of the daily ration and breakfast 1/6. If the tactical situation allowed, hot beverages and perhaps a thin soup would be provided for supper, and coffee or tea for breakfast.

*Ration Class I (Verpflegungssatz I) was for troops committed to combat, those recuperating from combat, those training for combat, and units stationed north of 66° North latitude. Class II was for occupation and line-of-communication troops, Class III for garrison troops within Germany, and Class IV for office workers and nurses inside Germany.

[donaldjcheek]

Schokakola

Here's some information I researched on civilian rationing in Germany during WW2:

BEFORE May 1942, (theoretical) civilian weekly rations in Germany were:
-10,600 g bread = 353.33 g (12.5 oz) per day
-2000 g general food stuffs = 66.66 g (2.3 oz) per day
-900 g sugar = 1.06 oz per day

AFTER May 1942, weekly rations in Germany were reduced to:
-8000 g bread (about a half loaf a day)
-1200 g meat (less than 2 oz meat per day)
-600 g general foods
-130 g sugar

Ration stamps were issued to all civilians. These stamps were color coded and included rations for:
-sugar (white stamps)
-meat (blue stamps)
-fruits & nuts (purple stamps)
-dairy products (yellow stamps)
-eggs (green stamps)
-cooking oil
-grains
-bread
-marmalade (in WW2 Germany, "marmalade" also referred to jams and jelly - citrus products were generally unavailable during the war).
-coffee, almost always kaffee-ersatz (coffee substitute made from roasted barley, oats and chicory, flavored with coal tar chemicals)

Food ration stamps were issued in 10, 25, 50, 100 and 500 gram denominations, depending upon the type of food product authorized, Ration stamps were generally district-specific and had to be used in the district in which they were issued. The stamps were only authorizations to purchase food, and did not entitle civilians to free handouts.

Typical wartime meals:

Breakfast (Frühstück): typically included some type of bread: sliced bread, toast, and/or bread rolls with jam, honey, and/or butter; margarine was often substituted for butter. Eggs were a popular breakfast item, although fresh eggs were not only rationed, but hard to obtain. Grocers sold powdered egg mixes. Coffee was more popular than tea.

Lunch (Mittagessen): The biggest meal would have been lunch. In wartime Germany, stews would have been popular because limited meat could have been eked out with thick sauces and vegetables. A relatively simple meal (from a culinary perspective) could have been made with Spätzle noodles topped with a cream sauce. With cream being unavailable, a housewife could have used thickened condensed milk - perhaps with grated cheese.

Dinner (Abendessen or Abendbrot) was a smaller meal. It typically included bread with meat, sausage, cheese, and/or a vegetable. Sandwiches or open faced sandwiches would have been common, though bread with margarine, sliced cheese, and sliced sausage would also have been eaten.

[donaldjcheek]

Schokakola

If you are looking to recreate the meals a German soldier would have been served in the field, the following were translated from an original wartime Wehrmacht cookbook published in 1942. Wartime German field rations were primarily prepared from fresh bulk foods in a field kitchen, with little to no meat. Portions have been resized for one person. Bear in mind, the German soldier also received 500-600 g bread daily.

Potatoes in Herb Sauce
-500 to 1000 g potatoes
-5 g flour
-5 g onions
-500 ml bone stock or water & soup seasoning
-10 g fat
1. Peel & dice potatoes, set aside
2. Chop onions and cook in fat; add flour and cook together, but do not brown
3. Add water or stock to roux, add potatoes and slowly cook until done
4. Season w/salt & chopped herbs (parsley, chives, dill, chervil, etc.), and if you have any, add chopped pickles, pickle juice or some vinegar to taste

Sweet & Sour Lentils
-120 g lentils
-5 g fat
-300 g potatoes
-10 g soup vegetables (carrots, celery, leek)
1. Rinse & soak lentils, add to ¼ liter boiled bone stock or water and bring to a boil
2. Peel & dice potatoes and add to simmering lentils
3. Clean & dice vegetables, cook in fat, then add to pot and cook 15 minutes. 4. Brown 1 tsp sugar in dry pan, add 1 Tbsp vinegar and stir until sugar dissolves; add to lentil/potato mix
5. Season lentil/potatoes with salt & chopped herbs (parsley, chives, etc.)

Noodles w/Leek & Celery
-up to 120 g noodles
-5 g fat
-100 g leek
-2 g soup spices
-150 grams celery
1. Clean leek & celery, finely dice or cut into strips
2. Cook in 400 ml water or broth until nearly done (for best flavor, first cook part of vegetables in fat
3. Add noodles, bring back to boil and simmer until done
4. Seaon with salt, chopped herbs and soup spices

Pichelsteiner Gemüsetopf
-30 g beef
-5 g fat
-400 g cabbage
-500 g potatoes
-400 g soup vegetables (carrots, celery, leek etc.)
1. Finely dice beef, brown in fat, then boil in 1/8 L water
2. Clean, peel and slice vegetables & potatoes, chop cabbage, and add to beef (for better flavor, cook some of vegetables in fat, then add later)
3. Cook until potatoes & vegetables are done, adding water if needed
4. Season w/salt, pepper and chopped herbs (parsley, chervil, chives)

Carrots w/Potatoes & Pork
-30 g pork
-5 g fat
-600 g carrots
-5 g onion
-400 g potatoes
1. Dice pork, cook in fat, add finely chopped onions and cook, but do not brown
2. Boil together in 1/8 liter water for 20-30 minutes
3. Clean, peel and slice carrots & potatoes, add to broth and simmer
4. When done, season w/salt & chopped parsley

Barley w/Pickles
-30 g fresh or smoked beef
-50 g pickles
-80 g barley
-5 g onion
-300 grams potatoes
-5 g fat
1. Presoak barley and peel and dice potatoes
2. Dice meat and cook in fat; place in 400 ml water w/barley and cook 1 hour
3. Chop onion, sautee in fat, and add to pot along with potates, cooking until potatoes are done
4. Season with diced pickle, chopped herbs (parsley, dill, tarragon), and salt

Macaroni w/Vegetables
-up to 75 g macaroni or spaghetti
-1/4 can mixed vegetables or equivalent in fresh vegetables*
-5 g fat
-10 g tomato paste
-5 g onions
1. Drain can of vegetables, reserving liquid
2. Boil macaroni in 300 ml water + canning liquid for about 10 minutes
3. Sautee onion in fat and add to pot along w/vegetables; cook until vegetables are heated through
4. Season w/tomato paste, salt and chopped herbs (parsley, chives, chervil or wild herbs)
Note: if using fresh vegetables, cook until done beforehand

*I am assuming this meant a 200 g can, but am not certain

Brown Potatoes w/Pickles
-up to 1000 g potatoes
-10 g flour
-10 grams fat
-500 ml soup broth
-5 grams onions
-50 g pickles
1. Boil potatoes w/peel on until almost done; slice into thick rounds
2. Heat fat, stir in flour, add onion and sautee; add soup broth
3. Bring to boil, season w/salt & pepper, vinegar, & thyme; add potatoes
4. Simmer until heated through, dice or slice pickles and add just before serving