Does anyone have evidence that German troops in the First World War were provided with tins of Fray Bentos Corned Beef?
Bernard
Fray Bentos, Urugauy and Corned Beef
Re: Fray Bentos, Urugauy and Corned Beef
Bernard,
I remember from an older documentary, or interview about World War I, that some German front line units are said to have always looked for white bread and corned beef in enemy positions after an assault.
Perhaps there is a grain of truth in these memories ?
Unfortunately, I personally do not know if corned beef was part of the German troop rations at that time ?
Hans
There is a photo of my great-grandfather Franz Folkerts from 1916, a beautiful large family photo.
Franz, his wife, and two small daughters, taken during a home leave, in the years of the war.
At that time still a young man, one sees in the photo a haggard man, marked by hunger and suffering, actually already at that time an old man already in young years.
A small treasure from the family heritage, 1916, and already almost not true anymore...
Source: https://hoerspiele.dra.de/vollinfo.php?dukey=4665790For the first time in a long time, there is silence in the no-man's land between the positions of the opposing armies. The machine guns are silent, bullets remain in the ammunition boxes. Hundreds of soldiers have fallen in recent days and lie dead in the barbed wire. The First World War in southwestern Belgium is taking a Christmas break. On one side German soldiers have dug in, on the other English. It is Christmas Eve, and in the stillness of that night, the troops hear lone men singing or playing the harmonica. A sergeant in the English army climbs out of his trench and walks slowly toward the Germans, a can of corned beef under his arm. When he returns, he has German cigarettes and cigars with him. Now they all dare to come out and wish each other "Merry Christmas" and "Frohe Weihnachten. The Christmas peace lasts a few days. Then the cannons thunder again. And some kill the others again.
I remember from an older documentary, or interview about World War I, that some German front line units are said to have always looked for white bread and corned beef in enemy positions after an assault.
Perhaps there is a grain of truth in these memories ?
Unfortunately, I personally do not know if corned beef was part of the German troop rations at that time ?
Hans
There is a photo of my great-grandfather Franz Folkerts from 1916, a beautiful large family photo.
Franz, his wife, and two small daughters, taken during a home leave, in the years of the war.
At that time still a young man, one sees in the photo a haggard man, marked by hunger and suffering, actually already at that time an old man already in young years.
A small treasure from the family heritage, 1916, and already almost not true anymore...
The paradise of the successful lends itself perfectly to a hell for the unsuccessful. (Bertold Brecht on Hollywood)
Re: Fray Bentos, Urugauy and Corned Beef
THANK YOU Hans. MUCH appreciated.
It would appear that the popularity of corned beef led to the contraction of a corned beef factory in Germany where several hundred cows were slaughtered every day... I can't remember the name of the town or the company.
Are you open for another non-related to Frat Bentos question?
I'm trying to find out what happened to Richard Kuehnel (born 1.6.1916 in Rheydt, near Dusseldorf. He was one of the crew of LAUENBURG meteorological observation ship 'rescued'' before it was sunk by British in June 1941. He landed by fishing boat near Trondheim in April 1942 claiming to have escaped from a British internment camp and stolen the boat.... What happened to him? How can I find out?
It would appear that the popularity of corned beef led to the contraction of a corned beef factory in Germany where several hundred cows were slaughtered every day... I can't remember the name of the town or the company.
Are you open for another non-related to Frat Bentos question?
I'm trying to find out what happened to Richard Kuehnel (born 1.6.1916 in Rheydt, near Dusseldorf. He was one of the crew of LAUENBURG meteorological observation ship 'rescued'' before it was sunk by British in June 1941. He landed by fishing boat near Trondheim in April 1942 claiming to have escaped from a British internment camp and stolen the boat.... What happened to him? How can I find out?
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Sid Guttridge
- Member
- Posts: 10162
- Joined: 12 Jun 2008, 12:19
Re: Fray Bentos, Urugauy and Corned Beef
Hi BernardO,
I don't know the specific circumstances to which you refer, but apparently tinned corned beef, if properly stored, can remain in prime condition for 3-5 years and still be edible long after that.
So, theoretically, in 1918 the Germans could still have been eating Uruguayan Fray Bentos tinned corn beef bought commercially before the war broke out in 1914 without ill effects! (However, given the food shortages, whether they could have restrained themselves from opening such a tin earlier is another matter.)
Cheers,
Sid.
I don't know the specific circumstances to which you refer, but apparently tinned corned beef, if properly stored, can remain in prime condition for 3-5 years and still be edible long after that.
So, theoretically, in 1918 the Germans could still have been eating Uruguayan Fray Bentos tinned corn beef bought commercially before the war broke out in 1914 without ill effects! (However, given the food shortages, whether they could have restrained themselves from opening such a tin earlier is another matter.)
Cheers,
Sid.