Speaking of ration stretching during the war, and not just pointing out the ability to "hunt" in the USA. This was contributed while the USA was still neutral and had both journaists and diplomats in Nazi Germany in late November of 1940. To a war menu which already included fish-fed poultry (powdered/ground herring), decrepit horses, goats, and numerous zoo animals, Germany last week added those of its dogs which had not been killed by an earlier decree to save food (TIME, July 15). A new law, effective Jan. 1, states that dogs, wolves, foxes, bears, badgers and wild hogs have been legalized as meat. After being inspected for trichina, their carcasses will be dressed, stamped and distributed to butchers for rationing to general consumers. Dog meat has been eaten in every major German crisis at least since the time Frederick the Great, and is commonly referred to as "blockade mutton." It is tough, gamy, strong-flavored. In boiling or roasting, it gives off an odor reminiscent of a neglected zoo. Of European dog breeds, German dachshund is considered the most succulent. (my underline) Cat, known as "roof rabbit," is very like rabbit, except sweeter and tougher. It can be fried like chicken or prepared casserole. Horse meat is dark, coarse, sweet and, except in young horses, very tough. Mixed with pork, it is used Italian and Hungarian salami and is the poor man's meat throughout Europe. General consumers in Germany get only old horses for food because the younger ones go to the Army (for transport work). See: GERMANY: Dachshunds Are Tenderer - TIME In the same issue, the 1940 US slaughter of just turkey alone was over 33 million birds averaging over 14 pounds dressed. And 40 million chickens between 3 and 5 pounds each. Not a dog, cat or horse in the mix. Ah well, you eat what you can when you need to, but gives a new meaning to "the little weiner dog"!
I am (once again) reminded of an episode that I once penned on the BBC WW2 Peoples War Archives and later repeated on this site: The year was 1945, we were at Opicina, just outside Trieste and things were still tight back home. As part of the Regiment’s ‘peacetime’ procedure we used to have morning parades in which the whole regiment took part and the CO took this as an opportunity to address us on matters of importance. On one occasion he told us that he had been annoyed to hear of his troops complaining about the size of their portions at mealtimes. He went on to say that civilians back in England were still having to live on very restricted rations and to shame us all he was having set up at the entrance to the dining hall a table on which would be the civilian’s rations for a week. Having delivered his sermon for the week we were then dismissed to our duties. The very next day the whole regiment was abruptly summoned on an unscheduled parade to be faced by an apoplectic CO. Some had stolen the ‘civilians rations for the week’!!!!!! I can’t remember what terrible punishment he meted out to us for this heinous behaviour, but I still remember the colour of his face when he made his announcement.
