What kind of foods would the average German and Soviet soldier on the Eastern Front eat? Did soldiers and officers have different food? How did the two country's rations compare with each other?

by Bebe_bot
chitoryu12

The first thing to note is that each country's food situation depended on who was winning the war at the time. The Soviets began in virtual famine conditions during Barbarossa, but as the war turned in their favor and they received more Allied aid the Germans started being the ones having supply problems.

Both sides issued a standard ration for eating away from field kitchens as well as an emergency ration to be used when no resupply was available. The Knacker Squaddies reenactment group has used period sources like US Army informational handbooks on other militaries to get the ration lists.

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Standard Soviet ration:

Rye bread almost 2 pounds in winter, 1.75 pounds in summer

Wheat flour 0.7 oz

Grits about 5 oz

Macaroni, or egg noodles 1 oz

Meat 5.25 oz

Fish 3.5 oz

Soy Flour 0.5 oz

Fats lard, chicken fat or bacon grease--About 1 oz

Vegetable oil 0.7 oz

Sugar 1.22 oz

Tea 0.035 oz

Salt 1.05 oz

Vegetables 12.7 oz

Tomato Paste 0.21 oz

Spices 0.01 oz

Tobacco 0.7 oz

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Emergency Soviet ration:

Biscuits 17.5 oz

Concentrated food--Course I (2.6 oz instant soup or enriched biscuits)

Concentrated food--Course II  (7.0 oz instant soup or enriched biscuits)

Smoked Sausages 3.5 oz (substituted by lard, fish conserves, bacon)

Sugar 1.2 oz

Tea 0.07 oz

Salt 0.35 oz

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Standard German ration:

Rye bread 26.5 oz.

Canned meat 10.5 oz. or wurst or käse cheese 5.6 oz.

Vegetables 4.4-6.1 oz.

Spread 0.5 oz.

Coffee 0.17 oz.

Sugar 0.17 oz.

6 cigarettes

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Emergency German ration:

Canned bread 7 oz. or hard biscuits 3.5 oz.

Canned meat 7 oz. or canned meat spread 5.6 oz.

Instant coffee 0.35 oz.

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This was intended as a supplement to field kitchens, not a total replacement for freshly cooked food. German officers especially got much higher quality food while in garrison; the Luftwaffe was notorious for the heavy drinking its pilots did and there are stories of pilots incapacitating themselves with hangovers or drunkenness before flights. When being served by field kitchens, though, you took what you got.

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The Soviets early in the war had a big problem with regular supply, often capturing German food or stealing from civilians to survive. As the war turned, however, Lend-Lease aid ramped up and the Soviets had fewer issues. Canned meat from Allied countries like Spam and British corned beef started appearing regularly in Soviet rations.

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Meanwhile, as Germany got closer and closer to defeat their supply lines started being cut off. There are stories of German soldiers in the Battle of the Bulge virtually starving, stealing half-frozen loaves of bread from houses or eating fallen apples that make them sick. Even water supplies started becoming scarce. American C-Rations were especially prized when captured.