FEEDING THE VOLK: FOOD, CULTURE, AND THE POLITICS OF NAZI CONSUMPTION, 1933-1945 By MARK B. COLE A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2011 1 © 2011 Mark B. Cole 2 In memory of my mother 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Researching and writing a dissertation is largely a solitary endeavor, but my experience has been greatly enriched by people and institutions on both sides of the Atlantic. First and foremost I must wholeheartedly thank my Doktorvater, Geoffrey J. Giles, not simply because he had the good sense to take on a graduate student with admittedly peculiar interests (food and Nazis), but because he has been a model advisor and has always unflinchingly “mounted the barricades” on my behalf. His support has been unwavering, his advice always spot on, and his criticisms insightful. While he will always remain a mentor, I am happy to say that over the years he has also become a dear friend. I should also like to thank two other scholars. At the University of Toledo, Larry Wilcox was the first to spark my interest in German history by doing what he does best, being a fabulous teacher. And, from my very first semester as master’s student at the University of Akron to the present day, Shelley Baranowski has been a constant source of support and inspiration. It is a great personal and intellectual debt that I owe her. The University of Florida in general and the Department of History in particular provided an excellent intellectual environment for me to grow as a historian. I am particularly grateful for my other committee members, namely Peter Bergmann, Howard Louthan, Kenneth D. Wald, and Luise White. Their comments and support have been extremely useful. Luise White and Sheryl Kroen deserve special thanks for their efforts during the grant-writing stage of this project for showing me that I was “standing on my head.” UF’s Center for European Studies provided a very helpful summer travel grant during the initial stage of this project. 4 I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Deutsche Akademische Austauschdienst for the generous grant that funded my year-long stay in Berlin and Freie Universität for hosting me. In Germany, I met many wonderful people. Above all, Hasso Spode proved to be an exceptional Betreuer. Not only did he graciously open the doors to his (sadly under-utilized and under-funded) Historisches Archiv zum Tourismus, but our conversations over good food and drink continually forced me to rethink and hone my ideas. I learned much from him. In Munich, I must thank Winfried Süß and Christiane Kuller who not only welcomed me into their home, but Winfried also selflessly shared his notes on several archival holdings to help guide a green researcher along. A number archivists, librarians, and supporting staff in institutions around Germany were helpful in keeping me supplied with useful materials, in particular at the Bundesarchiv Berlin-Lichterfelde, the Landesarchiv Berlin, the Institut für Stadtgeschichte Frankfurt am Main, the Institut für Zeitgeschichte München, the Staatsarchiv Münster, the Brandenburgisches Landeshauptarchiv, the Staatsbibliothek- Berlin, and the Deutsches Institut für Ernährungsforschung in Potsdam-Rehbrücke. I thank them all. I am indebted to Alice Weinreb for steering me toward the rich source base at the latter. One could not have asked for a better (or more delicious) experience, made all the better by the extremely helpful Frau Dagmar Kollhof. During my time in Berlin, I was fortunate to forge new friendships with many people. Stephen Scala provided a welcome reprieve from the monotony of research during our many lunches and coffee breaks. My family truly enjoyed the time we spent on weekends getting to know the Kerschies family. Tatjana, Jörg, and Tara, we thank you. Some of my fondest memories of Berlin were forged in an unlikely place for an 5 academic: the pool room. I always looked forward to the Tuesday-evening tournament at the Billard House-Friedrichshain and interacting with “real” Berliners. Thanks go to all my Billardgenossen/innen, especially Bernhard Mönch. Most importantly, I must thank my family who provided the love and support that made it all possible. My wife Christine selflessly put her career on hold while I pursued mine. Moreover, she has somehow endured moving six times in eight years! I could never repay her for the devotion and patience she has shown, but I will spend a lifetime trying. Our daughters Sofiya, Alivia, and Elana are an absolute joy and have made the entire experience remarkable and are daily reminders of what is truly important in life. My father and mother inlaw, Manuel and Zenaida Malay, gave indispensible support at various times in the form of childcare. While both my parents, Herb and Nancy Cole, instilled in me the importance of education, it was my mother who pushed me to be the first in our family to get a college degree. Although she never imagined I would take it this far, where I am today has everything to do with her. Sadly she died before her son finally ever got around to finishing school. I hope I have made her proud. I miss her greatly. 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................. 4 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................. 9 ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................... 11 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION: MOVING BEYOND GUNS AND BUTTER ................................. 12 Historiography ......................................................................................................... 17 Sources and Chapter Summaries ........................................................................... 29 2 THE STARVED SPIRIT OF 1914 AND ITS (NAZI) DISCONTENTS ...................... 33 Slithering over the Brink .......................................................................................... 36 The “Stab-in-the-Back” Legend ............................................................................... 48 A Darréan Take on WWI ......................................................................................... 53 “Not Enough to Live on—too Little to Die on:” Food and the Great Depression ...... 65 3 NO ONE SHALL GO HUNGRY OR FREEZE ......................................................... 76 The Ideological Origins of Nazi Social Welfare ....................................................... 81 National Socialist People’s Welfare ........................................................................ 87 Winter Relief ........................................................................................................... 97 Gauging Success .................................................................................................. 110 4 THE COOKING SPOON IS OUR WEAPON ......................................................... 123 German Women, Mothers, and Housewives ........................................................ 125 German Housewives and the National Economy .................................................. 132 Nazi Women’s Organizations and the Four Year Plan .......................................... 134 Changing the German Diet ................................................................................... 144 Food from German Soil ......................................................................................... 159 The Fight against Waste ....................................................................................... 173 Pigs and Potatoes: The Nutritional Relief Campaign (EHW) ................................ 178 5 FEEDING THE WORKERS: NUTRITION SCIENCE, LABOR EFFICIENCY, AND HOT FACTORY MEALS .............................................................................. 184 Food and the German Workers’ Lot ...................................................................... 190 The People’s Nutrition........................................................................................... 194 The Beauty of Labor and Factory Canteens ......................................................... 207 Nazi Cooking Schools ........................................................................................... 219 7 6 CONCLUSION: FOOD, WAR, AND THE PARADOX OF CONSUMPTION ......... 227 APPENDIX A BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................... 242 Archives ................................................................................................................ 242 Periodicals ............................................................................................................ 242 Published Primary Sources ................................................................................... 243 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH .......................................................................................... 263 8 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS Abt. V/H Abteilung für Volkswirtschaft/Hauswirtschaft; Department for National Economy/Home Economics BAL Bundesarchiv-Lichterfelde; Federal Archive Berlin-Lichterfelde BdM Bund Deutscher Mädel; League of German Maidens BLH Brandenburgisches Landeshauptarchiv; Brandenburg State Archive DAF Deutsche Arbeitsfront; German Labor Front DFO Deutscher Frauenorden; Order of German Women DFW Deutsches Frauenwerk;