Rationbooks during WWII
Lotte Evans (rylcae@minyos.its.rmit.EDU.AU)
Thu, 23 May 1996 20:45:26 +1000
Mary Haas asked what rationing was like during the war years and I am
trying to recall as much as possible. Please keep in mind that I was 6
years old when the war started.
Rationing in Austria I believe started in 1940. Just about all food
stuffs where available only with coupons listed in ones ration books.
There were some differences depending if it was for a child or adult.
There were also differences for adults, my father who was a scaffold
rigger foreman was eligible for a bigger meat ration as he was classified
as a Schwerarbeiter, a man who did heavy work. Sugar was rationed and one
could choose either sugar or jam for these coupons.
Children would get extra milk ( a half pint) at school. I remember that
my mother would swap her and the childrens meat coupons for bread coupons.
With the extra bread she would cook dumplings which were much more filling
than meat. There was never enough to eat and to my shame I remember that
when we went into the cellar during an air raid my mother would take our
weekly rations along, after an hour or so I would feel bored( you couldnt
move around and had to sit still) and one of my ploys was to ask for
something to eat. My mother would reply that what she had in
her bags was for tonight, tomorrow etc. and I would say what's the good of
that if a bomb hits us and I am dead and all that food wasted. I know
that it is stupid but I still cringe when I think about it.
Clothing was also rationed, I am sorry I do not remember a lot about this
aspect. All I remember was that for shoes there were first and second
class coupons.
Families with several children were eligible for extra money
(Kinderbeihilfe) but my family was not eligible because of the Jewish
background.
There was also a one off payment if a family member joined the army by
conscription. My oldest brother turned eighteen in 1940 and was
straightaway conscripted. My mother received app. 80 Marks but we had to
pay it back when a neigbour reported to the Nazi Party that my great
grandparents had been Jews. The kept my brother in the army but they sure
asked for their money back.
Well that's about all I can recall about rationing during the war.
I intend to post a message about rationing after the war in the near
future. But in the meantime it would be interesting to read what it was
like in other parts of the world. So come on lets hear from other members
of the Memories list.
Lotte Evans