Reservist mug
In Germany in the 19th and 20th centuries, reservist jugs are drinking vessels bought by conscript soldiers at the end of their service life and used as souvenirs .
nature
They were richly decorated with pictures from everyday soldiers' life, supplemented with inscriptions and sayings about duties and longings. In addition to the former regiment or battalion of the reservist and its location, the name of the owner and his period of service were recorded, often framed by national symbols. Sometimes the names of his comrades from the same unit were listed in addition to the name of the pitcher owner.
Initially, reservist jugs were designed freehand by painters . With increasing demand, the manufacturers ran out of painters and the contours were drawn on the jug by means of a steel engraving via the detour of a paper moistened with it, which was placed around the jar wall, and the outlines were then mass-produced. Later there was a production using applied decals and only the individual names were painted on by hand. This made the jugs cheaper and affordable for less wealthy soldiers.
The jugs usually have a tin lid , sometimes this has a small opening through which a picture, such as a view of the garrison town, is visible. The bottom of the pitcher is sometimes designed as a lithophane .
use
It was a pride in showing that you had served. The jugs were ordered from representatives who traveled from garrison to garrison with template books. After the First World War , the tradition of reservist jugs ended. Today they are popular collector's items, which is why reproductions are also made and sometimes incorrectly offered as originals. For other reservists memorabilia, see reservistika .
literature
- Siegmund Schaich: German reservist beer mugs, contemporary witnesses of the imperial era from 1871 to 1918 ISBN 978-3-00-042388-8
