Die Verwertung des Knochens

The utilisation of bone

In National Socialist Germany, the mobilisation of people to salvage materials started in the mid-1930s. The aim was economic self-sufficiency but salvage quickly became a contribution to the country’s armament. During the Second World War, the Nazis moved far beyond relying on citizens to collect waste as part of their patriotic contribution to the war effort, and they widely used forced labour to constrain people categorised as ‘unworthy’ and prisoners of war to collect the waste. Jewish scrap merchants and rag-and-bone collectors were also excluded from the waste business. This educational display board explains all the possible transformations and uses of bones, from the chemical industry to agriculture. It is part of a series of similar boards, including ones on the processing of old metals and on brewing. Bones have always been used to produce several kinds of objects. In the 19th century, the developing chemical industry invented new processes and uses. Bones were abundant in ever expanding cities in which people were increasingly consuming meat and relying on animal-drawn transport. The developing food industry, in particular, made wide use of bones, transforming them into gelatine, or bone or ‘animal’ char. Obtained by burning bones, bone char was mainly used to decolourise (beet) sugar. This use became more widespread during the sugar consumption boom of the 19th century. As early as 1815, the bones of soldiers who fell at the Battle of Waterloo were being used in sugar production. This shocks us today but was very typical of the profit-oriented economy of the 19th century, when all sorts of waste were considered to be potential raw materials.

Inscription Position: Central top Die Verwertung des Knochens Translation: The bone's utilisation

Maker's mark Position: Right corner, bottom Offsetdruck von Gebr. Wasserab, Leipzig 05 Translation: Offset print by the Brothers Wasserab, Leipzig 05

Maker's mark Position: Central, bottom Bearbeitet von Dr. W. Haferkorn und H. Priemer von der Hochschule für Lehrerbildung in Leipzig Translation: Developed by Dr. Dr. W. Haferkorn and H. Priemer from the High school for Teachers Education in Leipzig

Label Position: left corner bottom A. Pichlers Witwe & Sohn, Wien Lehrmittelanstalt - Buchhandlung V/55, Margaretenplatz, 2 Translation: A. Pichlers Witwe & Son, Vienna Education materials' shop - Library V/55, Margaretenplatz, 2 Method: paper label pasted on the print