Ersatz (1871); Ersatz Coffee (1918)

[Mary Jane]

Ersatz is a German adjective meaning "substitute" but which has also evolved
to mean something like "make-believe".  While I always associate it with the
privations of the global Depression in the '30s and the then privations of
wartime during and immediately after the Third Reich, it would be
interesting to know the cultural context for its adoption in the late 19th
Century....and how it came to be adopted by English speakers then and in
what context it was used (political or military?).

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Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2003 8:22 PM
Subject: Ersatz (1871); Ersatz Coffee (1918)


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> Subject:      Ersatz (1871); Ersatz Coffee (1918)
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>
> ERSATZ
>
>    OED and Merriam-Webster have 1875 for "ersatz."  I found "ersatz" in
only the first of the below, but welcome anyone to ruin his or her eyes on
the other six items.
>
>
>   NEWS NOTES.; New York Times (1857-Current file), New York, N.Y.; Jan 18,
1871; pg. 1, 1 pgs
> ("The real army and _ersatz_ reserve--iz., those below the regulation
stature, who, however, are in general quite fit to take the field and are
taller than the French--has not been called out.")
>
>   FRANCE AND PURSSIA.; British Diplomacy in the France-Prussian
Imbroglio.; New York Times (1857-Current file), New York, N.Y.; Aug 15,
1870; pg. 5, 1 pgs
>
>   Classified Ad 11 -- No Title; New York Times (1857-Current file), New
York, N.Y.; Dec 28, 1867; pg. 6, 2 pgs
>
>   Article 1 -- No Title; New York Times (1857-Current file), New York,
N.Y.; Dec 16, 1867; pg. 5, 1 pgs
>
>   THIRTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS.; SECOND SESSION. SENATE.; New York Times
(1857-Current file), New York, N.Y.; Feb 24, 1865; pg. 5, 1 pgs
>
>   FROM UTAH.; A Bold Enterprise--The Deseret Express and Road
Company--Mormonism Speculative--The Bench Laying Aside the
Ermine-Miscellaneous.; Special Correspondence of the N.Y. Daily Times.; New
York Daily Times (1851-1857), New York, N.Y.; Apr 18, 1856; pg. 2, 1 pgs
>
>   LATEST INTELLIGENCE; XXXIId CONGRESS...First Session.. SENATE. HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES. ; New York Daily Times (1851-1857), New York, N.Y.; Dec 18,
1851; pg. 2, 1 pgs
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
> ERSATZ COFFEE
>
>    We discussed "ersatz kaffee" here once before.  I didn't find "kaffee,"
but here's some "coffee."
>
>
>   Reich Gets New Ersatz Coffee; New York Times (1857-Current file), New
York, N.Y.; Jan 3, 1940; pg. 11, 1 pgs
>
>   INSIDE GERMANY: THE MARK OF WAR; INSIDE GERMANY; By OTTO D. TOLISCHUS,
Dever from Black Star, Dever from Black Star, Dever from Black Star,
European; New York Times (1857-Current file), New York, N.Y.; Dec 17, 1939;
pg. 102, 4 pgs
>
>   SPAIN PAINFULLY RISES FROM RUINS; The People Work and Play Once More,
but Militarism and Distress Are Evident; By E. NEVILLE HART; New York Times
(1857-Current file), New York, N.Y.; Aug 13, 1939; pg. E5, 1 pgs
>
>   BOOKS OF THE TIMES; By JOHN CHAMBERLAIN; New York Times (1857-Current
file), New York, N.Y.; Jan 16, 1935; pg. 15, 1 pgs
>
>   FOUND FOOD ENOUGH IN BELGIAN CITIES; American Observer Was Also
Surprised at Relative Plenty in Alsace. DUE TO GERMANS' RETREAT Armistice
Prevented Their Ravaging These Sources Which Had Supplied Their Armies.; By
WALTER DURANTY. Copyright, 1918, by The New York Times Company Special Cable
to THE NEW YORK TIMES.; New York Times (1857-Current file), New York, N.Y.;
Dec 3, 1918; pg. 5, 1 pgs
> ("...bread, butter and sugar gratis, and a vile ersatz coffee, with
genuine homemade cordial, 1 mark.")
>