Stove, Esbit and Fuel, Original 2WW, German

What were Esbit stoves used for?

Prior to 1945 there were a few different types of these stoves offered, of which the most commonly encountered today is the Model 9. Esbit stoves were issued to German soldiers in 2WW and were also available for soldiers to buy.

Stove, Esbit and Fuel, Original 2WW, German  - 8-300x281“Esbit” is a type of hexamine-based solid fuel invented in Germany in 1936. The name is an acronym for the initials of the inventor, Erich Schumm, and “Brenstoff in Tablettform” (Fuel in Tablet Form). The Erich Schumm company (later the Esbit company) also made small, portable stoves for use with this fuel. They were advertised as a way to warm food and beverages for sport and hiking, for travel, and for workers to use on their breaks. They are mentioned in memoirs written by Wehrmacht soldiers and also in memoirs of American troops who served in Europe and used these as captured items. It is reasonable to conclude they must have been fairly common among Wehrmacht troops as they are very handy and practical items to use.

Stove, Esbit and Fuel, Original 2WW, German  - image2The wartime Model 9 Esbit stove is made of zinc-coated steel. With use, the zinc coating wears away or is possibly burned off by the heat of the burning fuel. The bare steel is extremely susceptible to rust, and black residue from the burned fuel builds up on the inside of the stove. These are not things that were intended to be used forever. They were cheap and had a limited lifespan with extensive use. The original wartime Model 9 is now collectible and not extremely common. Production of the Model 9 continued after the war, with some design updates. Other nations and armies also made different types of similar stoves for their own troops after the war.

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