European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 5, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Bum Agazine schnapps judgment German spirit rank from the vile to the Sublime polite germans you May have noticed have the custom of Oll eting their guests  an offering is a mixed Blessing schnapps can Lor even the most seasoned Kirin be Range in taste from the vile to the Sublime. But whatever tha Quality of this highly alcoholic substance the drinking always has something of the ritual about it. Several years ago in the Beautiful town of Celle in the Harz mountains a group of gentlemen from the municipal tourist office arranged an excellent meal of their local specially Heidec Mucken a kind of Long legged ancient sheep that Leeds on the native Heather. Alter the marvelous repast they summoned the waiter to break out a bottle of their local schnapps which they themselves admitted was so obnoxious in taste such an insult to the human palate they claimed to Issue diplomas to anyone who would drink three shots of the stuff in one sitting. The very name of the liquid betrayed the Low estimation the natives held of the concoction rate put which translated freely could mean wiped  it Here wat a group of civilized men drinking shots of this stuff in an atmosphere of cultured amusement. Ii was clearly a Case of the ritual being More important than the offering a Triumph of lorm Over Content tradition Over common sense. There s an assortment of various other schnapps drinking rituals that one cannot avoid calling silly or absurd. There s the custom of the East frisians and pomeranians of drinking schnapps from Lead spoons a curious deviation from the practice of taking it in their Lea. After spooning their schnapps they place the spoons on clean dry napkins. The unfortunate Drinker whose Napkin shows any dampness must buy the next round. Another North German ritual that requires a degree of dexterity is trying to hold a schnapps Glass and a Beer Glass in one hand and drink so that the schnapps lows into the Beer before flowing Down the Drinker s Gullet. Luel und Luet they Call it North German dialect for Small schnapps and Small Beer " Amlin boilermaker. The German Bureau of statistics reports that the average schnapps consumption in 1984 was 2.32 liners per person. Thai figure includes All alcohols except Beer and wine. But that statistic does not give a True picture of German drinking habits because the non drinkers of rare drinkers Are not reflected. Before la 10th Century Beer and wine were the intoxicants of Choice among the working class in Europe. Not until the Industrial revolution did the pressure of Dally Ilia Toad the working class to discover the Potency of schnapps. Traditional drinking practices could not accommodate the High alcoholic Content of schnapps. Schnapps Tod to a loss of sociability and intoxication degenerated to total stupefaction. England s rum epidemic was dubbed a social catastrophe by among others 18th-Century writer and journalist Tobias Mollot. Smollet wrote thai there was such an atmosphere of Olcen busness that the innkeepers who sold this Poison displayed Public signs enticing people to get drunk Lor a Penny. For tuppence they could drink themselves into a stupor and Straw Beds were offered free of charge so guests could sleep out their intoxication on the premises. Smollet wrote that after recovering the Hung Over drunks returned to their schnapps and repeated the Cycle until their purses were depleted. Fortunately for the most part society has outgrown such situations. The German language offers a variety of phrases that denigrate alcohol abuse. A schnapps Dee is an idea so worthless that it was probably conceived under the influence of schnapps. A chronic Over indulge to is called either a schnapps nose or vermouth brother and the unfortunate Chap who is comatose from excessive drinking perhaps at oktoberfest or some other such festivity is called either a Beer cadaver or schnapps  a popular carnival song sums up the fruits of alcohol abuse schnapps class Warsen a elites wort Dann Trugen Ihm die Engelen foil schnapps that was his last word then the Angels carried him away. Tuesday november a 1985 the stars and stripes Page 13