A German supermarket chain became the subject of controversy after they started selling a soup product from the era of East Germany’s Communist dictatorship.
German supermarket giant REWE has begun to sell “NVA-Feldsuppe”, or “NVA field soup” in its East German branches – a product which was popular during the Cold War in East Germany under the Soviet proxy state of the German Democratic Republic (GDR).
Made of yellow peas, pork belly, vegetables and bockwurst, the product was enjoyed by many in the Communist state before the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s.
As reported by German news outlet Tagesschau, the product was originally sold online by a small family company called “Kelles Suppen-Manufaktur,” or “Kelles Soup Manufacturing.”
“East German men and women enthusiastically spoon up the soup that is reminiscent of old army times,” the Kelles website said, adding that there is “huge demand” for the item.
“The ‘NVA field soup’ is reclaiming stomachs.”
Reportedly, the item was so popular once brought back by Kelles, that it was difficult for a small company to keep up with the demand, leading to Germany’s second biggest food retailer, REWE, to stock the product themselves.
However, while the soup may be nostalgic for some, for others it represents something darker.
The cans featured the coat of arms of the brutal Communist police-state of the GDR, which was known for food shortages and widespread poverty, leading some to say it makes light of a terrible time in German history.
Germany’s Federal Foundation for Reappraisal is an organisation founded by the modern German state, and is responsible for analysing the “causes, history and consequences” of the GDR dictatorship.
This group was highly critical of REWE’s decision to stock the product on its shelves, saying it was “downplaying of injustice in the GDR.”
“When the second largest food retailer in Germany justifies GDR nostalgia products solely with customer requests and the legal situation, it is not the cans that are the scandal,” the group said in a press release.
“REWE’s answer is an expression of a lack of history that leaves you stunned, because the group refuses to take any responsibility.”
However, REWE has shot back, insisting that the product’s sale is appropriate, as people in East Germany have their own “cultural identity” regarding food and product choices.
The company said that the Communist logo makes the product more authentic, adding that they are manufactured with the supervision of a former GDR navy cook who knows all the recipes to ensure it is as close to the original taste as possible.