The Transformation of Cattle Feet to Torpedo Oil: A Case Study in Nazi German Wartime Recycling

In January 1940, the Wehrmacht had only a two-month supply of torpedo oil, an irreplaceable lubricant derived solely from the feet and shinbones of slaughtered cattle. The Wehrmacht resolved this shortage by appointing the man responsible for its supply during the First World War: Alfons Knetsch. Th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:War in history 2024-04, Vol.31 (2), p.163-185
Main Author: Denton, Chad B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cattle
Knowledge management
Lubricants
R&D
Raw materials
Recycling
Research & development
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Summary:In January 1940, the Wehrmacht had only a two-month supply of torpedo oil, an irreplaceable lubricant derived solely from the feet and shinbones of slaughtered cattle. The Wehrmacht resolved this shortage by appointing the man responsible for its supply during the First World War: Alfons Knetsch. This case study shows not only the importance of knowledge transfer from one war to the other but also how competing industrial interests shaped Nazi recycling policy and how an efficient, vigorously managed recycling organization could buy time for the research and development of substitutes, overcoming seemingly impossible raw material bottlenecks.
ISSN:0968-3445
1477-0385
DOI:10.1177/09683445231161309