Qorkz Book Club - Wine & War

We have learned so much about WWII and the Nazis over the years but this was an eye-opener for me.  While achieving the goal of conquering an old enemy, the Nazi regime had a separate goal of stripping France of its wealth and treasures.  Much attention has been paid to art looted from conquered lands, but there was more involved.  They wanted France's wine.

This book looks at the stories of how the French worked to rebuild their viticultural heritage after years of war and infestation only to be faced with occupation by the Germans and their rapacious desire for French wine.  Various regions were put under the control of administrators known as Weinführers whose job was to collect the highest quality wines from their charges.  

The experiences of the various wine regions depended on the individual in charge but was also dependant on whether the Germans could claim the a region as part of a traditional German realm.  For instance, Alsace, which speaks a more Germanic dialect and had been part of Prussia in the past had their men conscripted into the German army.  The Alsatians, however, considered themselves French and where constantly at odds with their occupiers in ways that other Frenchmen didn't experience.

I highly recommend this book for people who love wine, history and France.