Stein Collectors International
 
~ Man lehrte mich Zoologie ~
 
In the German beer culture, the Kater (tom-cat) is the symbol of a hangover and the Herring (herring) is a cure. So the verse here is a play on words meaning that they didn't teach in zoology class that eating herring would cure a hangover. The stein is marked with the logo of Eckhart & Engler of Hohr and mold number 1291, ca. early 1900's. See: Chris Wheeler's "Stein Marks" for more info on this company.
 
Man lehrte mich Zoologie,
doch hat man's ganz vergessen,
zu sagen mir weshalb so gern
die Kater Hering fressen.
They taught me zoology,
yet they totally forgot
to tell me why so happily
tom-cats gobble herring.
 
 
Translation: Roy De Selms
Photo credit: Unknown