A Reservist/Occupational Stein Finished by Martin Pauson

By John Strassberger

This month’s stein is a half-liter, hand painted, porcelain stein with a footed base, in near mint condition, and it’s a reservist stein with several uncommon characteristics.
 
It is named to Ottl Neuberger.  I thought Ottl may be a nickname for Otto but, in researching German names, Ottl appears only as a surname.  Current German naming laws prohibit the use of surnames as first names so his name would not be approved today. 

Neuberger served in the Bavarian army’s Infantry Leib Regiment, 12th Company, in Munich from 1891 to 1894.  Two years of service was normal for the infantry so he reenlisted for a third year and would have received a 50 Mark bonus. One side panel shows a typical scene of soldiers relaxing around a campfire. However, the other side panel shows the tools of his civilian occupation of Schreiner (cabinetmaker/joiner). This is both a reservist and an occupational stein.

Another characteristic that makes this uncommon – the stein was produced by Martin Pauson, the first reservist stein I’ve seen by him (see the Pauson name on the pewter shank at right). Because Neuberger served that extra year, he wasn’t part of the “class of 1891-1893” nor was he part of the “class of 1892-1894” so he went to Pauson to have his own stein produced.   

It’s always nice to find a stein that says a bit more than the obvious!