124
BRESLAU.
furnished by 323 typical working-class families in Breslau as to the quantities
of various household necessaries usually consumed showed a weekly consumption
of 21J ozs., which would mean about 71 lbs. a year. Pork and bacon accounted
for 38 per cent, of the total consumption, sausage for 28 per cent., and beef for
21 per cent., a somewhat low proportion.
A considerable part of the consumption of sausage is accounted for by the
practice among workmen in Breslau of eating sausage at their second breakfast.
At this meal, which is brought from home and eaten at eight or half-past eight
o’clock at the works, a man usually has as much sausage as can be bought
for 10 to 15 pfennige (1 \d. to Ifd.). The kind most generally eaten is
Knoblauchwurst, a variety in which liver flavoured with garlic is understood to
be the principal ingredient, and which costs about 80 pfennige per half
kilogram, or say 8f¿?. per lb.
The following Table shows the predominant retail prices charged at
butchers’ shops in Breslau at October, 1905, and June, 1906, for various cuts of
fresh meat. Each price is based .on the returns made to the investigator by a
number of butchers with large working-class custom, and having shops in
different parts of the town.
Predominant Prices Paid by the Working Classes in October, 1905, and
June, 1906.
Description of Cut.
Predominant Price per lb.
October, 1905.
June, 1906.
Beef :—
Bibs ... ...
Silverside
Q-i . j with bone
ömn I without bone
Steak (Fillet) ...
Flank
Mutton :—
Leg
Shoulder
Breast
Neck
Chops
Veal :—
Hindquarter
¿ with bone
I without bone
Shoulder
Loin
• Shin
Pork :—
Leg
Fore-loin
Belly
Spare-rib
Chops
8|d. to 91c?.
9#
7§í?. to 8fe?.
9fd. „ lOfd.
Is. 4\d.
11 d.
9|c7. to 11c?.
9#
11c?.
11c?. to Is.
11c?.
11c?.
11 \d. to Is. 31c?.
Is. lc?.
8fc?. to 11c?.
9M
9|c?.
8|c?. to 91c?.
9#
Is.
8f<?.
9#
7 fe?, to 8|c?.
9#
Is. 41c?.
81c?. to 8f d.
11 d,
9f c?. to 11c?.
9#
11c?.
11c?. to Is.
9fc?. „ 11c?.
101c?. „ 11c?.
11c?. to Is. 31c?.
lie?. „ Is. lc?.
8|c?. „ 101c?.
8#
8fc?. to 9fe?.
7 fe?. ,, 8fe?.
8fc?.
Is. to Is. lc?.
On the question as to what qualities of meat the working classes usually
buy in Breslau, the statements of the butchers were not unanimous ; some
maintain that workpeople were content with nothing but the best, others that
workpeople never buy the best meat and are only too glad to be able to get
meat of any quality. The latter was, however, the more general opinion. With
regard to the first of the above points it may be of interest to note the classification
of the cuts of beef, mutton, veal, pork, and horse recognised by retail
sellers and buyers of meat in Breslau. The occasion may also serve to show
the official retail prices of these cuts as ascertained by the Municipal Statistical
Office. It should be explained that these prices are based on returns
obtained month by month from certain butchers, each of whom is requested to
state the highest and lowest price of each article during the month. A mean of
the maximum prices is then taken, as also of the minimum prices. The official
price of the article is the mean of these two means.
