K.u.K. Spiritus-Kocher für Gebirgstruppe

Discussion in 'Stove Forum' started by Kouba, Mar 28, 2025.

  1. Kouba Czech Republic

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    Dear colleagues, do you have any information about Alcohol cooking sets used by Austro-Hungarian Moutain troops in WW1? I have randomly found a chapter in a mountain warfare manual from 1918, where they describe usage and dimensions of this cooking set. Are there any other informations, for example manufacturer brand, period photos etc?

    Link: https://digitalnistudovna.army.cz/periodical/uuid:55b8b897-04cf-49dd-b712-1a29e511b590

    Thanks a lot for help,
    Jakub

    Spiritus-kocher 5.jpg Spiritus-kocher 1.jpg Spiritus-kocher 2.jpg Spiritus-kocher 3.jpg Spiritus-kocher 4.jpg
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 28, 2025
  2. SveaSizzler

    SveaSizzler United States Subscriber

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    I don't speak German, but I'm amazed this style of Sturmkocher [storm cooker] was devised that early. I'm familiar with the Meta cook kits. They used a fire tablet that's obsolete now [except as snail poison] and not alcohol, and not Hexamine. There were Swiss cooksets that also had that Hourglass Figure to them. And most recently the Optimus 88 with an alcohol burner, and the Swedish Ranger Stove with a Trangia burner. In fact Military Mart in the UK has some recent surplus examples for around 35 GPB, I think.
    MilitaryMart.co.UK
    If I hadn't just blown my ''allowance'' on an Antarctic-surplus MSR Whisperlite and pump, [~$40 USD] I'd get me one, but I already have a new Trangia HA25 and one can over-collect.
     
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2025
  3. snwcmpr

    snwcmpr SotM Winner Subscriber

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  4. OMC

    OMC United States Subscriber

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    cc @SveaSizzler, FYI @gieorgijewski OP is early military storm cooker question

    @Kouba
    re 1918 & pre-1918 (WW1 use) storm cookers of eastern Europe there are more than a few examples. These would be among the earliest. Your example shows 2 pans. Knowing the size of the pans is just one thing that would help (more below, pg 48).
    You answered your own question re period (WW1). You are curious about storm cookers used by Austro-Hungarian WW1 military.
    On this site there are multiple storm cookers that would have been available for mountain use in that region, incl. makers from that region. i am not aware of any military issue connection.

    here is an OCR cut, the text from your pg 48 (i presume the language is Czech):
    [pg] 48
    seine Längsachse leicht gewölbter Griff, dessen
    schmäleres Ende durch rechtwinkeliges Aufbiegen
    von etwa 18 mm von seiner Länge zur Einführung
    in die Metallschlaufe der Schalen, bzw. des Deckels
    geeignet ist.
    Als Verschlußriemen wird ein 60 bis 70 mm langer,
    zirka 10 mm breiter Lederriemen mit einfacher
    Schnalle verwendet.
    Gewicht: 0-35 bis 0-40 kg.
    Verwahrungsart: Die kleine Schale wird in die
    größere, in diese der zweiteilige Windschutz gelegt.
    und zwar derart, daß die beiden Teile ineinander-
    geschoben werden; die breiteren Ränder und die
    schmäleren Ränder kommen aufeinander. Hierauf
    wird der Gasbrenner hineingestellt, der Henkel
    daraufgelegt und die so gefüllte größere Schale mit
    dem Deckel geschlossen. Das Ganze wird mit dem
    durch die Metallschlaufe des Deckels gezogenen
    Verschlußriemen zusammengesehnallt. Die Spiritus
    kocher werden in Kisten zu je 48 Stück verwahrt, in
    welche sie in gleichmäßigen Reihen übereinander-
    gestellt werden.
    Der Spiritusbehälter besteht aus einer flach-
    gedrückten Weißblechflasche mit genau passendem
    Schraubendeckel aus Messing; Inhalt ½ l. Zur Ab-
    dichtung ist in die Innenseite des Schraubendeckels
    eine genau passende Kork- oder Gummiplatte ein-
    gelegt.
    Gewicht: 0-18 kg
    -----------------------

    "my" Google translate attempt was total fail with ^^^ that text.
    thats all i got for ya. i'll follow developments, good luck
     
  5. Knee

    Knee Poland PotY Winner SotM Winner Subscriber

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  6. dusan

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    As "storm cooker " in Czech Republic / Gallery
     
  7. Kouba Czech Republic

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    Thank you guys for translation and advices.

    Dusan: They look pretty simillar. Maybe Josef Prokop factory was making them for Austro-Hungarian army and production continues for civilian market in Czechoslovakia after the end of WW1.