Description
Trench art was an important folk art in Germany both during and after WW I. Trench art came about when soldiers in the trenches used their idle hours fashioning patriotic articles from whatever they could find in the trenches or at the Front. It also resulted from hospitalized soldiers engaging in “art therapy” while recovering. Some amazing, beautiful items were turned out in this manner. The men created vases, match safes, and other small items from artillery shells, belt buckles, spent bullets, etc. Today we are offering you a rather clever trench art letter opener. The letter opener began as a deactivated rifle round. It consists of both the shell casing and the projectile. Attached to the projectile’s tip is an Iron Cross, which turns into the letter opener’s blade. Crudely scratched on one side of the blade is “Kamerad Leben und Leben Lasen [sic]” (Comrade, live and let live) in all its misspelled glory. The “s” is backwards, as well. The other side reads “Welt Krieg 1914.” The letter opener’s overall length is 6.”
