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The Krajebiders (Crowbiters)
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Image source: "Unser schön Samland", Easter 1973 edition, p. 10

How crows as “spit pigeons” became a delicacy in old Königsberg

From stories told by my grandmother (Emma Nebel, w. Kloss, née Lepa from Heinrichswalde, 1886-1965) when I was a child in the 1950s, I know what "Krajebieter" (crow biters) were. Even today, when I see a swarm of crows circling around its sleeping tree or the unmistakably monotonous, shrill squawking of these animals, I think back to one of their reports from their childhood and youth, that of the Krajebietern on the Spit.

My grandmother knew quite a few of these mostly young boys and saw them at work. It was fishermen who had no work in those hard times around the turn of the century, especially on stormy autumn days and in winter. In search of a living, some of them remembered an old tradition that was not uncommon on the Spit as well as in the lowlands: catching, killing, preparing and selling crows.

How this actually happened was described particularly clearly by Werner Nadolski in a short essay: "The Curonian Spit like a curved saber blade", in: Our beautiful Samland, volume III 1980 p. 16):

"Tethered, tame crows and laid out fish waste within the laid out nets attracted the crow trains. The net, well camouflaged in the sand, was operated from a brushwood hut using a rip cord and then struck. 50 to 70 crows were caught on good flying days. The killing took place simply by the fisherman biting the crow's head, which was dented. It wasn't very appetizing, but it was a quick death of the bird. 'Krajebieter' were therefore called these fishermen."

Now, for many of us these days, the idea of eating a crow makes us feel a little uneasy. And just the thought of killing a captive crow with a hearty bite on the neck fills us with disgust. But life back then in that part of East Prussia was hard, and there were always great famines when the harvest in one of the already short summers was too scarce. A deliciously prepared crow was a welcome addition to the sparse kitchen. And on a larger scale, catching crows even offered some fishermen a good sideline.

My grandma told me that crows from the Spit and the lowlands - carefully plucked, gutted, smoked and cured - were transported to Königsberg in wooden barrels and were valued there as a popular delicacy. It was, my grandmother assured me, probably to dampen my growing trepidation at this kind of food, exclusively "Karekles", i.e. younger, tender-fleshed crows, which found their way into the kitchen of the high society in Königsberg. It may be that one or the other tough adult bird was eaten by the poor fishermen themselves. The Samländische Heimatbrief (Issue III 1980 p. 16) reports:

"A considerable income for the fishermen was the sale of the plucked crow as a 'spit pigeon' on the Königsberg market. They were happy to buy it there, even the Langanke delicatessen on Steindamm had it delivered.” Don't be arrogant. B. a finely seasoned pigeon broth as well as quail, pheasant and other poultry even among top chefs as a popular ingredient to enrich a course. And seen in the light: A chicken from the grill probably doesn't taste that much different than a tender crow from the Spit. Max Rosenheyn (“Travel sketches from East and West Prussia”, Danzig 1858 published by W. Kasemann, p. 179 f.) also reported on crows as a quite common and even upscale dish many years earlier:

"The poverty that prevails on this spit is shown by the fact that the fishing villages deliver a number of crows to their priest as a kalend in the kitchen".

I took a small paragraph from an article from the Easter 1973 edition of the Samländisches Heimatbrief "Unser schön Samland" (p. 10), which deals more closely with the Krajebieters:

"One of the most famous Krajebieter around 1900 was the 'Vogelfalk', he later drowned. An innkeeper I know in Königsberg / Pr . (Hufen) said that he often served roasted pigeons. When invited to his place, I also ate one with pleasure ". Later he reported to me that it was a crow. I can imagine that many a visitor still licks their palate when they think of the roasted pigeons on their hooves. What was important, however, was that the Perzel (Premium gland) was cut away. Young crows in particular, which had just fledged, tasted the best. We boys also caught crows at home in Großheidkrug and brought them home to cook. My mother then cooked them and seasoned them with cream. Eaten but only we boys have it.Our parents said to themselves: "What de Bua doesn't know, he doesn't frett." However, the crows that we caught were killed with knives, because we didn't know the trick like the "Krajebieter".

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RB