Screenshot from a video posted by a Facebook user who’s having Hitler’s favorite dish tonight. The first comment under this video was: “Where is the salad?”
This article originally appeared on VICE Alps
Supposedly, Eiernockerl with green salad was Adolf Hitler’s favorite meal. Which is enough reason for certain Austrians to prepare the dish every year, on April 20, Hitler’s birthday.
Videos by VICE
According to the website, Stoppt die Rechten, the idea that Eiernockerl with green salad was Hitler’s favorite food was popularized by Wolfgang Frölich—a former district council member for the Freedom Party of Austria and convicted Holocaust denier. In 1997, he turned himself in for breaking the Prohibition Act of 1947—which criminalizes denial of the Holocaust and belittlement of Nazi atrocities. In his statement, he wrote: “For many many years I’ve been eating Adolf Hitler’s favorite dish Eiernockerl with green salad almost every week. I do that, because this highly political meal (…) is one of my favorites. If my memory serves me right, I’ve eaten Eiernockerl with salad every year on April 20, Hitler’s birthday.”
These kinds of secret codes and symbols are no rarity among neo-Nazi groups. Some of them are illegal, some aren’t. Eiernockerl with salad isn’t illegal. It wouldn’t be weird to serve the dough noodles with egg in a lot of Austrian restaurants on other days, but on a day like today, the dish has a different meaning.
I found a lot of people on Facebook celebrating Hitler’s birthday at home with his favorite food. The video above was one of them, posted on April 20. All the posts you can see below (with one exception) were also posted today—and all of them were public.
“Excellent as usual”
This post was liked by Philippa Beck, a television host for the Freedom Party of Austria and the current girlfriend of right-wing populist politician Heinz-Christian Strache.
“All the best, today we’re having Eiernockerl with salad”
“My Eiernockerl birthday cake”
“I hope everyone’s having Eiernockerl with green saladtoday”
– “No, should we be doing that?”
“Of course, and everyone has to eat a bit for him.”
“Happy 20th …. Eiernockerl with green salad”
“Today’s lunch is Eiernockerl with green salad!!!!!”
„Hey guys …
Did you forget ….
Today is EIERNOCKERL DAY … with GREEN SALAD … 4/20.
Kisses, SUSI …”
– “This has been a tradition since 1889. Enjoy.”
“Today’s menu: Eiernockerl with green sala. Insiders know why … ;)”
– “Adolf’s favorite!”
Corrrrrrect ;)”
Another user commented with a line from a Horst-Wessel song under his post. The song was a party hymn of the NSDAP and later became the second part of the German national anthem. “Flags high, the ranks are almost closed,” the user writes, followed by the ‘tears of joy’ emoji. All of the users who posted things about Eiernockerl with green salad, also liked various Freedom Party of Austria pages, or the pages of their politicians with one exception—someone who subscribes to basically every Facebook page associated with the Social Democratic Party of Austria.
But it’s not just individuals who posted the dish they plan to eat in the privacy of their own home today. I’ve come across several restaurants advertising that Eiernockerl with green salad is on the menu today. I called a few of them, and soon found out that was hardly a coincidence.
“Tomorrow on April 20th we will be serving Eiernockerl with green salad”
The woman who picked up at Börnys S’Wirthaus said I had to get there quickly, because they only had warm dishes until noon.
VICE: Do you always have Eiernockerl with green salad or is that only today?
Börnys S’Wirthaus: It’s our special for today.
Is it a coincidence that it’s on this particular day?
(laughs) No, we always serve it on the 20th.
“Today’s special is Eiernockerl with green salad”
When I called to ask Café Zipp in Simmering to ask why they’re serving Eiernockerl today, a man told me that the café doesn’t serve food at all normally, but it’s the birthday of a lady who works there and she asked for it. “If you come by today, we certainly won’t be stingy and will gladly serve you some,” he offered.
“Our menu
Strong beef broth with vegetable strudel
Eiernockerl with green salad
Enjoy!!!”
The Wirthaus am Wasserpark in Floridsdorf posted their menu for today—Eiernockerl with green salad—along with a winking emoji.
VICE: Hello, do you have Eiernockerl with green salad today?
Wirthaus am Wasserpark: Yes we do.
Is it a coincidence that you’re serving it today?
No, it’s not a coincidence. Are you coming? We can reserve a table in the garden for you.
“Don’t feel like cooking today? Don’t worry, leave it to us.
Semolina dumpling soup
Zurich ragout with pasta / Eiernockerl with green salad”
Another restaurant serving Eiernockerl with green salad today is Pizzeria Don Pablo, in Vienna. When I called and asked if it was a coincidence, the waiter said “Yes, it doesn’t have anything to do with Hitler.” I didn’t ask why, if it was a coincidence, he’d even mentioned Hitler.
