Liberty cabbage

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Liberty cabbage is an Americanization (bowdlerization) of the word "sauerkraut." It was introduced in the United States during World War I, but was rarely used thereafter. Similar euphemisms, some of which did not spring up until World War II, include "liberty measles" for "German measles,"[1] "Eisenhower jacket" for "Hindenburg jacket," "Eisenhower herring" for "Bismarck herring," and others. A couple of the bowdlerization patterns involved replacing "German" with "Liberty" and various military and political figures with Dwight David Eisenhower.

This euphemism is similar to the 2003 Iraq war era "Freedom fries." Liberty Cabbage is often associated with anti-German sentiment.

Musician Rufus Wainwright wrote a song entitled "Liberty Cabbage" expressing uneasiness with many American political and cultural practices.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Over Here: World War I on the Home Front. Digital History. Retrieved on 2006-07-12.
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