The German military had a wide variety of trades and roles for support troops. Many of these were related to food. The role of the butcher or Metzger as the role was called was to take animals and prepare them to be eaten. Fresh beef, pork, and poultry were all consumed by german soldiers. Other, less desirable, sources of meat such as horse was also eaten once things went badly for the Germans.  Some fresh meat was procured through the supply chains and the animals were shipped live from Germany and butchered near the supply depot. Even more commonly livestock was purchased locally from farmers. Frequently, especially on the western front, the livestock was purchased legally via government contract with the local farmers. On the eastern front, some livestock was purchased while others were taken without compensation from the local inhabitants. Soldiers themselves on all fronts were not above liberating livestock and butchering it for their own needs. 

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These photographs were taken from a number of online sources and auction sites.  They are presented here for educational purposes.