Originally Posted by
langleybaston
Then there was the dreaded mehrwertsteuer, the German equivalent of VAT. For airmen, this was administered by the PSI, who nominally made/ legalised the tax-free purchase, and debited the airman. Known as a "murgatroyd" by those who found the language challenging.
Officers worked through the Mess, and paid [or defaulted] on their mess bills.
Lets see: Schrank, set of chairs, corner seating unit, top of the range camera and full set of lenses, ornate lamps, clothing. Drink, kassler, cheeses ......
The lawnmower and the Weber [both still going strong] were via the PX, the peanut butter from the Maple Leaf.
Army garrison towns such as Detmold were very very anti accepting such tax-free business until it was explained that "this is by an RAF mess". My wife still has the loden overcoats.
Maybe in Detmold the local businesses preferred to do business the normal way. One obtained a tax exemption form for the intended purchase(s) from the Unit Admin Office, and then presented it to the retailer. They then sold you the goods ohne MwSt. Not through a Mess or the PRI. You paid the retailer. Sounds like it was different for the RAF, but the Army did it rather more straightforwardly.
Schrank, dining set, bedroom sets, cameras, computers, caravans (both in Germany and Holland), a car, numerous capital car repairs. All of it directly through the retailer with a tax-free chit.
The trick with the US bases was getting in the commissary. You could buy lawnmowers and barbies all day long at Spang or Bitburg, but getting steaks from the Commissary required a pass. You might get lucky trying your luck on the day, but the best bet was to visit a mate posted to a US base with a pass. These were generally not Spangdahlem or Bitburg, but they all had commissaries
