The harsh living conditions during the fighting, the constant nerve-wracking tension, and the stress that most Wehrmacht soldiers were exposed to required a form of psychological relief. One of these options was alcohol consumption. Former Wehrmacht soldier Guy Sayer noted in his memoirs: "At the front, there are as many vodkas, schnapps, and liqueurs as there are machine guns. It’s easier to make a hero out of each one." Alcohol could also alleviate the pain of the wounded. The most important alcoholic beverage in the Wehrmacht was schnapps, and German soldiers, especially tank soldiers, could also obtain liqueurs. Officers often had French trophy cognac or wine, which was captured in such large quantities that it was consumed even when surrounded, as was the case in Stalingrad in the winter of 1943. However, it was often considered a bad omen to distribute alcohol to the troops, as this usually happened before major battles and foreshadowed heavy losses at the front.