The blockades also stopped many raw materials from reaching the Reich. The country relied on imports as they did not have enough supplies of raw materials to produce all the finished goods necessary to sustain a war effort. Manufacturers of consumer goods were hurt badly because resources were in short supply. They were frequently unable to obtain raw materials and production costs were high. There were shortages of elements to produce important metals like steel, copper, nickel, tin and mercury. Also Germany was completely dependent on imported supplies of cotton, rubber, nitrates and petroleum, the blockades now stopped all these essential ingredients of the modern war machine to enter the country. This immediately put Germany at a weaker position to fight. This also affected the civilians in the industries because many became jobless and poverty levels were gradually rising.
The shortage of food led to many issues for the German civilians. The most devastating effects were clearly inflation, introduction of food rationing and the outburst of many related diseases. The shortage of food caused rapid rising prices, meaning inflation. The extremely high priced necessities had pushed many civilians to bankruptcy and the brink of starvation. The weekly wage of workers doubled however prices increased by four times. German civilians entered the war with pride and expected victory but this unpredicted situation lowered public morale vastly and lost their respect for the government. Apart from the regular class citizens, the upper-class were also feeling very discontent because luxury goods like champagne, coca-cola and caviar were short in supply. In October 1914, there was a serious shortage of grain; therefore the government authorized the baking of “war bread” which consisted of 80% grain and 20% potato starch. To rest this severe problem of food shortage, bread-rationing was introduced by the government in 1915, and then followed by all other foodstuffs. The government provided limited amount of food to the civilians each day at low prices. Tragically the failure of potato harvest in 1916 caused greater suffering as it was their main source of food. The winter of 1916 to 1917 was known as the ‘Turnip Winter’ because turnips were used the only abundant alternatives of potatoes. Turnips were used as animal foodstuff and the thought of eating them repelled many as they were the food of cows and pigs. This shortage of food as a result brought on malnutrition-related diseases, such as tuberculosis, rickets, dysentery and typhoid fever. It was estimated that 750,000 died of a combination of flu and starvation. The results of this shortage were harsh on the civilians because most food went to war effort leaving the home starves.
When war broke out in 1914, many women found themselves entering the working class and took the jobs that men left behind. The absence of men placed a huge burden on women and youngsters. Many families found that they had no income since up to that time men had been the only working members of the family and the sources of finance. This new group of women workers contributed to the war effort by working in factories producing bullets and shells. It was estimated that 1,600,000 women joined the workforce between 1914 and 1918 in Government departments, public transport, the post office, as clerks in business, as land workers and in factories. I agree with Orlow that this period of time “substantially modified the Victorian image of woman-hood: homebound and subject to the dictates of her father or husband”. Women were now more dependent, had their own source of income and are even sometimes regarded as better employees than men at the work place. Their entrance into the workforce was unpopular amongst men since male workers were concerned that women’s willingness to work for lower wages would put them out of work. At the end of war, men came back to their work and some women kept their jobs in industries. The war provided women in Germany more opportunities to experience the society.
The growing discontent and led strikes caused the war to end sooner for Germany. In April 1917, 300,000 Berlin workers went on strike over cut in bread ration, followed by other cities. Germany was in chaos due to emerging riots and demonstrations led by her civilians to reveal their dissatisfaction. The war had become a financial burden for the country; it was believed that it cost 36 million to conduct the war per day at the beginning but 146 million towards the end. The Government no longer had reserves to finance this conflict. Finally in 1917, the Reichstag voted for immediate peace with Allies. Germany was made to sign the Treaty of Versailles, a peace settlement. The settlement was unfair for Germany as she was blamed for the cause of the war, lost all her colonies, paid reparation of 6600 billion pounds and to be disarmed. I agree with Taylor that the settlement was “indelible disgrace” for the German civilians and they were so shocked by the war that they almost had near total disrespect for the government. The war led to economic disaster and a serious loss of man power. It was estimated that over 2,000,000 German lives were lost in the First World War. Apart from its negative impacts, the government gave women the right to vote in 1918 to show gratitude for their war effort.
To conclude, the effects of the First World War on the German civilian population were almost wholly negative. I believe that the British blockades were the main cause for German suffering and the Treaty of Versailles had tremendous harmful effects on the civilians for the next twenty years.
Bibliography
The Course of German History – A.J.P. Taylor
A History of Germany 1871 to Present – Dietrich Orlow
A History of Germany 1815-1990 – William Carr
The War from Within: German Working: Class Women in the First World War – Ute Daniel & Margaret Ries
