What was WW1 like from a German perspective?
No homework – to explain the experience of Germany during WWI
B – to show both sides of the argument and assess whether and when WWI bought German
politics together or drove them apart
A/A* - to show sustained analysis on the impact of WWI on German politics
Triptychon Der Krieg by Otto
Dix painted between 1929 and
1932
Starter – what does the painting Triptychon Der Kreig show us about the
German experience of war?
Ersatz Bread
The first step was the appearance of Kriegsbrot (war bread). Despite its name it was very palatable. It consisted of 55% rye, 25% wheat, and
20% potato meal, sugar and shortening. The potato element was said to prevent its getting stale. Kriegsbrot?s flavor improved by the third day
and loaves a week old showed no deterioration. Although this first war bread was superior, rye and wheat flour were not always plentiful. Oats,
Indian corn, barley, beans, peas and buckwheat meal had to be added as time went on. A popular cake sold in the cafés was made mostly of
ground clover meal, with flour of horse-chestnuts added, a little rice, glucose, sugar or honey and chopped raisins or prunes. Even at the price it
sold for--an ounce for three cents--the cake was a success, in nutrition, appearance and taste.
Ersatz Coffee, Tea and Cocoa
Coffee imports had became impossible by 1916. The scant stores on hand had been stretched and extenuated by the use of chicory and other
supplements. A transition from coffee to coffee substitute began. The first substitute, Kaffee-ersatz, was not a bad one. It was mostly made of
roasted barley and oats and the flavor was enhanced by chemicals from coal-tar. The brew had a good percentage of nutritive elements, no
caffeine and was quite palatable when taken with milk and sugar--without sugar though, it was impossible. But the grain could be put to better
purpose and so this led to the introduction of the substitute of a substitute. Kaffee-ersatz-ersatz was made of roasted acorns and beechnuts,
with just enough roasted barley to build up a coffee flavor. It was said to be better than the first substitute but was also more expensive.
Unfortunately, there weren?t enough acorns and beechnuts, much of which was being fed to pigs. Before long the excellent acorn-beechnut
coffee disappeared to be replaced by a third substitute whose original ingredients were carrots and yellow turnips. A substitute for tea was not
difficult. The bloom of the linden tree mixed with beech buds and a few tips of pine made an excellent "oolong." A cocoa substitute came from
coal-tar and chemistry along with roasted peas and oats.
Meatless Meat
The advantage of the conversion of grains, nuts and vegetables that were used as substitutes was to placate the old eating habits of the public.
The same food value would be found if consumed in some other form. This placation was no more evident than on every meatless, fatless, or
wheatless day or period. The rice "lamb" chop would satisfy even an exacting taste. Rice was boiled and formed into a lump resembling a chop. A
skewer of wood was stuck into the lump to serve as a bone. The illusion was made more complete with a little paper rosette to top off the "bone"
and served with green peas and a sprig of watercress. Fried in real mutton tallow, it came to the table with the look and aroma of the real thing.
The vegetable beefsteak was a composition of cornmeal, spinach, potatoes, and ground nuts with an egg to bind the mass together. It took
becoming used to the thing?s interior, which was pale green, in order to achieve the satisfaction of using a knife in good earnest. The paucity of
meat was a result of an economic decision made in 1914. It was easier and less wasteful to distribute cereals and vegetables directly than the
more complex food products from animals, which required the same cereals and vegetables to keep alive. It was thought to be of more value to
the state to eliminate the step of having animal stomachs convert home-raised cereal into meat and let the human stomach attend to the grain
directly. The shortage of meat, lard, suet, butter, and eggs actually helped to improve the health of the public, due to the elimination of threequarters of the fat normally consumed. Since no animal fat could be produced without sacrificing a good share of the country?s cereal supply, the
animal-product industry was kept down to its lowest possible level. However, this had the undesirable effect of raising the prices of what meats
and fats that were available and encouraging illicit trading.
No homework –
Positive
B+ united politics
1914
No homework –
Negative
experience
B+ - divided politics
German experiences of WW1
1915
Allied losses huge.
Germany switch
attention to Western
Front and knocking
GB out of WW1.
1915
No homework – stick your
stickers in the correct order with
positive or negative experiences
B – stick your stickers in the
correct order and whether
events united or divided politics
1916
1917
1918
• For each year (1914-18) look at the events and write down a key
question facing Germany at that point.
• For example: Why did Germany wage unrestricted submarine
warfare when it carried with it the risk of the USA joining the
war?
• Can you answer these questions
• 1914:
• 1915:
• 1916:
• 1917:
• 1918:
•
1914: Burgfried – ‘I know of no parties any more, only Germans’. Defensive war.
SPD voted for credits in the Reichstag. Only Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg
voted against it which led to their expulsion from the SPD.
Why did the SPD support the war?
•
1915:
•
1916: . End of Burgfried and polarisation of political parties on their beliefs of
the war. Why did Burgfried end? Silent dictatorship by Ludendorff and
Hindeburg – could create and demote chancellors. Why did no-one oppose this
silent dictatorship?
•
1917:
•
1918:
•
Example exam question
• Part A
• ‘The First World War increased rather than narrowed
Germany’s political divisions.’ How far do you agree with this
judgement?
• Highlight key words – must be in first sentence, throughout
essay and in the conclusion
• What must you remember in a part a?
Points agreeing with the statement
Points disagreeing with the statement
How to answer:
Introduction
Section 1 - How and when during the war was there a narrowing of political divisions?
Section 2 - At what point were divisions made worse and how?
Conclusion - On balance, what was the greatest impact of the war on political divisions?
Example exam question
• Part A
• ‘The First World War increased rather than narrowed
Germany’s political divisions.’ How far do you agree with this
judgement?
Completely agree
Agree to a great
extent
Agree to some
extent
Disagree
Homework – Due Monday 11th November
• Answer ‘The First World War increased rather than
narrowed Germany’s political divisions.’ How far do
you agree with this judgement?
• Read pp. ……………. and write an official government
report on the strengths and weaknesses of the
Weimar Constitution
• Charis – think back to aim, what should you include
• Everybody else – what should you remember to do?
Think about your mock and your aim.
• Deborah meeting
• Fares half-term homework and essay
• Fares and Reginald – intervention starts next week
What if....
• The German army had got to Paris in 1914?
• The Russian army had collapsed after the defeat in 1915?
• Falkenhayn had stayed in post as Commander in Chief for the
next two years?
• The peace agenda had been followed in the summer of 1917?
• Germany had conscripted women to work?
Sum up WW1 from a German point of
view in ...
• 5 sentences
• 5 words
• 1 word
What kind of revolution was the 1918 revolution?
B – to give a justified judgement on what kind of revolution the 1918
revolution was
A/A* - to explain different people’s interpretations of the 1918 revolution and
explain its impacts
• Write a tweet explaining why Germany
surrendered
• 140 characters
• Naval blockade. February 1917 unrestricted submarine warfare
to starve Britain out of the war. Hoped would starve them out
before America joined the war – within 5-6 months. Convoy
system worked. US joined. Germany industrial output fell.
• Turnip winter
• December 1917 Russia leaves the war. Germany could
concentrate troops on Western Front.
• August 1918 Hundred Days offensive by the allies – made a gap
15 miles long in German lines. They advanced in 14 miles before
the Germans managed to stop them. Collapse in morale apparent.
• Kept breaking through. Germany realised couldn’t hold them,
especially Hindenburg and Ludendorff.
• More Americans kept arriving
• Balkans collapsed and couldn’t supply Germany with oil and food
• Kiel mutiny
• Eventually, winning the war appeared impossible and Prince
Maximilian of Baden took charge of a new government and
negotiated a peace settlement.
• Woodrow Wilson demanded
that the Kaiser had to
abdicate for a peace
settlement to occur. Support
for the Kaiser was lagging
anyway in Germany
(particularly from the left).
It was decided that this
would happen.
• A new constitution had to be
written and a new type of
government decided on. A
revolution in the ruling of
Germany began.
• Write down the key steps to the
revolution
• Write next to each one these letters
for the type of revolution
– D – democratic
– S – Social
– A – above
– B – below
• Use the hand outs to help you.
• B – How could you best describe the
1918 revolution? Justify your answer.
• A – How would these people interpret
the revolution?
– Rosa Luxemburg
– Ebert
• What impact would the revolution have on
Germany?
Use these key terms in sentence about
WWI or the 1918 revolution
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Burgfried
Attrition
Polarisation
Silent Dictatorship
Ersatz
Total War
Convoy system
Social Revolution
Revolution from above