Figure 1.--These German teenagers are working in a factory, replacing men called up for military service. One of the boys proud of his war work sent this to his brother at the front with a message, dated July 1917. He wanted to show his older brother how he was pitching in at home. It has a Feldpost stamp. Notice how young some of the boys look. One boy may not yet be a teenager. Click on the image to see the message. A reader has been able to dechiper some of the text. "Augsburg den 28, Juli 1917, Lieber Bruder, Ich will Dir nun auch von der eine Karte was übersenden nach Deinem letzten Urlaub. Und hier eine Photografi vom Kleindienst wo wir am vorigen Samstag gephotographiert wurden." The rest of the letter is not visible only the next sentence ; kann ich Dir nichts mitteilen" (I am not able to tell you). English: "Dear Brother, I want to send you a card after your last leave of asence (home leave), And here a photograph during the small service (Kleindienst) where we got photographed last Saturday."

Labor proved to be another major problems for the Germans during World War I. The Germans efficently called up reservatists as the decesion was made to go to war. The reservistscam from indiciduals employed in the economy. For a short war that would have been no problem, but the French stand at the Marne mean that the War would not be a short one. Mass conscription and the subsequent annual call-ups meant that major adjustments had to be made and that increasing strain was placed on the German economy. Millions of men conscripted for military service were premanetly removed from the labor force. Battle field deaths and injuries called for expanded call-ups. Those conscripted or voluntering entered the military for the duration. Only the wounded came home and if they recovered, they were returned to the front. Thise more severely wounded were not, but they were also in most cases not fit enough for full time employment. The shortage of farmers and farm labor began to affect harvests and food production. Factory managers had to fill the positions of millions of conscripted men. They opened up jobs to the individuals left at home. This included primarily two groups: youths and women. [Herwig] Each had different experiences in the work place. And the experiences were very different than those in Allied countries, especially America. While the Germans did effectively fill factory jobs, farm labor became a major problem. Industrial production declined, but this appears to have been primarily due to raw material shortages. Declining agricultural harvests also affected worker productivity as well as civilian morale. This was especially felt by the German working-class and those of modest means.

Conscription

Labor proved to be another major problems for the Germans during World War I. The Germans efficently called up reservatists as the decesion was made to go to war. The reservistscam from indiciduals employed in the economy. For a short war that would have been no problem, but the French stand at the Marne (September 1914) mean that the War would not be a short one. Mass conscription and the subsequent annual call-ups meant that major adjustments had to be made and that increasing strain was placed on the German economy.

Service for the Duration

Millions of men conscripted for military service were premanetly removed from the labor force. Battle field deaths and injuries called for expanded call-ups. Those conscripted or voluntering entered the military for the duration. Only the wounded came home and if they recovered, they were returned to the front. Thise more severely wounded were not, but they were also in most cases not fit enough for full time employment.

Home Leave

The photograh hre was sent to one of the boys' brothers who hd just been home on home leave. The Western Front ws close to Britain, Germny, and Frace. And as result there were home leaves, although each counbtry had theie own policies. The French in particular were hestant to llow home leaves, feaing thzt the men would not come back. This was one of the issues in the Frnch army mutiny (1917). he British and Germans were more open to the idea. For the en wh endured months if not years of intense warfare and dreadful trench conditions, going home on leave, if only for a few days, was a marvelous relief. Te miltary grantd leave as a needed morale booster, a rare reprieve from the monotony, dirt, and dangers of front-line service.

Economic Impact

The developing labor strtage affected both agriculture and industry.

Agriculture

The shortage of farmers and farm labor began to affect harvests and food production. While the Germans did effectively fill factory jobs, farm labor became a major problem.

Industry

Factory managers had to fill the positions of millions of conscripted men. They opened up jobs to the individuals left at home. Industrial production declined, but this appears to have been primarily due to raw material shortages. Declining agricultural harvests also affected worker productivity as well as civilian morale.

Filling the Gap

The labor shortage had to be filled by those left at home. This included primarily two groups: youths and women. [Herwig] Each had different experiences in the work place. And the experiences were very different than those in Allied countries, especially America. With men away at the front, families had to adjust to the ;oss of breadwinners as best they could. German soldiers were paid of course, but few enlisted men were paid as mich as they were paid nearly as much as they received in wages before the War. And if they were killed, the family income declibed even further. Families had no choice, but adapt as best they could. And both women and youth helped fiull the labor shortage and supplement the small government family allouances.

Women

Battlefield losses were painful for every family so affected. There were also practical coinsequences. The loss of a husband or father almost always mean the loss of the family bread winner meaning the loss of income and a sharp decline in the family life style. This did not just mean giving up luxuries and discretiinary purchases, but as food shortages developed, low-income families experienced difficulty obtaining the bare minimum quantity of food for minimal nutritional needs. Well-to-do families could find food on the black market. Low income familiies coukd afford few such purchases. These families had to great difficulty surviving on government hand-outs. One source estimates that some 2 million women, mostly widows, who were attempting to ive on very limited government pensions. [Herwig] It was the war widows that the Germans turned to fill gaps in the labor market. This was not the primary labor policy pursued in the allied countries. Foe the widows who had been mostly home keepers beore the War, this generated needed family income. Thisof course took them away from the hime and caring for the children and elderly family members. Many women had less than ideal work plsce experiences. Women entering factories were often not well received. They were normally treated s inferior. Employers made it very clear that their jobs were temporary and that they would be replaced after the War when the men came back from the front. Women found it very difficult to becom part of close-nit fctory work teams. And they ere not paid as much as men. So serious differences developed between families with the familie of families that had paid the greatest sacrifices coming out the worst. Women often received only half paid. And it should be rembered tht German workets were not as well paid as American workers to begin with. And because of the pressures of the War, factories operated beyond normal hours. Thus workers spent more time in the factories. THis was not such a problem with the families of men. They had wives at home. The women sorkers did not.

Youth

Here we are primaily talking about teenage boys. German employers also tapped the youth below conscription age. Many younh people also had to adjust to changes in family citcumstances. This was especially the case when the family bread earner was lost or severely injiurged. The young people in the family had to try to add to the family income. There were also problems that young people had to face at school. Teachers were also conscripted. Some young people had to leave school early. Not only did thir families need incom they coul arn, but many schools did not have the staff to fully function. Anothr impact was that young people negan to experience a degree of independence not earlier poibl in the highly paternalistic German society. The oversight of both family and school was weakened. We see youth working in armament plants and other indistrial factories. One source reports youth employment in factories increasing sharply: chemical plants (+225 percen), stel mills (+95 percent), and machine works (+60 perceny). [Herwig] The differences probably reflect variations in training and physical strength needed.

Foreign workers

The Germans also conscripted workers in occupied countries to fill the labor shortage in Germany. This was among the war crimes committed in Belgium from the onset of the War. . The German occupation authorities conscripted Belgian workers for forced labor in Germany. Sime 120,000 Belgian workers were conscripted and deported to Germany. [Cook, pp. 102–07.] This would be a template on how the Germans would deal with the World War II labor shortage, albeit on a much larger scale and with more murderous intent.

Food

German industry not only had to import raw materials, but food to feed its industrial workers. And the Allies implemented a naval blockade to cut off the needed imports. German officials focused primarily on industrial production. Less attention was given to the needs of the less glamerous agricultural sector. Large numbers of men from rural areas were drafted. Officials assumed that the war would soon be short and conscripts could be reyurned to the rural work force. Significant problems soon developed. The massive losses on the battlefield mean that more and more men had to be conscripted. This further depleted the rural workforce. And the Royal Navy blockade made it impossible to import food. Germany unlike Britain could not import food from America and the Dominions. In addition, fertilizer imports were also cut off. German factories were used for the production of munitions. The shortage of fertilizer resulted in a sharp decline in agricultural productivity. Food was not the only commodity in short supply. Shortages developed for fuel (coal) as well as clothing and footwear. Food shortages were, however, most keenly felt. Clothing purchases could be deferred. Food was a different matter. Of course the War did not end quickly and production short falls began to cause serious food shortages at both the front and on the domestic market. We do not yet have details on the response of the German Government to the developing shortages. The German soldiers at the front were affected by food shortages. German troops were chronically undernourished affecting their ability to conduct operations. There are reports that when they managed to seize Allied food stocks, they would stop gorge themselves, in some instances impairing offensive operations. This also caused the soldiers to engage in looting. The situation at home was even worse. Many Germans by the time the war ended were close to starvation.

Class Issues

The burdens of the War were especially felt by the German working-class and those of modest means.

Sources

Herwig, H. The First World War: Germany and Austria-Hungary 1914-1918 (Bloomsbury Academic, 1996).

Created: 9:39 PM 7/8/2014
Last updated: 11:58 AM 7/17/2014