Effect of Blockade On German People

Northern Advocate, 24 February 1940, Page 10

Effect of Blockade On German People

lVluch publicity has been given to the Allied blockade of Germany, and the British public has been wondering just how successful to date have been the efforts. Although no definite answer can be given to the question, uncensored letters from an American magazine’s Berlin correspondent, which have been collated into an article, provide an interesting survey of conditions in wartime Germany. Covering a period from September to Christmas, the letters are most revealing. People Ignorant. September 11: "The acute shortage of certain kinds of food plus the problem ol' getting it has made restaurant eating popular, and it is really a job to get a seat in the evening, much less a meal. . . . The thing that worries me is soap and shaving cream. We are allowed one cake of soap a month and one tube of shaving cream every five months. . . . "A vigorous attempt is being made in the newspapers, which ail print identical news, to whip up hatred among the people, though, as far as I can tell, tney are quite indifferent. The papers have been instructed not to use the word British, but always to refer to the enemy as English or England. England does not sound as big as the British Empire.”

October 3: “We are confronted with the astounding situation of sitting in the midst of a first-class war and knowing as good as nothing about it. Stupendous victories are announced every morning, but not details. Otherwise the papers are practically devoted to attacks on England and Churchill. ...

Spirit Deteriorating. “Bare living is becoming such a ponderous problem that there are times when I actually wonder how most of the people are able to continue. I have seen as many as 200 women standing in front of a measly little fish shop, knowing that there will be only a few carp and other untasty freshwater fish, and that most of them will have to go home without anything.

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October 8: “Every cinema now runs a short before each performance showing interior views of Germany’s warehouses with - endless rows of hams, wursts, tinned goods, barrels of butter, etc. The audiences always laugh and even applaud, but I believe the reaction is ironical. . . . “Spirit is deteriorating in the country for lack of anything outstanding to command the interest. The week of victory-celebrating proclaimed by Goebbels because of the Polish achievements is now on, but you would never know that we are celebrating except for flags on the public buildings. . . . “I don’t know anyone who thinks that Poland was worth the price it is probably going to cost. The system of practically enslaving half a million Polish prisoners is also being resented. . . . juoasts Belied. “We were discussing uniforms the other night and came to the conclusion that a big step toward the recovery of common sense could be made if, by some miracle, all the boots of Germany were destroyed. German boots, the heaviest, crudest and loudest in the world, seem to symbolise the domineering, crushing, ruthless character of the country.” October 24: “A considerable amount of talk is heard, particularly from London, about the impossibility of “the Reich being able to hold out in a long war, but f am inclined to disagree.

The talk here about the mountainous reserves is also bunk, but, pulling the belt into the last notch, the country rs able to exist on what it has. ... , “Practically every foreign product is already exunci, wnich seems to belie the boasts about reserves of everything, but the amount oi bread, butter, meat and fish they are now allotting is just about what the Reich is able to produce, and 1 believe that, rather than give in, they will live on that amount for several years.” Women’s Clothes Wail. November 15: “I was talking with a dentist today, and asked what he is using for gold, silver and platinum. He took me to his office because his ersatz was something that had to be seen to be appreciated. . . . "He had an oversized Wearever (American) aluminium pot from which a sizeable chunk had been cut, and told me that dozens of German mouths were now sporting fillings and castings made out of bits of this American aluminium. He explained that American aluminium is much purer than the German and more suitable for castings.” November 16: "The' loudest wails over clothes rationing come from the women, who are allowed one pair of stockings every two months. ... It is now impossible to buy gramophone records without turning in old ones in exchange. The factories are not given new material, and must reclaim old records in order to manufacture new ones.” December 15: “The one thing that concerns me about New Year is the fact that the liquid accessories may not be so plentiful. It is now practically impossible to find a bottle of cognac or any other kind of spirits, though wine and champagne seem plentiful. My wine-dealer now sits alone in his shop and stares at empty shelves.”