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Waterloo Volunteerism (24 September 1914)

By • On • In Fall 1914, German-Canadian Identity, Home Front

Almost two months after the declaration of war, enlistment rates continued to increase in the Waterloo Region. Those who enlisted in the Second Contingent left Waterloo Region with a magnificent parade much like the parades that occurred when the region sent off men for the First Contingent.

The Waterloo Chronicle-Telegraph proudly stated that the twelve Canadian volunteers and five British reservists would embark for the front with the Canadian Second Contingent. The Breithaupt family insured these individuals for $1,000 each in the case of death while serving. This is a sample of the commitment the family displayed for Canada in the first months of the war.

(Photo courtesy of the Canadian War Museum, “Waterloo Volunteerism,“ Waterloo Chronicle-Telegraph, 24 September 1914)

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Start of the Patriotic Fund Campaign (5 October 1914)

By • On • In Fall 1914, German-Canadian Identity, Home Front

Berlin officially set its first Patriotic Fund goal on the 5th of October. They persuaded the city’s residents to donate by reminding them of “British chivalry and humanity” along with their commitment to those who had already volunteered. The first goal Berlin set was to reach $75,000 by October 8th. This was the first step towards the city’s significant monetary commitment to the war effort. Berlin would contribute a significant portion to the roughly $22,981,616 that was collected across Canada by the end of the war.

(Photo courtesy of the Canadian War Museum.  Patriotic Fund stat from Statistics Canada, “The Patriotic Fund Campaign,“ Berlin Daily Telegraph, 5 October 1914)

 

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Not Known Where Canada’s Contingent Will Be Sent (5 October 1914)

By • On • In Fall 1914, German-Canadian Identity

With the ever-increasing tension on the frontlines mounting and the threat of a long war becoming ever clearer, Canada began to ponder where the First Contingent, who were currently on route to England, would be used. Canada waited patiently as Indian and British reserves battled on the frontlines. The Berlin Daily Telegraph reported that rumors had begun to swirl around whether or not the Canadian troops would be sent directly to the continent or if they would be sent to Aldershot for additional training. Canada’s government remained silent on this issue.

(“Not Known Where Canadian Contingent Will be Sent,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 5 October 1914)

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Loyalty to the Crown (5 October 1914)

By • On • In Fall 1914, German-Canadian Identity, Home Front

Several articles were published addressing the English and Germanic background of the Waterloo Region during the first months of the war. A Berlin Daily Telegraph article explained, on 15 October, that regardless of one’s background, everyone was fighting for Great Britain and the King. The article made it clear that those of German origin or background should not be separated from English-Canadians and would fight for the British Empire through labour on the homefront or service on the frontlines. The picture below shows the local Breithaupt family’s tanning factory. The Breithaupts, who were of German heritage, began producing materials for British forces just weeks after the war began.

(Photo courtesy of Waterloo Generations, http://generations.regionofwaterloo.ca; “Loyalty to the Crown,“ Berlin Daily Telegraph, 15 October 1914)

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Berlin’s Population (22 October 1914)

By • On • In Fall 1914, German-Canadian Identity

On 22 October, Berlin announced during its City Council meeting that it had reached a population of over 19,000. Over 718 individuals had moved to the town since 1913, the East Ward seeing the largest increase of 420. It was reported that over $36,000 of additional taxes had been collected during that year. The size of Berlin would make it the leading contributor of the Waterloo Region for the various war effort campaigns and contributions. As the industrial city grew, Berlin residents strove more and more to aid in the war effort.

(“Berlin’s Population,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 22 October 1914)

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Naturalization of German-Canadians (4 November 1914)

By • On • In 1914, German Newspapers, German-Canadian Identity, Timeline

In November 1914, Waterloo’s German community was outraged over a scandal in Haileybury in which a judge would not permit German and Austrian immigrants to get their Canadian citizenship, even though several Russians, Italians and Finns were naturalized. This caused shock, anger, and fear in the German community as they did not know what else to do in order to prove their loyalty. They talked about it with the Dominion representative for Waterloo North, W.G. Weichel. Of German origin himself, he understood the concerns and worries and tried his best to advocate for the German-Canadians and explain their ambivalent situation to the government. He then took care of the incident so the migrants were naturalized in the end.

BJ-1914-11-04-Naturalization of German-Canadians

(“Verweigert Naturalisation” Berliner Journal, 4 November 1914; “In diesen schweren Zeiten des Krieges” Berliner Journal, 18 November 1914)

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Enemies of the State (5 November 1914)

By • On • In Fall 1914, German-Canadian Identity

On 5 November, Ottawa declared that all German and Austrian residents of Canada had to register with the government. This declaration was of significance to some residents of the Waterloo Region. The government explained that this was an exercise to gain a level of control over the presence of aliens within Canadian borders for the public’s sake. Individuals, who failed to address the registrars or botched their interrogation, would then be transported to prisoner of war camps. Registrars questioned nationality, nature and intentions along with individuals’ current situation or status in Canada. People of German or Austrian birth also had to pass a registrar examination if they wished to leave the country whether as a civilian or enlisted in the Canadian Army. The Canadian Government’s official statement on the matter was as follows:

“The order-in-Council passed by the Government has for its object to ensure an effective control and supervision over persons of alien enemy nationality residing in the country. In enacting it, the Government realizes that there is a very large proportion of these residents who are perfectly peaceable citizens, and in no sense a source of danger to the country…”

(Photo courtesy of the Canadian War Museum; “Enemies of the State,” Hespeler Herald, 5 November 1914)

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Questioning German Lutheran’s Loyalty to Empire (12 November 1914)

By • On • In Fall 1914, German-Canadian Identity

German ethnicity was a symbol of the Waterloo Region starting in the mid 19th century; this resulted in constant questions being posed about the region’s loyalty following the outbreak of war. Grey County, located north of Waterloo County, also had serious concerns regarding German loyalty.

With the outbreak of the war Lutherans in Canada were seen in a new light. In Grey County Lutheran ministers and German-Canadians were accused of being disloyal to the British Empire. An article in the Berlin Daily Telegraph sought to dismantle this theory and even went as far as recommending that Ottawa send a detective to investigate, confident that this notion would be debunked once they uncovered the good intentions of the local Germans.

This wartime Canadian comic depicts stereotypical German attire.

(Courtesy of the Canadian War Museum; “German Lutherans Loyalty to the Empire,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 12 November 1914)

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Public Christmas Tree Erected at City Hall (23 December 1914)

By • On • In Fall 1914, German-Canadian Identity, Home Front

December 21st Berliners gathered at city hall to celebrate Christmas. The Salvation Army and the Army band were present to provide the audience with music as Mayor Euler addressed the people of Berlin. He discussed the pressure that war had put on the city and expressed hope that the conflict would soon come to a close. Following the ceremony, city hall officials illuminated the town square’s twenty-eight-foot Christmas tree.

While the war placed a great burden upon the Waterloo Region, the communities came together to celebrate the holidays. These gatherings also allowed time for reflection on the war itself and for those who had already enlisted.

(“Public Christmas Tree Erected at City Hall,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 23 December 1914)

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German Canadians in Toronto and Waterloo (1 March 1915)

By • On • In 1915, German-Canadian Identity

Reports indicated that by comparison to other parts of Canada, particularly Toronto, German Canadians in Waterloo County were treated well. A German man who had lived in Canada for two thirds of his life was driven out of business in Toronto by a boycott due to his heritage. He contrasted Toronto with Berlin “where the great bulk of people are of German descent, and loyal to Britain and British institutions” and where “race distinctions are practically non-existent.”
Some with anti-German sentiments In Toronto even targeted the infiltration of the German language into English. Trustee Dr. John Noble of the Toronto School Board wished to remove the word “kindergarten” from the Toronto school system.
Although claims that anti-German feeling was “practically non-existent” were exaggerated, Waterloo County was seen as a kind of comparative haven for Germans because of their high representation in the population.

(“Persecution of German Canadians,” Berlin Daily Telegraph, 1 March 1915.; “To Wipe out ‘Kindergarten’,” Waterloo Chronicle, 18 March 1915.)image-7 (1)