When Money Dies by Bob Wolf

Author:Bob Wolf [Wolf, Bob]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Published: 2011-08-25T13:07:29+00:00

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9: Ruhrkampf

IT is a phenomenon of any national group that, almost however much it is riven with dissent, an external threat will unite it. By all accounts the entry of the French and Belgian armies into the Ruhr had a galvanising effect on a disintegrating German nation. As Tirpitz felt called upon to say in an unwelcome eulogy of the Anglo-Saxons, fate seemed to have assigned to France 'the historic role of welding the divergent forces of our people into unity again and again.' Not only did all Germany rally at once to the notion of supporting their brothers on the Rhine: the Socio-political fever in the industrial areas itself subsided in a torrent of national passion directed against the common enemies.

A sudden absence of class hatred was a remarkable feature, helped by the willingness of some of the industrialists — notably some mine-owners and directors — to be arrested and imprisoned for non-cooperation along with their employees. They became national heroes. In Berlin, even the Left-wing Independent Socialist Party was happy to give its temporary support to the government of Cuno. Indeed, what was termed 'the revival of the national spirit' was a matter for universal comment. Only Ludendorff failed to cash in on the new awakening by taking the appeal for unity all the way to Vienna where, though still in desperate poverty despite the health of the krone, people remembered on which side their bread was buttered: he was greeted with shouts of 'To the gallows!' and 'Down with the murderer of millions!' and had to be smuggled back to his own country.

'All the old patriotic songs were sung,' said Erna von Pustau. 'Even Father gave money to help the Ruhr. Clothes were collected. The coal shortage began. We had cold houses again, but we were willing to suffer cold for our fatherland.'

With the absence — in prison or the unoccupied part of the country — of the managerial staff of the mines and forests, what had begun (ostensibly at least) as an administrative operation quickly escalated into a stark and often brutal military occupation. The Ruhr basin's Coal Syndicate was replaced with Franco-Belgian officials. The administration of forests, customs and export licences throughout the newly occupied area was taken over. A customs cordon was set up between the Rhine-Ruhr and unoccupied Germany, through which all coal exports were prohibited. The rail link between unoccupied Germany and Switzerland was cut, and French and Belgian personnel were introduced to the Ruhr state railways. With these alien operatives the German workers would have little to do, and their former management and officials suffered accordingly.

Within a fortnight of January 11, mayors, lord mayors, customs officers at all levels, police directors and commissioners, local councillors and revenue officers were being hounded out of their jobs and homes. The Chief Commissioner of Forests was dismissed, along with his assistant commissioners at Cleve, Speyer, Mainz and Treves. The director of the Wiesbaden chief customs house was replaced. In protest at the arrest of

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