•Œwe Germans╦Are British Subjectsâ•Š the First World War
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Canadian Military History Volume 21 Issue 2 Article 5 2015 “We Germans…are British Subjects” The First World War and the Curious Case of Berlin, Ontario, Canada William J. Campbell Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh Part of the Military History Commons Recommended Citation William J. Campbell "“We Germans…are British Subjects” The First World War and the Curious Case of Berlin, Ontario, Canada." Canadian Military History 21, 2 (2015) This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Canadian Military History by an authorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact [email protected]. : “We Germans…are British Subjects” The First World War and the Curious Case of Berlin, Ontario, Canada “We Germans…are British Subjects” The First World War and the Curious Case of Berlin, Ontario, Canada William J. Campbell hen news of the outbreak of Empire, and thus the Canadian war in Europe reached Canada Abstract: In 1914 when news of war effort. But, such a response by W war erupted in Canada, some of the in 1914, most of the Dominion’s Berliners should hardly be classed loudest voices of support rang from population embraced the call-to- the largely German population of as contributing to the maintenance arms. The nation stood “Loyal Berlin (now Kitchener), Ontario. But, of a strong imperial identity in and Steady” Toronto’s Daily News far from being unflinchingly united Canada, nor should it be lumped proudly announced, “united from behind the Allied war effort, the in with nationalistic sentiment that responses of the community appear ocean to ocean.”1 Canadians, Prime developed in rejection of British considerably more pragmatic. As this Minister Robert Borden insisted, article argues, Berliners addressed imperialism. To be sure, the First would not sit idly by as Kaiser local and national pressure by either World War played a pivotal role in Wilhelm’s army lay ruin to Europe. meeting the wartime status quo, or by the development of what Carl Berger Borden’s prediction did not unfold attempting to subtly evade demands suggests was the imperial-minded that threatened to undermine or as smoothly as envisioned. The form of nationalism in English- target German culture and community country may have entered the First cohesion. In the end, local events and Canada, and the anti-imperial World War without hesitation, but discreet displays of anti-conformity sentiment that erupted over the by 1918 wartime policies had opened in Berlin during the First World War issue of conscription that solidified wide political fissures, particularly suggests the patriotic sentiment French-Canadian nationalism in resonating from Waterloo County 4 between many French- and English- comments more on a community Québec. That being said, it is clear speaking Canadians. Nevertheless, struggling to avoid persecution as that most Berliners responded to the according to the dominant narrative, it does a population clamouring to call-to-arms practically, and with a expressions of nationalism during make sacrifices in the name of King, firm understanding of the precarious the First World War helped shape a Country, and Empire. situation that had quickly enveloped nation and arguably define a new era them. Berliners were not duped by in Canadian history.2 and cities across the Canada. But, far propaganda, emboldened to protest Interestingly, some of the loudest from being united behind the Allied by ethnic or territorial pride, nor did voices of support for the war effort war effort, Berliners’ appear to have they volunteer in droves to willingly were from the largely German been considerably more pragmatic. fight for God, King and Empire.5 Most population of Berlin, Ontario. With By taking into consideration Berliners addressed local and national the advent of war, the third largest anti-German sentiment as expressed pressure by either accommodating ethnic group in the Dominion of primarily in local newspapers and to wartime circumstances, or by Canada may have “found themselves by military officials, the present attempting to subtly evade demands in an especially delicate position article seeks to add another shade that threatened to undermine or target [given] their adopted country to the Anglophone-Francophone German culture and community declared war on their country of dichromatic depictions of the cohesion. In the end, local events in origin,” but the official message country’s reaction to the events of the Berlin, including discreet displays of resonating from Berlin suggested First World War. To be sure, many anti-conformity, suggest the patriotic otherwise.3 In fact, at first glance the Berliners sought to project a public sentiment resonating from Waterloo community’s response to news of image of themselves and others as County reflected more a community war mirrored that of many towns being loyal advocates of the British struggling to avoid persecution Published© Canadian by Scholars Military Commons History @, Laurier,Volume 2015 21, Number 2, Spring 2012, pp.45-57. 45 1 Canadian Military History, Vol. 21 [2015], Iss. 2, Art. 5 than a population clamouring to from Lake Erie to the Elora falls, the 60,000 acres (240 square kilometres), make sacrifices in the name of King, Haldimand Tract, as it was called, most of Waterloo Township. In 1806, Country, and Empire. included the lands six miles on each Benjamin Eby, a Mennonite preacher, side of the Grand River. Not long purchased land consisting of a large * * * * * after gaining title to the land, Brant part of what would later become aterloo County, one of the and the relocated Haudenosaunee the village of Berlin. By the 1820s, Wmost densely wooded sections Grand Council sold most of the upper European Germans and Pennsylvania in North America in the eighteenth section of the tract to Euroamerican “Dutch” immigrants shaped the century, was located in the middle speculators, who, in turn, sold the area’s cultural landscape. Within 30 of Neutral and Mississauga territory. land to refugee immigrants.6 years the surrounding towns of Galt, Following the American Revolution, As early as 1799 Pennsylvania Preston, and Hespeler all competed the region underwent a dramatic Mennonites from Franklin County with Berlin for industrial dominance transformation. What would come began settling the northern limits in the area. In fact, the 1853 search for P615 Society Historical Courtesy of the Waterloo to be Waterloo County was a section of the Haldimand Tract, including a location for the county seat led to a of the 1784 land cession given to Block Two, the future location of rivalry among the towns. But when Haudenosaunee “Loyalists” and Berlin, Ontario. Pacifist immigrants, a local merchant donated a small other British allied First Nations at tired of “excessive taxation, [and] parcel of land for the construction of the request of Thayendanegea, or long years of compulsory military a county courthouse, Berlin clinched Joseph Brant. After the Crown and service,” fled the United States the race.8 the local Mississaugas agreed on for British Canada during the 50 Through the latter half of the terms, a tract of land was designated years that followed the American nineteenth century, and with the help for the migrating Haudenosaunee Revolution.7 In 1805 a company of the Grand Trunk Railway, the town that followed Brant north. Stretching formed in Pennsylvania purchased of Berlin became an industrial hub in A map of Berlin, Ontario as it appeared in 1879. Courtesy of the Kitchener Public Library M577-H1 https://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh/vol21/iss2/546 2 : “We Germans…are British Subjects” The First World War and the Curious Case of Berlin, Ontario, Canada The city of Berlin as it appeared in 1912. The industrial nature of the core is visible in this photograph. In the foreground is the main line of the Grand Trunk Railway. The Berlin train station is on the left side of the photograph. southern Ontario. The population demonstrate our love and respect for of the century, perhaps as best grew with the arrival of Irish, Scots, a monarch of whom the world may exemplified by Henri Bourassa and Welsh immigrants. Inhabitants be proud. We are British subjects… and his followers, many Canadians with a German background, however, but while we proclaim this truth, I began to express national pride remained in the vast majority. In 1900 might add, to ourselves, we are also by pressing for greater autonomy as many as 70 percent of the city’s prepared to continue to cultivate our from the British Empire – especially population claimed direct German beautiful German customs.11 during times of conflict. That being heritage; the same percentage of said, at the onset of the First World school children still studied German When Europe plummeted towards War the nationalism expressed by as their optional subject. Then in war in the summer of 1914, public most English-speaking Canadians 1912, the town, widely regarded as celebration of German traditions lay firmly entrenched within a larger “Canada’s German capital,” became and royal family members became imperial framework. As both British a city.9 As William Rowley Chadwick increasingly problematic. Not long subjects and Canadian citizens, for remarked, even as the first shots of after reporting Britain, Germany, most Canadians there was only one the Great War were heard, Berlin and France made “strenuous” efforts response to news of war in Europe.13 was as “hard-working, religious, to avoid a general war, on 3 August Initially, the message from law-abiding, and confident a city as 1914 the News-Record declared “War Berlin, Ontario, appeared to be no any in the Dominion…and there was to the Death has come to Europe.”12 different.