UC San Diego

361 Pages·2013·1.27 MB·English

UC San Diego
UC San Diego Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Title
If Only This War Would End : : German Soldiers in the Last Year of the First World War
Permalink
https://escholarship.org/uc/item/845375xf
Author
Zroka, Ryan Edward
Publication Date
2013

Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation
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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO

“If Only This War Would End:” German Soldiers in the Last Year of the First World War

A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy

in

History

by

Ryan Edward Zroka

Committee in charge:

Professor Frank Biess, Chair
Professor Richard Biernacki
Professor Deborah Hertz
Professor Hasan Kayali
Professor Patrick Patterson

2013
Copyright

Ryan Edward Zroka, 2013

All rights reserved.
The dissertation of Ryan Edward Zroka is approved, and it is acceptable in quality and
form for publication on microfilm and electronically:

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________
(Chair)

University of California, San Diego

2013

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Signature Page............................................................................................................ iii

Table of Contents....................................................................................................... iv

List of Tables.............................................................................................................. v

List of Graphs............................................................................................................. vi

Acknowledgements.................................................................................................... vii

Vita............................................................................................................................. ix

Abstract...................................................................................................................... x

Introduction................................................................................................................ 1

Chapter 1: The Campaign of 1918............................................................................. 20

Chapter 2: The End of the German Army.................................................................. 56

Chapter 3: Sticks and Carrots..................................................................................... 88

Chapter 4: Disintegration............................................................................................ 129

Chapter 5: Conflict and Kameradschaft...................................................................... 170

Chapter 6: Family Men............................................................................................... 221

Chapter 7: Communities of Suffering......................................................................... 258

Conclusion: Revolutions............................................................................................. 294

Appendices................................................................................................................. 307

Bibliography................................................................................................................ 318

iv
LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 -- Allied and German Casualties on the Western Front, 1918…………….. 79

Table 2 -- The First Company, Manpower Summary……………………………… 164

Table 3 -- Breakdown of the German Field Army by Service Branch, 1914 and 1918
……………………………………………………………………………………… 270

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LIST OF GRAPHS

Graph 1 -- Total Casualties in the German Army on the Western Front, by Month, 1914-
1918………………………………………………………………………………… 31

Graph 2 – Charges for Desertion/AWOL in the Württemberg Contingent, per Month, per
Division…………………………………………………………………………….. 73

Graph 3 – Charges for Desertion/AWOL in the 27th Reserve Division, 1914-1918.. 74

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

While writing this dissertation, I was often tempted to immerse myself completely
in the work – to the detriment of my relationships with family, friends, and colleagues.
Such an approach is ultimately self-defeating, however. I can say with absolute sincerity
that this work could never have been attempted, much less completed, without the
support of many, many others. I will do my best to give credit where it is due.
I must first of all thank all of the members of my dissertation committee, for their
countless words of advice and encouragement over many years. Special thanks must go
to Frank Biess, who showed remarkable patience with an idea that took years even to
articulate, and who suffered through all of its many forms and iterations. I must also
mention Hasan Kayali, who was willing to help on such short notice, and Armin Owzar,
who always made time to discuss ideas.
I thank the Institute for European Studies and the Deutscher Akademischer
Austauschdienst. Without their support for my research, I would have accomplished
nothing at all. Likewise indispensable were the staffs of the archives and libraries where I
worked. I especially thank the staff of the Bibliothek für Zeitgeschichte, which was my
home for over a year. Gerhard Hirschfeld and Irina Renz were instrumental in every
phase of my research, pointing me towards new sources and suggesting new lines of
inquiry.
I owe an enormous debt to my colleagues at UCSD and elsewhere. This project
took shape over a thousand different conversations with them, and it was enriched by
their countless insights and suggestions. I especially thank Susanne Hillman, William
Skyles, and David Livingstone.
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Many, many others made important contributions to this project – assisting with
translations, pointing me towards new books and sources, offering aid and comfort, and
helping me to navigate foreign lands. Let me express my particular gratitude to Barbara
Schäfer, Ivo Lücker, Crystal Contreras, Sebastian Schöne, Santos Cordon, Joe Neves,
Charlyn Ortal, Vincent Artman, Eric Medefesser and the Medefesser family, John Lee,
Pam Clark and the Humanities staff, Carol Larkin, Maureen McCormack, Nick and
Lynda Zroka, Darren and Allison Zroka, Tom Parker, Larry and Ellen Edwards, and Iris
and Hans Bölter.
Finally I would thank Amy Edwards, whose contributions throughout have been
immeasurable. Without her this project would never have come to anything, and I would
have no joy in completing it.

viii
VITA

EDUCATION

2004 Bachelor of Arts, University of California, Los Angeles

2007 Masters of Arts, University of California, San Diego

2013 Doctor of Philosophy, University of California, San Diego

PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS

2005-2013 Teaching Assistant, Revelle College Humanities Program,
University of California, San Diego

2008-2009 Lecturer, University of San Diego

2012-2013 Lecturer, University of California, San Diegp

PUBLICATIONS

“To the Bitter End: A Social History of the German Army in Defeat” in Didczuneit, Veit,
Jens Ebert and Thomas Jander eds. Schreiben im Krieg, Schreiben vom Krieg: Feldpost
im Zeitalter der Weltkriege (Essen: Klartext, 2011)

“Veteran’s Movements in Inter-War Europe” in Merriman, John and Jay Winter eds.
Europe Since 1914 - Encyclopedia of the Age of War and Reconstruction. (Detroit:
Scribner’s, 2006)

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