KITCHENER AND THE FIRST WORLD WAR

The Berlin Name

Change, 1916

Berlin on the eve of WWI city was about 70 % German origin recently earned city status in June, 1912

with over 15,000 population strong manufacturing town that boasted

its name and background

“Canada’s German Capital”

Berlin’s dual identityGERMAN PRIDE AND

LOYALTIES

ATTACHMENT TO THE BRITISH EMPIRE

Kaiser Wilhelm I Queen Victoria

Berlin saw little conflict in its dual loyalties: Victoria and Wilhelm were cousins.

Queen Victoria statue in Victoria Park today

The Outbreak of War

challenged Berlin’s ability to maintain both loyalties economic concerns: “Made in Berlin” strong British nationalism distrusts many of

German descent seen at start of war with the Kaiser’s Bust

incident August 22nd (or 23rd), 1914 bust pulled off monument and thrown in

Victoria Park Lake!

German community retrieves bust from lake; stores it in the Concordia Club

symbolic anti-German gesture, but sign of growing tensions

Vandalized monument the day after the bust was thrown in the lake

118th Battalion North Waterloo battalion created in fall,

1915 recruits mostly British descent

numbers fall short of full strength frustrations taken out on young men,

German community

Marching in Victoria Park

Parading down King Street in Waterloo

led by Sergaent-Major Granville Blood: “Once again, be British. Do your duty or be

despised. … Be British or be damned.”

bully tactics used against “slackers” police do/can do little: constable’s jaw broken Galt Reporter: “Are these the Methods of the

Kaiser’s Berlin or Berlin, Ontario?”

Berlin begins process of changing its name in February, 1916 plebiscite called for May 19th

Berlin Name-change Plebiscite yes/no vote campaign increases tensions in the city,

leading to several more incidents: 118th soldiers break into Concordia Club,

possibly steal Kaiser’s bust steal and destroy German memorabilia; burn it

on King Street mystery as to where bust went

“The Concordia Club, supposed to be a singing organization, was in reality a strong German club with a large membership of young men. … It was an organization to foster and maintain a strong German spirit and love for the Fatherland.”

- conclusion of military investigation

Major Blood leads attack on Reverend C. R. Tappert of St. Matthews Church, on March 4th, 1916

break into his home, beaten, dragged through streets by horses

Blood and one soldier charged; given suspended sentence

New York Times, March 9th, 1916

118th marches in downtown Berlin

Two Votes: May 19th

YES: British League, Telegraph

NO: Citizens’ League, News Record

3,057 votes cast; YES wins by 81 votes voter intimidation likely

reduced No vote Jacob Kaufman and

August Lang attacked by soldiers on victory night

second vote to choose a name

citizens asked for suggestions:

Two Votes: June 9th

group of 99 citizens choose final 6 names: Hydro City Dunard Huronto Renowa Agnoleo (name of locally-ground flour) Bercana

briefly contemplate merger with Waterloo

final list of 6 chosen by city council:

Adanac Benton Brock Corona Keowana Kitchener

name of Lord Kitchener added at last minute by council after death on June 5th

The Results

voting began around June 9th

1055 people voted 163 spoiled ballots 346 for Kitchener Brock second with 335 News Record’s summary: “The outstanding

feature (of the vote) was the absolute indifference displayed by the ratepayers.”

Berlin officially changed to Kitchener on September 1, 1916

Long-term Significance Berlin/Kitchener begins to de-emphasize

its German character names of people, businesses changed

Schmidt to Smith, Braun to Brown Doerr Biscuits to Dare

shows the power of the war to divide communities, create animosity

Sources

KPL, Online Photograph Collection WPL, Online Photograph Collection English and McLaughlin, Kitchener: An

Illustrated History Hayes, Waterloo County: An Illustrated

History New York Times, Online Archives Library and Archives Canada