
In this compelling wartime address, a German officer explains how the nation reshaped its entire economic structure to secure the raw materials essential for the war effort. He describes the birth of a new agency that emerged from the old War Ministry, uniting engineers, craftsmen, and laborers from every region in a voluntary, purpose‑driven collaboration. The talk paints a vivid picture of a country suddenly cut off by blockades, forced to rely on its own ingenuity to keep factories, armaments and food supplies flowing.
The speaker details the strategic challenges posed by a Europe encircled on land and sea, emphasizing the urgency of coordinating scarce resources such as metals, fuels and chemicals. He also reflects on the broader implications of this economic mobilization, hinting at how these measures might influence future civilian industry. Listeners gain insight into the early, experimental phase of a massive logistical undertaking that aimed to keep the nation resilient amid unprecedented isolation.
Language
de
Duration
~56 minutes (53K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Markus Brenner and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2007-04-11
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
1867–1922
A brilliant industrialist turned statesman, he helped guide Germany through the turbulent early years of the Weimar Republic. His life ended in a political assassination in 1922, making him one of the era’s most memorable and tragic public figures.
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