The First World War in Duesseldorf

The Rheinbahn’s revenue and passenger figures developed extremely positively until the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, which temporarily halted this trend and resulted in the top-to-bottom restructuring of the entire company. Weapons of mass destruction that were unheard of until this time magnified the horrors of the war. The citizens of Germany faced drastic changes in their everyday lives.

Soon after war broke out, it became evident that no preparations whatsoever had been made for such a ‘new’ form of war. Hunger, as well as labour, fuel and energy shortages, had a severe impact on the lives of citizens in every single one of the German Empire’s major cities. The Rheinbahn also faced new challenges as a micro-cosmos that reflected the events taking place in the Empire. Its rail network was a lifeline for the city and it kept Duesseldorf alive during the war.