Chapter 429: The Cold Winter in Wilhelmshaven Part 1
The winter of 1919 was particularly unbearable. The biting cold weather and hungry stomachs made people unable to look forward to the future. Therefore, when the New Year of 1920 arrived, not many Germans felt the spirit of the New Year.
In this cold winter, a job is a gift from God to many people, and Bern understands this deeply. He is walking in the vast factory area of the Royal Wilhelm Shipyard. In the past, the busy shipyard can now be seen for half a day.
There were no human figures, and only Allied personnel in military uniforms could be seen coming in and out from time to time. Bern turned a blind eye to them and went directly to his work area.
Pushing open the door of a factory building next to the dock, he walked directly in. It was filled with shipbuilding equipment such as brackets, anchor pulleys, brakes, winches, sprockets, gearboxes, various water pumps, etc. These were all
Equipment is indispensable for building a sea-going ship, and Bern is one of the people responsible for caring for and maintaining these equipment.
When he walked in, several colleagues were already here.
"Bern, you came a lot late today."
A colleague greeted him.
Berne explained to his colleagues in a potato-smelling tone: "I can't help it. I just got paid yesterday and I need to buy some potatoes and firewood. My family was shut down the day before yesterday."
After hearing Bern's explanation, none of his colleagues said anything. Everyone knew the situation of Bern's family. There were three children at home and his wife was also frail and sick. The family relied on him to work to support the family. No one could blame a husband with such a heavy burden.
After chatting for a while, several people immediately began to check the condition of the equipment. At this time, a colleague mysteriously whispered: "We won't be able to do this job for much longer."
"What?"
"Crack."
All colleagues stared at the speaker, while the ruler and other items in Bern's hand were scattered on the floor.
At this time, a leading colleague said: "Charol, do you know what you are talking about?"
After one person spoke, others also said, "Charol, you can't joke about this kind of thing."
Unemployment, for them now, is simply a disaster. Just look at the idle people in Port William. They all have hungry faces and dirty clothes, and they carry with them the few clothes they have.
, find a deserted place to sleep in a roadside bridge. Many people will not be able to see the sun the next day, and many of these people's bodies are transported outside the city for burial every day.
None of them want to live this kind of life. Although this job is only enough to make ends meet, they are much better off than those people. At least they have a house to live in and food to eat.
Seeing that everyone was blaming him, the colleague named Charlotte was also anxious. He said directly: "Do you think I don't want this job? I want it too."
At this time, Bern stopped other colleagues who wanted to continue talking. He stepped forward and patted Charlotte on the shoulder and said: "I believe you will not take this kind of thing, so where did you hear this news?"
What Berne said attracted great attention from everyone, and they all wanted to hear what Charlotte had to say.
"Because I forgot something in the factory yesterday, so when I returned to the factory, I overheard a conversation between two Allied officers stationed there. They said that because our shipyard is a royal industry, we should be the main person responsible for launching the war.
Emperor William's assets shall be compensated to the Allied Powers."
The content of Charlotte's words immediately aroused rebuttal from other colleagues: "Even if we compensate them, the shipyard can't move away. They always need people to work in the shipyard. Should we fire those of us who are familiar with the shipyard and find new people?"
It won’t work.”
Faced with the rebuttal, Charlotte immediately continued: "I thought so too at the time, but later I heard them say that they wanted to see if anyone would take over these shipyard equipment. If no one took over, they would dismantle them all and bring them back to China. This is what they want to do."
Do you want to continue running the shipyard?"
What Charlotte said silenced everyone present. They were all familiar with shipbuilding. How could they build ships without equipment?
A colleague talked about the precious shipyard equipment. “I remember that the shipyard only installed a 320-ton gantry crane less than a year ago, as well as a large hydraulic press. It is very difficult to relocate these equipment.”
"When it came to installing the hydraulic press, I took people to work for a week before it was installed. But what's the use? These people from the Allied Powers are totally planning to demolish our factory."
A colleague angrily spoke his mind.
Another colleague said what everyone was most concerned about. "What will we do if the shipyard is moved?"
Yes, don't mention anything else now. The most important thing is to ensure that you can survive.
"How about we organize a demonstration for shipyard employees to demand that they not move the shipyard?"
A colleague shared what he thought was a feasible approach.
"That won't work. Do you think these people from the Allied Powers will care whether we live or die? Besides, they have a regiment of French troops stationed outside the city. We only have a few people now."
Another colleague contradicted what he said.
Demonstrations are not possible. Not to mention that there are only a few hundred people in the shipyard now, but when there were tens of thousands before, the people of the Allied Powers would not be lenient in suppressing them. During the war, both sides suffered millions of casualties, and there were still many people outside the city.
There is a French army. Don't forget that the French are currently feuding with them. I believe they will not miss this opportunity.
"Otherwise we go to the city government and let the state buy the shipyard so we can continue to work."
If an idea doesn't work, a colleague comes up with another idea.
"Where did the government get the money to buy the shipyard? This shipyard invested tens of millions of marks."
The mark they are talking about is not the mark that is like waste paper now, but the gold mark before the outbreak of the war, which can be exchanged for gold from banks. Now the city government can't even control those who have lost their jobs, so how can they invest in it?
funds to buy the shipyard, and they still don’t have the money.
The colleague couldn't help but said: "This won't work, and that won't work either. Should we just wait like this?"
"Otherwise, what can we do? We hope that someone will buy the shipyard from the Allied Powers, and someone must be willing."
Seeing that they were all like headless flies, the colleague suddenly asked Bern. "Bern, what do you think we should do?"
Bern, who looked heavy, thought for a while and said slowly: "I don't know either, but there will always be a way. There will always be a way."
After Bern finished speaking, he picked up the tools and walked towards the equipment. Today's work was not finished yet, so he had to continue working.
After seeing Bern leave, Charlotte gave him a sympathetic look and said: "Among us, Bern is the one who is under the most pressure. Don't embarrass him."
