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Abstract

This table shows the lack of raw materials for German industry. After 1913, German output fell in every major production category. This development had wide-reaching implications for the German war effort. The main cause of Germany’s defeat was material shortages.

German Industrial Production (1912–18)

  • Walter Hoffmann

Source

Year

Raw Iron

Steel

Iron and Steel Castings

Zinc

Lead

Copper

Aluminum

Rolling Mill

Total

1912

92.5

95.1

101.3

96.6

92.9

92.1

90.6

94.2

1913

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

1914

74.5

79.7

79.2

84.6

95.3

93.5

77.3

78.4

1915

60.1

69.8

83.5

66.5

64.2

119.2

74.8

74.5

1916

68.8

62.6

67.0

63.9

57.1

161.5

94.3

79.5

1917

68.0

83.1

93.6

66.9

47.6

149.8

101.1

91.9

1918

61.4

68.6

74.6

66.4

42.5

141.3

85.1

77.1

Source: Walther G. Hoffmann, Das Wachstum der deutschen Wirtschaft seit der Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts. Berlin: Springer Verlag, 1965, p. 354.

Translation: Jeffrey Verhey
German Industrial Production (1912–18), published in: German History in Documents and Images, <https://germanhistorydocs.org/en/wilhelmine-germany-and-the-first-world-war-1890-1918/ghdi:document-970> [September 26, 2025].