15. Coal shortages, cold breaks and war damage – everyday life at the mdw

[Detailed catalog text in german]

Shortages at every turn

The war meant that the population faced a chronic shortage of coal. The allocation of heating supplies was prioritised according to urgency, and unsurprisingly, arts universities were considered a lower priority than the armaments industry. Consequently, there were recurrent “cold breaks” or “coal holidays”, and alternative venues for holding classes were sought. The semester could also be extended into the summer months, allowing winter breaks to be prolonged where necessary on account of dwindling fuel supplies.
Not only was instruction hampered by challenges in finding classroom space and a chronic lack of instruments, but almost all everyday items were in short supply. Obtaining ration coupons for goods was laborious and required elaborate justification.

Facilities rented out for the war effort

As the war progressed, the mdw* found it necessary to lease its premises for military production purposes. For instance, university buildings were made available to the company Karner for the production of substitute glass, and to the company Wochocz, who manufactured landmine detonators. While this had a significant impact on daily academic life and led to numerous restrictions, any outright refusal to accommodate any military production may have carried the danger of the entire university site being forcibly taken over, which would have impeded teaching and learning even further.

The aftermath of the bombing: An enduring legacy beyond the end of the war

As the bombardments intensified, the buildings of the mdw* were damaged, making it temporarily impossible to continue regular academic activities. Additionally, there were many teachers and students who had been “bombed out” and displaced from their homes. Daily life was also dominated by numerous conscriptions into the Wehrmacht, assignments in arms factories, air raid services, assisting with harvests, and so on.
It is not surprising that chronic shortages persisted even after the end of the war. A letter by a young student, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, applying for a practice room at the mdw in 1948 shows just how difficult it was to pursue regular academic work.