„Verblassen des Staatsgedankens“ und „Totengesang“: Gesundheitskrise und Spanische Grippe in Oberschlesien

Abstract

Upper Silesia was characterized by the struggle between two conflicting national movements, German and Polish/Silesian, the dominance of the Catholic Church and the accelerated industrialization since the second half of 19th century. It experienced a fast population growth, accompanied by the spread of infectious diseases. The First World war caused even more social disturbances and finally led to the erosion of the state’s legitimacy. In autumn 1918 the more serious second wave of the Spanish Flu caused death and severe illness. The provincial administration mostly stood by its own and struggled with the identification of the disease and the collection of verifiable numbers.