The Turnip Winter (German: Steckrübenwinter, pronounced [ˈʃtɛkʁyːbn̩ˌvɪntɐ]) of 1916 to 1917 was a period of profound civilian hardship in Germany during World War I, named for the resulting use of turnips as a famine food.
The Turnip Winter occurred during the winter of 1916–1917. Continually poor weather conditions led to a diminished harvest, most notably in cereal production. An ongoing blockade by the Allies of World War I had also reduced Germany's food imports. The food shortages were also attributed to a seizure of horses for the Imperial German Army, the conscription of a large part of the agricultural workforce, and a shortage of farming fertilizers caused by the diversion of nitrogen to the production of explosives. In response to the food shortage, the German government introduced food rationing through the then-new War Food Office. In the summer of 1917, the food allocated offered only 1,560 calories (6,500 kJ) daily diet and dropped to 1,000 calories per day in winter. The Imperial Health Office (renamed "Reich Health Office" in 1918) required 3,000 calories (12,600 kJ) for a healthy adult male, three times what was available in winter. German soldiers relied for their survival on the availability of turnips. Driven by starvation, children started breaking into barns and looting orchards in search of food. Such disregard for authority effectively doubled the youth crime rate in Germany. Historian G.J. Meyer noted that, according to a report from a prominent Berl
Why this event still matters
Historical incidents shape the rules that protect people today — building codes, evacuation policy, warning systems and inspection regimes almost always trace back to a specific disaster. Studying Turnip Winter alongside current events is how preparedness improves.
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