Love an Partnership in the wake of war. Effects of the First World War on intimacy, passion and commitment in partner relationships in Germany, 1914-1925
Final Report Abstract
In contemporary judgment and historical hindsight, the First World War was long regarded as the trigger for a crisis in partner relationships, which led to the emotional alienation of couples and an increase in the number of divorces. On the other hand, findings from field post research emphasize the psychological importance of functioning relationships in the exceptional state of war. This controversy served as a starting point for the project to examine the influence of the First World War on partnership discourses and relationship realities in Germany on a broad empirical basis and beyond the end of the war. It was possible to show that the finding of a war-related crisis in partner relationship, which became established in the German public from the turn of the year 1914/15 and continued to manifest itself after the end of the military conflict, was not the result of contemporary analyses without presuppositions or intentions. Rather, contemporary interpretations of the effects of the war were integrated into long-term debates on the shaping of society and were instrumentalized to work towards a return to traditional structures or (on the contrary) towards a fundamental reshaping of society. At the level of partnership perceptions, the war and post-war years were characterized as a considerable stress test for the affected couples. In addition to individual experiences of violence and deprivation, male participation in the war meant a deep cut in partnership communication, intimacy and coping with everyday life. After the end of the war, socio-economic hardship, fear of the future and the after-effects of the war experience made it difficult to return to a ‘normal’ life together. In times of war-related separation, couples developed and pursued a variety of strategies on an emotional, sexual and cognitive level to strengthen their common identity and thus increase the resilience of their relationship. At the same time, open conflicts repeatedly came to light, which could lead to existential relationship crises. This area shows how public diagnoses of crisis regarding infidelity and sexual disorder diffused into relationship life. Partnership discourses and relationship experiences thus prove to be intertwined spheres that were in a permanent relationship of mutual reference and influence.
