Kitchener

The history of Kitchener is unique among cities in southern Ontario. Although
Kitchener shares so much of the character of the region today, its past was
considerably different. Until 1916, Kitchener was Berlin, “Canada’s German
capital.” Over two-thirds of the residents were of German origin; many
retained strong traces of that past. These became controversial when Canada
fought two wars against Germany. By the middle of the First World War, the
idea of “a patch of Germany” in the heart of southern Ontario became
untenable. Berlin became Kitchener, but not without a battle which split the
small city.

This is the first scholarly history of Kitchener. Based on wide-ranging
research, it illustrates how a community so unlike its neighbours became a
part of the broader Canadian community in the twentieth century. Much of the
information is new, and many myths are punctured. The romantic mists which
have surrounded the story of the early Mennonite settlers are lifted. The full
story of the great controversies of the First World War is told for the first
time. The impact of the Depression and the extraordinary economic boom which
accompanied the Second World War are analyzed. Kitchener’s sometimes-eccentric
politicians are seen, not as deviations, but as representatives of a long
tradition of civic populism.

Over 100 photographs accompany the text. Maps and tables further illuminate
Kitchener’s development. Kitchener: An Illustrated History will be of
interest, not only to its residents, but also to Canadians generally who are
interested in the history of multiculturalism and the transition from rural to
urban Canada. This book illustrates the difficulties as well as the rewards of
maintaining distinct cultural traditions. The problems it identifies concern
many Canadians today.