Germany and energy independence

Germany has been though this before. And they can do it all day.

In June 1948, the Soviet Union cut off road, rail, and canal access to western Berlin, stopping all coal deliveries. As U.S. general Lucius Clay contemplated supplying the city by air, the question was whether the number of airplanes involved could ever deliver enough coal and food to sustain 2.5 million people.

In speaking with mayor Ernst Reuter and his aide, Willy Brandt, Clay stated, "Look, I am ready to try an airlift. I can't guarantee it will work. I am sure that even at its best, people are going to be cold and people are going to be hungry. And if the people of Berlin won't stand that, it will fail. And I don't want to go into this unless I have your assurance that the people will be heavily in approval." (from "Airbridge to Berlin")

Reuter agreed, and the residents of western Berlin buckled down.

To undermine their resolve, the Soviet Union offered free food to any Berlin resident who crossed into the East and registered their ration card there. And in radio broadcasts, they "predicted the imminent abandonment of the city by the Western occupying powers. (from "The Two Germanies Since 1945: East and West")

Instead, as autumn approached the West increased cargo thoughput to the city to 6,000 tons of supplies per day.

By spring 1949 it was clear that the blockade would not produce the desired results, and the Soviets relented. However, as if to say "I can do this all day," the Berlin Airlift continued until September 1949.

Today, Europe is under a similar kind of pressure, with Russia having cut natural gas supplies to what it calls "unfriendly nations" following its invasion of Ukraine. [Source]

However now, as then, Germans are buckling down. And as a [temporary] resident of Germany, I am with them.

We have yet to turn on the heat. To further reduce consumption, I've reverted to my Army deployment practice of "combat showers." Rinse, water off. Lather, rinse, water off. Shampoo, rinse, done. Less than three minutes of running hot water.

It seems I am not alone.

"Most impressive of all has been the reduction in consumption of gas by both industrial and domestic consumers, not merely related to the mild weather. In recent weeks, Germany’s industrial use of gas has been around 20 to 25 per cent down on a year ago while its production in the sector was 2.1 per cent higher in August year on year. German household gas consumption is down similar amounts as families compete to see how far into autumn they can go without turning on the heating." [Source]

So while -- yes -- there is discomfort, and there is sacrifice, the Germans are showing AGAIN that there are more important things in life than having it easy.

They will not be blackmailed into abandoning Ukraine.