so unsatisfactory at the slate mines, many younger and still spry older workers left their jobs at the pits and sought work and better wages in the Low Countries or in munitions factories, especially in Siegburg and Troisdorf. Even many girls found paying jobs in these factories. In September, men who had already been declared unfit for military service were nonetheless mustered again, and this time, most of them were found to be fit. From autumn 1915 to May of the following year, constant cannon fire could be heard from Verdun, about 150 km from Müllenbach. To save on kerosene, the clocks were all put ahead one hour on 30 April 1916 so that better use could be made of daylight. The oil shortage was mitigated somewhat by organized gathering of beechnuts. Schoolchildren managed to gather up some 100 kg to sell to the Royal Forest Administration, and were allowed to keep half their beechnuts. On 4 December 1916, the churchbells were set ringing on His Majesty's orders on the occasion of the victory on the river Argeş. This resulted in great jubilation in Müllenbach, and many thought that they were hearing a “peace peal”. It was the last time the bells would announce such an event: in late July 1917, they were taken away to be used for war requirements. They were melted down to make munitions and weapons. By 1918, there was no dearth of soldiers who did not want to go back to their posts after taking leave, and about ten to fifteen deserters lurked in the Müllenbach area, stealing chickens, livestock, food and even money. By autumn, though, the thieves were behind bars. Occupation and Weimar Republic On 11 November 1918 came the Armistice. On 27 November came the first German soldiers marching home from the now ended war. They kept coming through the area until 2 December. A week later, American soldiers showed up and took over the schoolrooms as their billet, leaving again on 11 December. More Americans came on 15 December. These ones stayed until 4 April 1919. A hygiene ordinance issued by the US occupational authorities in 1919 gives one an idea of the state of hygiene in Müllenbach at the time, and perhaps less importantly, of the state of linguistic ability in the United States Army at that time, for it was written in humorously bad German. It even went as