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The First World War.
The fight for survival begins.
30 September 1914, Göppingen. The assassination in Sarajevo, in which the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne and his wife were killed, was a spark that triggered a fatal chain of reactions in the alliance system of the major European powers. In August, Kaiser Wilhelm II declared war on Russia. A few weeks later, Leonhard Weiß was called up and joined the railway pioneers. He leaves Göppingen with his wife Ottilie and daughter Emma, probably, like so many others, hoping to return soon. But Leonhard Weiß will spend four years travelling far away, in the West and East
His duties as a railway pioneer sergeant in the First World War included supplying the troops behind the front, building new tracks and destroying enemy installations. His experience as a building contractor and his knowledge as a railway specialist were extremely valuable. He was promoted several times and his military career was impeccable according to his military pass. But at home in Göppingen, the problems piled up.
Leonhard Weiß had to leave an ongoing construction site for his war deployment. He agreed with the client that he would complete the work at LEONHARD WEISS's expense. When the probably unreasonably high invoice arrives, a dispute arises and finally a lawsuit, which gets bogged down in the chaos of war.
But Ottilie Weiß, who had stayed behind in Göppingen, was not only confronted with this. The machines and materials were not stored properly - perhaps because there was no time, perhaps because everyone was expecting a quick victory. The company was also running out of building materials and many invoices were still outstanding. When the hoped-for quick end to the war failed to materialise, Ottilie Weiß vented her despair in a letter to the army corps in Stuttgart.
If our affairs cannot be better organised soon and funds procured again, we will no longer be able to meet our obligations (...). I therefore take the liberty of making the most respectful request that the high authorities authorise my husband to take at least six weeks' leave so that he can put our affairs in order and protect us from great and irrecoverable damage.
It can be assumed that her urgent words are heard and Leonhard Weiß comes home for a while, because in November 1916 their son Walter is born. At this time, Leonhard Weiß is already back in action in Romania, working his way with his troops over blown bridges towards the Black Sea. Ottilie Weiß manages to keep the business running even with a baby until her husband is finally allowed to return home two years later after the defeat of the German Empire.
Just as quickly as Leonhard Weiß had to leave everything behind at the beginning of the war, he resumed business after the end of the war. He fights for every order and is involved in the expansion of the Unterböbingen-Heubach branch line in the same year. However, despite the joy of returning home in good health, the economic after-effects of the war continue to cause Leonhard Weiß and his company great difficulties.