ABSTRACT
The supply structure of a large city like Berlin with more than four million inhabitants before 1939 brought with it many difficulties, even in times of peace and prosperity. In the immediate post-war period the provision of food to German cities was tied into a network of connections laden with tension. The food-processing industry suffered as a result of a production crisis in the agrarian sector. Companies like the meat product factory, Hanka, could have easily expanded their production directly after the end of the war, but there was a lack of raw materials for the factories. In Great Britain the trend toward regulation was even increased after the end of the Second World War. Crisis management that was based on deregulation and liberalization was not a priority. As it became apparent that the provision crisis was contained, more and more observers called for breaking out of the rigid provision system.
