During World War One, the occupation and administration of foreign territories developed as a task hitherto unknown to European militaries in form, scope and duration. Due to the operational development between 1914 and 1918, occupation became a task for the German army in particular. In the occupied territories, soldiers encountered civilians of the enemy warring powers and vice versa. The zones of occupation became areas for rest and recreation for the forces and an economic reservoir to be exploited in a totalizing conflict.
