Berlin, Ontario, changed its name to Kitchener 

by referendum in May and June 1916. Named

in 1833 after the capital of Prussia and later the German Empire, Berlin was heavily German-
Canadian, and its residents enjoyed a blend of British and German culture. The name Berlin
became unsavoury for residents after Great Britain and Canada's entry into the First World War,
as German Canadians experienced increasing anti-German sentiment. In a vote characterized
by intimidation and high voter turnout, the 19 May 1916 referendum on changing the name
narrowly passed; a second vote to choose the new name saw low turnout. The vote settled
on Kitchener, named for British field marshal War Secretary Lord Kitchener. The city was
officially renamed on 1 September 1916. After the war, the city experienced a decline in its
German culture with German Canadians being culturally assimilated into the broader Canadian
identity. (Full article...)
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