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German Labour Front

January 01, 1970

The German Labour Front (German: Deutsche Arbeitsfront, pronounced [ˌdɔʏtʃə ˈʔaʁbaɪtsfʁɔnt]; DAF) was the national labour organization of the Nazi Party, which replaced the various independent trade unions in Germany during the process of Gleichschaltung or Nazification.

German Labour Front
Deutsche Arbeitsfront
AbbreviationDAF
PredecessorNational Socialist Factory Cell Organization
Formation10 May 1933; 91 years ago (1933-05-10)
DissolvedMay 1945; 79 years ago (1945-05)
Legal statusIllegal
Membership
32 million (1938)[1]
Leader of the DAF
Robert Ley
Parent organization
NSDAP
SubsidiariesNational Socialist Trade and Industry Organization
Beauty of Labour
Strength through Joy

History edit

As early as March 1933, two months after Hitler was appointed Chancellor, the Sturmabteilung began to attack trade union offices without legal consequences. Several union offices were occupied, their furnishings were destroyed, their documents were stolen or burned, and union members were beaten and in some cases killed; the police ignored these attacks and declared itself without jurisdiction.[2] These early attacks occurred at random, carried out spontaneously by rank-and-file Nazis motivated by a desire to destroy Marxism,[3] and the Nazi Party leadership only implemented a general policy in May. On 2 May, 1933, trade union headquarters throughout Germany were occupied, their funds were confiscated, and the unions were officially abolished and their leaders arrested.[4] Many union leaders were beaten and sent to concentration camps, including some who had previously agreed to cooperate with the Nazis.[4]

The German Labour Front (DAF) was then created in May 1933 as the organization that was to take over the assets seized from the former trade unions. Robert Ley, who had no previous experience in labour relations, was appointed by Hitler to lead the DAF upon its creation.[5] Three weeks later, Hitler issued a decree that banned collective bargaining and stated that a group of labour trustees, appointed by him, would "regulate labour contracts" and maintain "labour peace."[6] This decree effectively outlawed strikes, since workers could not oppose the decisions of the trustees.[6] Meanwhile, Robert Ley promised "to restore absolute leadership to the natural leader of a factory—that is, the employer... Only the employer can decide."[6]

The leadership of the DAF stressed that there was no need for antagonism between workers and employers in the new Nazi state. To underline this, its laws were couched in a neo-feudal language of reciprocity. This new system of industrial relations represented a major victory for the employers, backed by the Nazi leadership, who needed the co-operation of industry in their drive to rearm.[7]

Unlike the trade unions it had replaced, the DAF did not aim to be an organization representing the interests of workers alone; it also included employers and members of the professions, and defined itself as "the organization of creative Germans of brain and fist."[8] The law establishing the DAF stated that its aim was not to protect workers but "to create a true social and productive community of all Germans" and "to see that every single individual should be able to perform the maximum of work."[8] The labour trustees, who had the power to set wages, in practice followed the wishes of employers and did not even consult the workers.[8] There was also a mandate from Hitler to keep wages low, as he declared that the hourly wage should remain the same and workers should only be able to earn more through increased productivity.[8] Although Germany experienced an economic recovery throughout the 1930s and employment greatly increased, wages remained as low as they had been during the Great Depression, and sometimes even lower.[9]

The DAF also gave employers the ability to prevent their workers from seeking different jobs. In February 1935, the "workbook" system was introduced, which issued every worker with a workbook that recorded his skills and past employment. These workbooks were required for employment and they were kept by the employer; if a worker desired to quit his job, the employer could refuse to release his workbook, preventing the worker from being legally employed anywhere else.[10]

To compensate for these restrictions on wages and employment, the DAF sought to provide workers with leisure and entertainment. Robert Ley explained his policy as aiming to "divert the attention of the masses from material to moral values," as he believed that "it is more important to feed the souls of men than their stomachs."[10] Thus, the DAF established the Strength through Joy organisation, which provided factory libraries and concerts, swimming pools, adult education programmes, variety performances, theatre visits, athletic events, subsidized tickets to the opera, and subsidised vacations with a focus on cruises. The number of people taking holiday cruises went from 2.3 million in 1934 to 10.3 million in 1938.[11]

The DAF financed the building of ocean-going vessels that permitted German workers to pay minimal prices to sail to many foreign destinations. Up to six ocean liners were operating just before the start of World War II. According to the chief of the Associated Press in Berlin, Louis P. Lochner, ticket prices for ocean steamer vessels ranged from twelve to sixteen marks for "a full week on such a steamer".[12] For those who desired vacations closer to home, the DAF constructed spa and summer resort complexes. The most ambitious was the 4.5 km long Prora complex on Rugen island, which was to have 20,000 beds, and would have been the largest beach resort in the world. It was never completed and the massive complex largely remained an empty shell right through until the 21st century.[12][13]

The DAF was one of the largest Nazi organizations, boasting of over 35,000 full-time employees by 1939.[14] It operated one of the largest financial institutions—the Bank of German Labour—as well as various workplace programmes such as medical screening, occupational training, legal assistance and the Beauty of Labour organization.[14] To help Hitler keep his promise to have every German capable of owning an affordable car (Volkswagen—the People's Car) the DAF subsidised the construction of an automobile factory, which was partially paid from workers' payroll deductions. None of the 340,000 workers who were paying for a car ever received one, since the factory had to be retooled for war production after Nazi Germany invaded Poland.

DAF membership was theoretically voluntary, but any workers in any area of German commerce or industry would have found it hard to get a job without being a member. Furthermore, many unemployed people were drafted into the Labour Front where they were given uniforms and tools and put to work; the disappearance of unemployed people from the streets contributed to the perception that the Nazis were improving the economic conditions of Germany.[15] Membership required a fee within the range of 15 Rpf. to 3 ℛ︁ℳ︁, depending on the category a member fell into, on a large scale of 20 membership groups. A substantially large amount of income was raised through fees. In 1934, the total DAF revenue from fees was 300,000,000 ℛ︁ℳ︁. In US dollars, the annual income from dues to the Labour Front came to $160,000,000 in 1937 and $200,000,000 by 1939.[16]

Organization edit

 
Uniforms for leaders of the German Labour Front, 1943

There were two main components of the DAF:

Several other sub-organizations were set up, including:

  • Kraft durch Freude (KdF; Strength through Joy) – Organization giving the workers cheap/free holidays in addition to subsidised sporting and leisure facilities.
  • Schönheit der Arbeit (SdA; Beauty of Labour) – Aimed to make workplaces more enticing to workers (e.g., renovations of outdated factories, new canteens for workers, smoking-free rooms, cleaner working spaces etc.).

The Front also organised the Reichsberufswettkampf, a national vocational competition.

See also edit

References edit

Notes

  1. ^ Benz, Wolfgang (2007). A Concise History of the Third Reich. University of California Press. p. 32. ISBN 978-0-520-25383-4.
  2. ^ T. W. Mason, Social Policy in the Third Reich: The Working Class and the "National Community", 1918–1939, Oxford: UK, Berg Publishers, 1993, pp. 74, 77
  3. ^ T. W. Mason, Social Policy in the Third Reich: The Working Class and the "National Community", 1918–1939, Oxford: UK, Berg Publishers, 1993, pp. 74, 77
  4. ^ a b William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany, New York, Simon & Schuster, 2011, p. 202
  5. ^ T. W. Mason, Social Policy in the Third Reich: The Working Class and the "National Community", 1918–1939, Oxford: UK, Berg Publishers, 1993, pp. 88–89
  6. ^ a b c William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany, New York, Simon & Schuster, 2011, p. 203
  7. ^ J., Evans, Richard (2008). The Third Reich in power, 1933–1939. Allen Lane. p. 461. ISBN 978-0-7139-9649-4. OCLC 282554619.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ a b c d William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany, New York, Simon & Schuster, 2011, p. 263
  9. ^ William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany, New York, Simon & Schuster, 2011, p. 264
  10. ^ a b William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany, New York, Simon & Schuster, 2011, p. 265
  11. ^ T. W. Mason, Social Policy in the Third Reich: The Working Class and the "National Community", 1918–1939, Oxford: UK, Berg Publishers, 1993, p. 160. Völkischer Beobachter, Nov. 21, 1936
  12. ^ a b Louis P. Lochner, What About Germany? New York: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1942, p. 32
  13. ^ Hatherly, Owen (6 November 2017) Hitler's holiday camp: how the sprawling resort of Prora met a truly modern fate. in TheGuardian.com. Retrieved 15 January 2019
  14. ^ a b Richard Bessel, Nazism and the War, New York: Modern Library, 2006, p. 67
  15. ^ Childers, Thomas (2001). "Racial Policy and the Totalitarian State". A History of Hitler's Empire, 2nd Edition. Episode 7. The Great Courses. Event occurs at 12:20–12:41. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  16. ^ William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany, New York, Simon & Schuster, 2011, p. 266

Bibliography

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to German Labour Front.
  • Deutsche Arbeitsfront (DAF) at Lebendiges Museum Online, in German.
  • Erste Verordnung des Führers und Reichskanzlers über Wesen und Ziel der Deutschen Arbeitsfront vom 24. Oktober 1934

January 01, 1970
german, labour, front, german, deutsche, arbeitsfront, pronounced, ˌdɔʏtʃə, ˈʔaʁbaɪtsfʁɔnt, national, labour, organization, nazi, party, which, replaced, various, independent, trade, unions, germany, during, process, gleichschaltung, nazification, deutsche, ar. The German Labour Front German Deutsche Arbeitsfront pronounced ˌdɔʏtʃe ˈʔaʁbaɪtsfʁɔnt DAF was the national labour organization of the Nazi Party which replaced the various independent trade unions in Germany during the process of Gleichschaltung or Nazification German Labour FrontDeutsche ArbeitsfrontAbbreviationDAFPredecessorNational Socialist Factory Cell OrganizationFormation10 May 1933 91 years ago 1933 05 10 DissolvedMay 1945 79 years ago 1945 05 Legal statusIllegalMembership32 million 1938 1 Leader of the DAFRobert LeyParent organizationNSDAPSubsidiariesNational Socialist Trade and Industry OrganizationBeauty of LabourStrength through Joy Contents 1 History 2 Organization 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory editAs early as March 1933 two months after Hitler was appointed Chancellor the Sturmabteilung began to attack trade union offices without legal consequences Several union offices were occupied their furnishings were destroyed their documents were stolen or burned and union members were beaten and in some cases killed the police ignored these attacks and declared itself without jurisdiction 2 These early attacks occurred at random carried out spontaneously by rank and file Nazis motivated by a desire to destroy Marxism 3 and the Nazi Party leadership only implemented a general policy in May On 2 May 1933 trade union headquarters throughout Germany were occupied their funds were confiscated and the unions were officially abolished and their leaders arrested 4 Many union leaders were beaten and sent to concentration camps including some who had previously agreed to cooperate with the Nazis 4 The German Labour Front DAF was then created in May 1933 as the organization that was to take over the assets seized from the former trade unions Robert Ley who had no previous experience in labour relations was appointed by Hitler to lead the DAF upon its creation 5 Three weeks later Hitler issued a decree that banned collective bargaining and stated that a group of labour trustees appointed by him would regulate labour contracts and maintain labour peace 6 This decree effectively outlawed strikes since workers could not oppose the decisions of the trustees 6 Meanwhile Robert Ley promised to restore absolute leadership to the natural leader of a factory that is the employer Only the employer can decide 6 The leadership of the DAF stressed that there was no need for antagonism between workers and employers in the new Nazi state To underline this its laws were couched in a neo feudal language of reciprocity This new system of industrial relations represented a major victory for the employers backed by the Nazi leadership who needed the co operation of industry in their drive to rearm 7 Unlike the trade unions it had replaced the DAF did not aim to be an organization representing the interests of workers alone it also included employers and members of the professions and defined itself as the organization of creative Germans of brain and fist 8 The law establishing the DAF stated that its aim was not to protect workers but to create a true social and productive community of all Germans and to see that every single individual should be able to perform the maximum of work 8 The labour trustees who had the power to set wages in practice followed the wishes of employers and did not even consult the workers 8 There was also a mandate from Hitler to keep wages low as he declared that the hourly wage should remain the same and workers should only be able to earn more through increased productivity 8 Although Germany experienced an economic recovery throughout the 1930s and employment greatly increased wages remained as low as they had been during the Great Depression and sometimes even lower 9 The DAF also gave employers the ability to prevent their workers from seeking different jobs In February 1935 the workbook system was introduced which issued every worker with a workbook that recorded his skills and past employment These workbooks were required for employment and they were kept by the employer if a worker desired to quit his job the employer could refuse to release his workbook preventing the worker from being legally employed anywhere else 10 To compensate for these restrictions on wages and employment the DAF sought to provide workers with leisure and entertainment Robert Ley explained his policy as aiming to divert the attention of the masses from material to moral values as he believed that it is more important to feed the souls of men than their stomachs 10 Thus the DAF established the Strength through Joy organisation which provided factory libraries and concerts swimming pools adult education programmes variety performances theatre visits athletic events subsidized tickets to the opera and subsidised vacations with a focus on cruises The number of people taking holiday cruises went from 2 3 million in 1934 to 10 3 million in 1938 11 The DAF financed the building of ocean going vessels that permitted German workers to pay minimal prices to sail to many foreign destinations Up to six ocean liners were operating just before the start of World War II According to the chief of the Associated Press in Berlin Louis P Lochner ticket prices for ocean steamer vessels ranged from twelve to sixteen marks for a full week on such a steamer 12 For those who desired vacations closer to home the DAF constructed spa and summer resort complexes The most ambitious was the 4 5 km long Prora complex on Rugen island which was to have 20 000 beds and would have been the largest beach resort in the world It was never completed and the massive complex largely remained an empty shell right through until the 21st century 12 13 The DAF was one of the largest Nazi organizations boasting of over 35 000 full time employees by 1939 14 It operated one of the largest financial institutions the Bank of German Labour as well as various workplace programmes such as medical screening occupational training legal assistance and the Beauty of Labour organization 14 To help Hitler keep his promise to have every German capable of owning an affordable car Volkswagen the People s Car the DAF subsidised the construction of an automobile factory which was partially paid from workers payroll deductions None of the 340 000 workers who were paying for a car ever received one since the factory had to be retooled for war production after Nazi Germany invaded Poland DAF membership was theoretically voluntary but any workers in any area of German commerce or industry would have found it hard to get a job without being a member Furthermore many unemployed people were drafted into the Labour Front where they were given uniforms and tools and put to work the disappearance of unemployed people from the streets contributed to the perception that the Nazis were improving the economic conditions of Germany 15 Membership required a fee within the range of 15 Rpf to 3 ℛ ℳ depending on the category a member fell into on a large scale of 20 membership groups A substantially large amount of income was raised through fees In 1934 the total DAF revenue from fees was 300 000 000 ℛ ℳ In US dollars the annual income from dues to the Labour Front came to 160 000 000 in 1937 and 200 000 000 by 1939 16 Organization edit nbsp Uniforms for leaders of the German Labour Front 1943 There were two main components of the DAF Nationalsozialistische Betriebszellenorganisation NSBO National Socialist Factory Cell Organization Nationalsozialistische Handels und Gewerbeorganisation NSHAGO National Socialist Trade and Industry Organization Several other sub organizations were set up including Kraft durch Freude KdF Strength through Joy Organization giving the workers cheap free holidays in addition to subsidised sporting and leisure facilities Schonheit der Arbeit SdA Beauty of Labour Aimed to make workplaces more enticing to workers e g renovations of outdated factories new canteens for workers smoking free rooms cleaner working spaces etc The Front also organised the Reichsberufswettkampf a national vocational competition See also edit nbsp Organized Labour portal Arbeitsfront der Volksdeutschen in der Slowakei Labour Front of the Volksdeutsche in Slovakia Class collaboration Corporatism National syndicalismReferences editNotes Benz Wolfgang 2007 A Concise History of the Third Reich University of California Press p 32 ISBN 978 0 520 25383 4 T W Mason Social Policy in the Third Reich The Working Class and the National Community 1918 1939 Oxford UK Berg Publishers 1993 pp 74 77 T W Mason Social Policy in the Third Reich The Working Class and the National Community 1918 1939 Oxford UK Berg Publishers 1993 pp 74 77 a b William L Shirer The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich A History of Nazi Germany New York Simon amp Schuster 2011 p 202 T W Mason Social Policy in the Third Reich The Working Class and the National Community 1918 1939 Oxford UK Berg Publishers 1993 pp 88 89 a b c William L Shirer The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich A History of Nazi Germany New York Simon amp Schuster 2011 p 203 J Evans Richard 2008 The Third Reich in power 1933 1939 Allen Lane p 461 ISBN 978 0 7139 9649 4 OCLC 282554619 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link a b c d William L Shirer The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich A History of Nazi Germany New York Simon amp Schuster 2011 p 263 William L Shirer The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich A History of Nazi Germany New York Simon amp Schuster 2011 p 264 a b William L Shirer The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich A History of Nazi Germany New York Simon amp Schuster 2011 p 265 T W Mason Social Policy in the Third Reich The Working Class and the National Community 1918 1939 Oxford UK Berg Publishers 1993 p 160 Volkischer Beobachter Nov 21 1936 a b Louis P Lochner What About Germany New York Dodd Mead amp Company 1942 p 32 Hatherly Owen 6 November 2017 Hitler s holiday camp how the sprawling resort of Prora met a truly modern fate in TheGuardian com Retrieved 15 January 2019 a b Richard Bessel Nazism and the War New York Modern Library 2006 p 67 Childers Thomas 2001 Racial Policy and the Totalitarian State A History of Hitler s Empire 2nd Edition Episode 7 The Great Courses Event occurs at 12 20 12 41 Retrieved 28 March 2023 William L Shirer The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich A History of Nazi Germany New York Simon amp Schuster 2011 p 266 Bibliography McDonough Frank 1999 Hitler and Nazi Germany Cambridge Perspectives in History Cambridge Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 59502 9 Smelser Ronald M 1988 Robert Ley Hitler s Labour Front Leader Oxford Berg Publishers ISBN 0 85496 161 5External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to German Labour Front DAF information for AS Level History Unit 3 Deutsche Arbeitsfront DAF at Lebendiges Museum Online in German Erste Verordnung des Fuhrers und Reichskanzlers uber Wesen und Ziel der Deutschen Arbeitsfront vom 24 Oktober 1934 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title German Labour Front amp oldid 1224817293, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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