Allgemeiner freier Angestelltenbund
The General free Angestelltenbund (AfA -Bund ) was established in 1920 a coalition of socialist-oriented trade unions technical and manageable white-collar jobs. But artistic professions were organized here. He existed in different thickness up to its self-dissolution at the beginning of the Nazi regime.
History and Development
The employees, who had for a long time seen as " private guards" were affected during and after the First World War by the problems in the labor market, inflation and partly to the reduction of certain previously existing privileges. For some of them won their function as employees take precedence over sized viewpoints. This was one of the causes for a (temporary ) grant to the socialist movement and its organizations.
The association was founded on the 1st depreciation union congress in Dusseldorf on 3 October 1921 as successor organization to the work community of free employee associations. For AfA -Bund belonged 1930: Central Association of employees ( ZdA ), Berlin, German foreman Association (DWV ), Confederation of technical employees and officials ( Butab ), polishing, plant and shaft Champion Bund, General Confederation of Deutsche Bank employees, cooperative German Theatre Professionals, International Artistenloge, Association of German marine engineers, foremen Association of the footwear industry, German Choir Association and dancers Bund, German conveyor Machinist Association, Association of cutters, Zuschneiderinnen and direct Ricen, Association of German captains and mates of merchant shipping and offshore fishing and the AfA -Bund Polish Upper Silesia. Chairman of the Federation was from the foundation to the end of Siegfried Aufhäuser.
The depreciation covenant concluded in 1921 a cooperation agreement with the ADGB from. However, the federal government still retains its autonomy. He praised the free trade union principles. It called for the primacy of the working people against the dead owned, lifting the unemployment pension income, control of production and distribution, employee participation and a public service organization of economic life. In the long term, the federal government saw in socialism over capitalism, the superior economic and social form. In contrast to competing organizations depreciation Federation rejected a special role of employees. However, this view prevailed rather hesitantly. This is also suggested that instead of the sector principle, the professional orientation remained the central basis of organization. In the leadership of the federal government approach went to the labor movement further. At the Third Congress of the Federal depreciation in 1928 Siegfried Aufhäuser even talked about that the employees were part of the working class. The AfA -Bund pleaded for full coalition and thus the right to strike, although stoppages of employees in practice hardly played a role. Total is noteworthy that the AfA -Bund compared to - was more committed to the socialist ideas of reformist ADGB from the beginning - at least latent.
The AfA -Bund managed to organize in the first years of a relatively large number of employees. Goods in 1912 only 28,000 organized in free union employees associations, belonged to the AfA -Bund in 1920, nearly 700,000 members, the Christian- nationally oriented General Association of German Professional Employees ( GEDAG ) that percentage stood at 460,000, and the Liberals related Confederation of Trade Unions of employees (GDA ) only had about 300,000 members at its founding in 1921.
During the Kapp Putsch of AfA -Bund, the ADGB and the German Civil Service Federation called (DBB) in a joint statement for a general strike against the coup on, and the members took part in the work stoppages in the private sector and the public sector. After the defeat of the coup the depreciation federation demanded together with the other two organizations have a stronger influence of workers' organizations in the transformation of governments in the Reich and in the countries as well as a new system of economic and social policy legislation. There were also calls for cleaning the administrations of reactionary personalities. The hope of a union state was not realized, of course. During the occupation of the Ruhr in 1923, members of the Federal depreciation on passive resistance is involved.
Especially due to inflation, and later the world economic crisis, a considerable part of the staff turned away from the socialist-oriented AfA -Bund. In 1924, he only had about 450,000 members. Significantly lower the weakening of GEDAG (almost 400,000) and the GDA fell ( 260,000 ) from members. In the following years the balance of power began to shift even more to the detriment of the federal depreciation. In 1929, he had again after some fluctuations about 450,000 members, the GEDAG but almost 560,000 and the GDA 320,000. 1931, the depreciation Confederation nor 435,000, the GEDAG nearly 600,000 and GDA about 330,000 members. In the longer term it was found that the status as an employee was not sufficient to tightly bind the employee to the socialist unions. However, many have not only put off by the rhetoric of class struggle. Even more important were given the economic turmoil status anxieties. This meant that the differences between workers and employees were stressed again. Rather than to the left as a part after the November Revolution, a majority of the employees oriented towards the longer the more to the right into the anti-republican camp.
The AfA -Bund was a member since 1931 of the Iron Front, which was founded as a counterweight to the Harzburg Front of organizations who were close to the Social Democrats. In addition to the WTB Plan ADGB the depreciation Federation submitted its own plan to combat the Great Depression active. The staff sat significantly increased planned economy measures as the ADGB. In the year 1932, these positions were approaching to the workers unions.
In protest against the approach of the ADGB to the new Nazi rulers put Aufhäuser his position as Chairman of depreciation on March 28, 1933 low. The federal government itself dissolved on March 30, shortly before the destruction of free trade unions, even on.