862.504/365

The Consul at Berlin (Geist) to the Acting Secretary of State

No. 1804

Sir: I have the honor to inform the Department that during the last month the German authorities have been increasing their activities in consolidating the German Labor Front (Deutsche Arbeitsfront). As the [Page 286] Department knows from previous despatches and reports in the premises, when the Hitler Government came to power they dissolved all the trade unions in the country. Labor was reorganized in a great organization called the Deutsche Arbeitsfront (German Labor Front). The purpose of this consolidation was to bring about a decided accomplishment in the realization of the totalitarian idea. The Hitler Government refuses to tolerate in the social and political unity of Germany any organizations and groups which are not directly under the tutelage of the National-Socialists. The old labor unions with the Socialist and Communist tendencies were incompatible with the new order of things, and so far as organization is concerned they were totally wiped out. However, it was realized by the authorities that among the great mass of workers in Germany almost ineradical [ineradicable] political opinions of a Socialist and Communist nature were held by millions of individuals. The idea has been to allow groups no longer openly to hold or propagate such ideas. Not only was it necessary to annihilate officially such organizations, but to commence a vigorous campaign to bring the members into line with the National-Socialist principles, not only through teaching, but also through encouragement and active propaganda. This campaign has been going on violently since the elections of November 12. The official spokesmen of the Government, not only Hitler himself, but particularly responsible Ministers such as Dr. Schmitt, the Minister of Commerce, Dr. Goebbels, Minister of Propaganda, and above all Dr. Ley, head of the German Labor Front, have put themselves at the head of this campaign and spared no efforts to bring the workers into line. Certainly these leaders are showing a great deal of tact in handling this ambitious program. The newspapers carry items from day to day, proclaiming the grandiose schemes which the present Government intends to carry out for the benefit of the workers, and it may be said that the workers are indeed getting steadily into a better frame of mind. The millions of workers in Germany realize that opposition to the present régime is impossible, particularly from the point of view of any concerted action. Groups, small or large, are not free in any part of the country to voice disapproving sentiments, nor does any organization exist by which disapproving sentiment could be translated into action.

The workers have come to realize that the worst they may do in the present situation is to carry out individual acts of passive resistance. In the Germany of to-day, if such acts come to public notice a person is branded as a traitor and would find himself presently in a concentration camp where he would soon be cured of any passive resistance. The result has been that all the workers throughout Germany have accepted the situation in a spirit of expectancy. They realize that nothing is to [Page 287] be gained by opposing the irresistible tide of enthusiasm and rejuvenation which is the order of the day in Germany. Propaganda for the national resurgence is so continually poured into the ears of the people over the radio and presented to them in the public press, that the masses which cannot resist such influences are coming more and more, so to speak, to get into the swim.

How this propaganda is carried out and the results it is obtaining may be of interest to the Department.

Dr. Ley early in November made a tour of Germany and visited a good many of the great plants. The Krupp Works at Essen, where in previous years thousands of Socialists and Communists have held sway, have been one of the centers of the Government’s attack. On November 5 Dr. Ley visited this plant and gathered an immense crowd of workers in the factory where the National-Socialist ideas were proclaimed and where all sorts of promises were made to the workers, and at the end of which meeting allegiance was pledged to Adolf Hitler, the Fuehrer. Alfred Krupp, the founder of the factory, it was emphasized at the meeting, during his lifetime had declared himself to be “der erste Arbeiter” (the first laborer) of his factory. Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach, the present owner of the works, publicly acknowledged his membership in the German Labor Front and his devotion to the Hitler idea.

The Reichstag deputy Selzner, who has charge of the details of organization in the German Labor Front, has been making glowing promises of the future of the German workman. His speeches have been featured in the daily press, particularly where he lays emphasis on the necessity of leading the workers out of the proletarian class. The German worker, he says, must become settled in his home and on the land, and he has announced a program of providing for each worker 1,000 quadrat-meters of land and a house in the suburbs of the cities and towns where these workers live. But, he emphasizes, these privileges and this process of redemption are to affect only those who belong to the National-Socialist organizations. All this is to be accomplished by the end of 1935. 3,900,000 workers, according to Dr. Selzner, will be helped to own their own homes. An investment of 2,000 marks is to be made in the case of each person. 1,000 marks is to come from the Labor Front itself, 500 marks from the State, and 500 marks from the banks. The first 500 marks is to be paid back by the worker at the rate of 25 marks a month, i.e. to the bank. The rest is to be paid back as he can. To carry this through, a new department is to be erected in the German Labor Front, called the “Entproletarisierungs-Amt”, which means “deproletarisation 00106”. It is stated that at first 1,000 workers who show greatest promise for being “deproletarized” will form the nucleus of the action. The [Page 288] promise of bestowing these benefits upon 3,900,000 workers is characteristic of the manner in which grandiose schemes of betterment are placed before the working masses.

The most pretentious scheme, however, that has been proclaimed, is known as the “Nach der Arbeit”, the N.d.A., which literally means “after working hours”. The program for this great scheme was announced by Dr. Goebbels and Dr. Ley and other important party leaders, in a great mass meeting held in Munich. The purpose of this N.d.A. is to bring up the worker in proper National-Socialist ideas during his leisure hours. The Manchester Guardian reported on this interesting speech of Dr. Ley’s as follows:

Guiding the Nation: The first great offensive in the fight for the conquering of the heart for National-Socialism is won (he said). Now we must build on the position thus won. In all we do we must be governed by the National-Socialist idea. The success at the elections revealed Marxism in ruins. Two million opponents cannot be counted as opposition to the State. The whole nation now is one organism with one point of view. The National-Socialist party supplies the teachers, while the workers organized in the “Work Front” form the flock which carry into practice the ideas of the leader.

Thus the party will always be small, and the “Work Front” must comprise the whole nation. Party officials are not representative of special interests, but representatives of National Socialism. The party is responsible for the formation of a unified will in the people, and no material antagonisms may be found in its ranks. As party officials, our function is not to lead merely workers, office workers, employees, and artisans, but to guide the whole nation into National-Socialism.

We are members of a political organization with a particular job. We have to make the path free, but the people themselves must march along it. We must create a new spirit. The social problem is not one of hours and wages, but one of education and training. We must create a new type of German worker, one who is the product of discipline.”

The basic idea of the N.d.A. is to give the German labor organization other outlooks than those which heretofore have been shared by trade unionists. The trade unionists had considered their organizations as existing for the purpose of obtaining better working conditions, especially wages, hours and conditions of labor. The purpose of the N.d.A. is to throw these considerations into the background and to secure the benefits through more positive and higher aims, i.e. the workers hereafter in Germany will not have to worry about wages and hours of labor, as the paternal state will see to it that these conditions are fulfilled, but the worker will have to share the National-Socialist view of existence and progress in order to avail himself of the cultural advantages which the N.d.A. will provide. Strike funds need no longer be raised as there will be no reason for strikes, but the contributions of the workers will be employed entirely in the process of “deproletarizing” [Page 289] and in providing the special benefits which the N.d.A. will afford. Dr. Goebbels, who also spoke at Munich, explained the idea when he said: “The State should not at any time separate itself from the people. It should not leave the people to themselves. The State should direct and provide their entertainment and amusement.” Dr. Goebbels said that it was not only the duty of the State to see that the stomachs of the people were filled, but the State should direct their enjoyment of art, music, the theatres and the beauties of the country, even their sports must be organized and directed by the State. For this reason, the House of German Labor will be erected in Berlin. This is all tied up to the Reichs-Cultural Chamber, which was recently established under the leadership of Dr. Goebbels. There will be a bureau for “revirtuizing” the people, under the direction of the Reichs-Sport commissioner. There will be a bureau for traveling and hiking, a bureau for mutual self-help, and a bureau devoted to the dignifying and beautifying of labor, a bureau for vacations and holidays, and a bureau for instruction and education. Dr. Ley proclaimed at the end of his speech the encouraging phrase: “The very best for the people.” It is contemplated that artists are to be drafted for the entertainment of Labor, and they are to be sent even into the remotest villages. The announcement of this program took place at a great demonstration at Munich, but there was an immediate reaction on the part of all those professionally engaged in amusement enterprises. The question was raised as to whether or not it is intended to set up a great stage organization to compete with amusement enterprises. This of course was immediately denied, and it was explained that these amusements would be provided for the people through the existing organizations. It was explained there is to be no competition with regular theatres, music halls, etc. The meaning is simply that the workers will have opportunities which they did not have before.

Exactly how this is to be done, has not been pointed out. The realization of this scheme lies entirely in the future. But it is promised that every man will have an opportunity freely to go where he wishes.

One practical step to the advantage of the worker has been accomplished. A voluntary action has been started all over the country to afford the workers better protection in their jobs. This was started by the director of the Berlin Transportation Company, which operates the streetcars, busses and subways. Director Thomas voluntarily pledged hereafter to give all the workers in his organization fourteen days’ notice of dismissal. The Oberbuergermeister of Berlin, Dr. Sahm, proclaimed that as the employer of the largest number of people in Berlin, he accepted this condition. All the printing establishments followed suit as well as the chemical industries. Among those who publicly [Page 290] proclaimed their adherence to this principle was the Woolworth organization in Germany. Some organizations went so far as to pledge themselves to give a month’s notice. It will be remembered that under the old regime and under the wage agreements that existed in years past, the majority of workers in Germany were protected with regard to dismissal. For the most part, however, simple workmen could be dismissed on seven days’ notice. All employees throughout Germany had protection as high as a month and a half. In fact, some employees could only be dismissed six weeks before the end of a quarter. Germany under the old Socialist practice afforded the utmost protection for the workers. With the destruction of the trade unions and for the most part the cancellation of the wage agreements, some sort of action was necessary in view of the absence of any legislation. The workers in Germany, however, have not been fooled, as they realize that their protection in their positions was very adequate under the former régime. The management of the German Labor Front has been conducting campaigns all over Germany to get the workers in various trades, such as the printers, lithographers, etc. to hold demonstrations in order to give these organizations en masse an opportunity to pledge their allegiance to the “Fuehrer”. These demonstrations have been partially given a military character. There was, for instance, on November 20 an “Aufmarsch der Graphiker”, i.e. a demonstration of the lithographers. This demonstration was interpreted as a pledge of allegiance of the whole trade in Germany which comprises about 200,000 workers. All the lithographers in Berlin assembled in a great hall on the Kaiserdamm. They were gathered from all sections of the city and marched in a solid procession in military formation to the assembly hall where their coming was preceded by a great array of flags and a brass band. The speakers sketched the history and the rise of the National-Socialist Government and paid direct compliments to those engaged in the lithographic profession, who were characterized as the “spiritual elite”. The leader of the association of lithographers also spoke and pledged the allegiance of the 200,000 workers in Germany to the National-Socialist State. These demonstrations have been arranged for a great many professions, and during them the members are made to feel that they are a very important integral part of the National-Socialist movement. In commenting on this method of propaganda it may be explained that when these workers are gathered together and brought to a public demonstration where their leaders pledge their allegiance, nobody is given an opportunity to decline taking part; in fact nobody dares. Those employed in the various establishments are rounded up by the local chief of the N.S.B.O. (National-Socialist Betriebszellen Organization). When these public demonstrations are [Page 291] arranged, no individual would venture so far as to make himself a marked man. It is estimated certainly that fifty to sixty per cent of those who participate in these meetings, are not active sympathizers with the present régime. These propaganda methods, however, are arranged with a great deal of cleverness, and it is safe to say that an increasingly large percentage of the workers is won over into the fold.

There is probably no organization in Germany which is putting so much pressure of propaganda upon its members as the German Labor Front. The fact that it has been impossible up to the present time really to bring about a betterment of the position of the workers, makes it necessary to work all the harder to persuade the laboring masses that conditions in Germany are better. Discontentment naturally exists among those whose hours of labor have been cut down to afford opportunities of labor for those previously unemployed. The simple worker, too, has realized that a great deal has been done to make the position of members of the party more prosperous. Thousands of jobs have been created for the National-Socialist stormtroopers, and hundreds of thousands of the less fortunate have been shoved off into voluntary labor camps. The necessity for continuous propaganda is apparent to the leaders. Fraternal organizations of all sorts, the so-called Verbaende, which were more or less affiliated with the old labor unions, were allowed to continue their existence in a strictly unpolitical way since the Government came into power. It has been lately realized that these Verbaende have neutralized the desired unanimity in the German Labor Front. Therefore these Verbaende have now been forbidden.

During the first few days of this month prominent persons here and there have publicly announced their adherence to the German Labor Front. Dr. Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach became a member on December 4. Dr. Keppler, the economic adviser to the Chancellor, became a member on December 2. Oberbuergermeister Dr. Sahm enrolled among the members of the German Labor Front.

The individuality of this great organization has been emphasized through several outward signs, which are calculated to induce a greater solidarity in the ranks of the German Labor Front. All the members are to have a “Festanzug”, that is a holiday uniform, and a badge. The uniform is to consist of a double-breasted coat and trousers of dark blue color, with a blue cap similar to those worn by naval officers. It is in fact copied from one of the uniforms of the old army. Instead of a cocarde, the embroidered badge of the organization is to be placed on the cap. The badge consists of a cogwheel with the swastika in the center. With the blue suit, a white shirt, a black tie and black shoes must be worn. As the Government is not to pay for this uniform, it is not known how universally it will be worn, The cost, however, is fixed [Page 292] as low as twenty marks, and great efforts are being made to produce the cloth cheaply, and an arrangement has been made with tailöring establishments all over Germany to produce these suits at the very lowest cost and all according to the official model. Besides, the German Labor Front is to have its own anthem. Regarding the anthem, which has been composed by one Dr. Eckert and one Pietzner-Clausen, it is stated that it has a rhythm and a melody that get into the blood. The introductory words indicate the character of the song: “In die Arbeitsschlacht” (on to the battle of labor). After it was announced that all members of the German Labor Front would be required to wear a uniform, “Der Deutsche”, the organ of the Labor Front, came out and announced that the textile industry and the tailors in Germany would find full employment for a year. It is thought, however, in order to realize this vast scheme that it will be necessary for the Government to provide an ample subvention for the textile industry in order that it may be able to produce the cloth cheap enough to be within the reach of the mass of workers.

Respectfully yours,

Raymond H. Geist