L7: nazi social policies - workers

3 primary nazi aims in relation to workers

1. volksgemeinschaft - needed self-sacrifice, labour for good of national community

2. gleichschaltung - greatest challenge for regime, most of working class not voted for NSDAP, supported left wing ideology and favoured trade unions

3. rearmament - workers would facilitate prep for war, couldn’t suppress or ignore workers

when was the DAF established?

6th may 1933

who was the leader of the DAF?

robert lacey

what was the role of the DAF?

• coordinate workers under regime’s ideology

• took over role of trade unions to manage and appease workers

• membership NOT compulsory

  • only official body representing workers

• main aim: increase production levels to support rearmament

how was the DAF different from a trade union?

• represented interests of employers and state, NOT a trade union

• workers had no role in bargaining over wages

• had own propaganda department

• had subsidiary organisations - KDF and SdA

how wide was the reach of the DAF?

• large business empire inc. banks, travel associations, housing associations and construction companies

• wide-reaching scheme of the volkswagen

how many members did the DAF have by 1939?

1939 - 44,500 paid employees

meaning of KDF

strength through joy

meaning of the SdA

the beauty of labour

main aim of the KDF

• organising worker’s leisure time

  • hoped to be more productive/efficient if workers were happier

  • boost rearmament to meet targets more easily

  • remove free time, nazify their lives entirely

key aims of the KDF

• indoctrination - remove free time to oppose regime

• spirit of social equality - no distribution between wealth or social class

• encourage sense of volksgemeinschaft

• participation in sport to improve physical and mental health

• encourage competition and ambition

• provided subsidised holidays

how did the KDF encourage participation in sport?

every youth in employment required to undertake 2 hours of physical education a week at their workplace

when were KDF wardens found in a workplace? how many by 1939?

• KDF warden found in every workplace employing more than 20 people

• 1939: additional 7000 paid employees

what opportunities did the KDF provide to workers?

• subsidised holidays at home and abroad

• cheap foreign cruises e.g. libya, finland and turkey

• sporting areas and competitions

• hikes

• theatre

• cinema visits at reduced prices

• classical music concerts at lunchtime in factories

how many members did the DAF have by 1936?

35 million members

• KDF membership came automatically with the DAF

how many people attended a KDF cruise?

131,623 people attended a KDF cruise

example of a disparity between KDF propaganda and reality

• KDF cruises and holidays were too expensive for most workers

• 10% of the passengers were working class

• nazi officials and civil servants got the best cabins

• little mixing between classes despite of Volksgemeinschaft

popularity of the KDF

• one of the most popular organisation of the regime

• opportunities provided, not able to be experienced by most before 1933

• levelled out social, cultural, regional and religious differences → volksgemeinschaft

role/aim of the SdA

• department within KDF → improved workplace conditions

• hoped better working conditions make workers work harder and be more productive

how many companies improved their facilities by 1938?

by 1938: 34,000 companies

how did the Sda improve workplaces?

• better washing facilities

• workplace sports

• canteens that provided hot, nutritious meals

how did the SdA facilitate changes to a workplace?(point of contention)

• workers had to bear most of cost of improvements

• workers had to build and decorate facilities in own time for no extra pay

evidence that workers were better off under the nazis

• activities provided by KdF

• DAF training courses to improve skills

• DAF improved material lives of workers e.g. provided banking and housing companies

• able to fill leisure time

• sense of social equality - largely fitted existing socialist ideology of trade unions

• participation in sport to improve mental and physical health

• wages rose in most industries 1933-39

evidence workers were worse off under the nazis

• opportunities offered by the KdF only available to minority

• abolishment of trade unions and associated liberties

• no longer able to negotiate or voice grievances

• increases in production or efficiency NOT rewarded financially

• stagnant/decrease in real wages and living standards

• 5% fall in food production

• no opposing ideologies allowed

• workers unable to have private life

• harsh punishments for strikes/absenteeism

themes for “workers largely benefitted from nazi rule in the period 1933-39”

• economic policies/job creation

• DAF

• Strength through Joy (KdF)

• other policies (lack of freedom of speech, ban on spd, fear of police state)