General German Trade Union League (ADGB)

Founded in Nuremberg on July 5, 1919, the General German Trade Union League (ADGB) was the umbrella organization of the independent trade unions in the Weimar Republic. The latter were closely associated with social democracy. The ADGB was the political representative of the individual trade unions vis-à-vis the state an government and was responsible for developing socio-political strategy, but the real strength lay with the individual trade unions themselves: they were able to draw on income from membership fees to pursue collective bargaining policy and engage in labor disputes to achieve wage increases and improvements in social conditions. The ADGB was financed from trade union subscription fees. ADGB trade unions had a total membership of eight million in 1920, decreasing to 3.5 million by 1932. Membership of Christian trade unions fell from 1 million to 450,000 during the same period.
Although the formation of the ‘Central Working Community’ by trade unions and employers in November 1918 resulted in various accomplishments of the revolution such as the eight-hour day, collective bargaining autonomy and the establishment of works councils, it still recognized employers as legitimate owners and failed to vigorously pursue demands for social ownership. The independent trade unions and the collective bargaining system were a mainstay of the Weimar Republic.
In 1933, the ADGB leadership adopted a strategy of conforming to the demands of the Nazi regime, but the National Socialists still dissolved the Independent Trade Unions on May 2, 1933, transferring members and assets to the German Labor Front (DAF). Trade union officials were arrested or forced to emigrate; some were murdered.