United Union of German Railway Workers

Last updated
United Union of German Railway Workers
Native nameEinheitsverband der Eisenbahner Deutschlands
Founded27 June 1925 (1925-06-27)
Successor Industrial Union of Railways (E Germany),
TRANSNET Gewerkschaft (W Germany)
Date dissolved2 May 1933 (1933-05-02)
JournalDer Deutsche Eisenbahner
Affiliation ADGB, ITF
CountryGermany

The United Union of German Railway Workers (German : Einheitsverband der Eisenbahner Deutschlands, EdED) was a trade union representing railway workers in Germany.

The union was founded on 27 June 1925, when the German Railway Union merged with the National Union of German Railway Officials and Trainees. On formation, the union had 197,000 members, rising to 240,913 by the end of 1928, making it the largest union in the industry. It was led by Franz Scheffel, and published several journals, the most important of which was Der Deutsche Eisenbahner. [1]

The union was affiliated to the General German Trade Union Confederation (ADGB), and to the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF). [1] In March 1933, the union's journal was banned by the Nazi government. The leadership of the ADGB decided to distance itself from social democracy in an attempt to appease the Nazis, and Scheffel resigned as leader of the EdED in protest. He was replaced by Matthew Herrmann, but in May, the unions were banned. [2]

The EdED attempted to continue on an underground basis, led former board member Hans Jahn, and some organisation was maintained throughout World War II, in resistance to the Nazis. In 1948, TRANSNET was established, as a new union to represent railway workers. [2]

Presidents

1925: Franz Scheffel
1933: Matthew Herrmann

Related Research Articles

Factory Workers Union of Germany

The Factory Workers' Union of Germany was a trade union in Germany.

The General German Trade Union Federation was a confederation of German trade unions in Germany founded during the Weimar Republic. It was founded in 1919 and was initially powerful enough to organize a general strike in 1920 against a right-wing coup d'état. After the 1929 Wall Street crash, the ensuing global financial crisis caused widespread unemployment. The ADGB suffered a dramatic loss of membership, both from unemployment and political squabbles. By the time the Nazis seized control of the government, the ADGB's leadership had distanced itself from the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) and was openly cooperating with Nazis in an attempt to keep the organization alive. Nonetheless, on May 2, 1933, the SA and SS stormed the offices of the ADGB and its member trade unions, seized their assets and arrested their leaders, crushing the organization.

Union of Miners of Germany

The Union of Miners of Germany was a trade union representing miners in Germany.

The German Tobacco Workers' Union was a trade union representing people in the tobacco manufacturing industry in Germany.

The Union of Painters, Decorators, Whitewashers, Plasterers, and House Painters of Germany was a trade union representing painters in Germany.

The Union of Coppersmiths of Germany was a trade union representing coppersmiths in Germany.

The Central Union of Carpenters and Kindred Trades of Germany was a trade union representing carpenters in Germany.

Central Union of Hotel, Restaurant and Cafe Employees

The Central Union of Hotel, Restaurant and Cafe Employees was a trade union representing hospitality workers in Germany.

Central Union of Machinists and Stokers

The Central Union of Machinists and Stokers and Kindred Trades of Germany was a trade union representing machine operators and those in related areas of work, in Germany.

The Central Union of Stone Workers of Germany was a trade union representing stone masons in Germany.

The Union of Bookbinders and Paper Workers of Germany was a trade union representing workers involved in manufacturing paper and binding books in Germany.

Union of German Book Printers Voluntary association

The Union of German Book Printers was a trade union representing printers in Germany.

The Union of Lithographers, Lithographic Printers and Kindred Trades was a trade union representing printers in Germany. It was sometimes referred to as the Senefelder Union, after Alois Senefelder, the inventor of lithography.

The German Leather Workers' Union was a trade union representing workers involved in tanning and glovemaking.

Central Union of Shoemakers of Germany

The Central Union of Shoemakers of Germany was a trade union representing people working in the shoemaking industry in Germany.

General Union of Public Sector and Transport Workers

The General Union of Public Sector and Transport Workers was a trade union representing workers in various industries in Germany.

The Union of Graphic Assistants of Germany was a trade union representing assistants in the printing trade in Germany.

The German Railway Union was a trade union representing railway workers in Germany.

Central Union of Employees

The Central Union of Employees was a trade union representing white collar, private sector workers in Germany.

The General German Civil Service Federation was a trade union representing civil servants in Germany.

References

  1. 1 2 Jochade, Hermann (1931). Einheitsverband der Eisenbahner Deutschlands. ADGB. pp. 423–424. Retrieved 1 June 2020.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  2. 1 2 Mielke, Siegfried; Heinz, Stefan (2017). Eisenbahngewerkschafter im NS-Staat. Verfolgung – Widerstand – Emigration (1933–1945). Berlin: Metropol. ISBN   9783863313531.