The Central Union of Bakers and Confectioners (german: Zentralverband der Bäcker, Konditoren und Verwandter Berufsgenossen Deutschlands) was a

trade union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...

representing workers in bakeries and related trades in Germany. The union was founded in 1907, when the Union of Bakers and Related Workers of Germany merged with the Central Union of Confectionery and Gingerbread. Soon after, it organised an international conference in

Stuttgart Stuttgart (; Swabian: ; ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known as the ''Stuttgarter Kessel'' (Stuttgart Cauldron) and lies an hour from the ...

, which established the

International Federation of Bakers, Pastry Cooks and Allied Workers' Associations The International Federation of Bakers, Pastry Cooks and Allied Workers' Associations was a global union federation bringing together trade unions representing bakery workers. History On 24 and 25 August 1907, an international congress of bakers wa ...

. Nationally, the union was affiliated to the

General Commission of German Trade Unions The General Commission of German Trade Unions (german: Generalkommission der Gewerkschaften Deutschlands) was an umbrella body for German trade unions during the German Empire, from the end of the Anti-Socialist Laws in 1890 up to 1919. In 1919, a ...

, then from 1919 to its successor, the

General German Trade Union Confederation The General German Trade Union Federation (german: Allgemeiner Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund, ADGB) 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 ...

. The union published the ''Bäcker und Konditoren-Zeitung'' until 1922, when it was replaced by ''Einigkeit''. During

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, the union maintained close links with members who were serving in the armed forces, for example, polling them on its policy on night baking. After

, the union led a prominent campaign against night work, and it also promoted agreements on

tariff A tariff is a tax imposed by the government of a country or by a supranational union on imports or exports of goods. Besides being a source of revenue for the government, import duties can also be a form of regulation of foreign trade and poli ...

s. In 1918, it changed its name to the German Basic and Luxury Food Workers' Union (german: Deutscher Nahrungs- und Genußmittelarbeiter-Verband) and in

Leipzig Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as wel ...

Josef Diermeir was elected. By 1927, the union had 52,580 members. On 24 September, it merged with the Union of Brewery and Mill Workers, the

Central Union of Butchers The Central Union of Butchers and Kindred Trades of Germany (german: Zentralverband der Fleischer und Berufsgenossen Deutschlands) was a trade union representing butchers and abattoir workers in Germany. In 1898, Theodor Keslinke founded the Local ...

, and the Union of Coopers, Cellar Managers, and Helpers in Germany, to form the

Union of Food and Drink Workers The Union of Food and Drink Workers (german: Verband der Nahrungsmittel- und Getränkearbeiter, VNG) was a trade union representing workers in the food and drink processing industry in Germany. The union was founded in 1927, when the Central Unio ...

Presidents

:1907: Oskar Allmann :1918: Josef Diermeier

References

{{Authority control Bakers' and confectioners' trade unions Trade unions in Germany Trade unions established in 1907 Trade unions disestablished in 1927