The General Federation of Free Employees (german: Allgemeiner freier Angestelltenbund, AfA-Bund) was an amalgamation of various

socialist Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the e ...

-oriented

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 ( ...

s of technical and administrative employees in the

Weimar Republic The Weimar Republic (german: link=no, Weimarer Republik ), officially named the German Reich, was the government of Germany from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a constitutional federal republic for the first time in history; hence it is al ...

. Member organizations encompassed groups as diverse as artists, theater workers, bank clerks, foremen, and technical employees and managers. It was founded in 1920 and was dissolved in on March 30, 1933, just before the newly empowered Nazi regime began crushing the Free Trade Unions. Throughout its existence, it was led by

Siegfried Aufhäuser Siegfried Aufhäuser (1 May 1884 – 6 December 1969) was a German politician and union leader who was chairman of the white-collar General Federation of Free Employees (AfA-Bund) from 1921 until 1933. Aufhäuser joined the Independent Social De ...

Affiliates

The following unions were affiliated to the federation: *

Central Union of Employees The Central Union of Employees (german: Zentralverband der Angestellten, ZdA) was a trade union representing white collar, private sector workers in Germany. The union was founded on 9 September 1919 at a conference in Weimar, when the Central Uni ...

(ZdA) *German Workers' Union (DWV) *Union of Technical Staff and Officials (Butab) *Polishing, Works and Shaft Masters' Unions *General Association of German Bank Employees *Co-operative of German Stage Members *

International Artists' Lodge The International Artists' Lodge (german: Internationale Artisten-Loge, IAL) is a trade union section and former independent trade union, representing variety and circus performers in Germany. The union was founded on 5 April 1901, on the initiativ ...

(IAL) *Union of German Ship Engineers *Master Craftsmen's Association of the Shoe Industry *German Choir and Dancers' Union *German Union of Carriers *Union of cutters, directors *Union of German Captains and Helmsmen of Merchant Shipping and Deep Sea Fishing *AfA Association of Polish Upper Silesia

References

External links

List of PDF articles related to the Allgemeiner Freier Angestelltenbund

Friedrich Ebert Foundation The Friedrich Ebert Foundation (''German: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung e.V.; Abbreviation: FES'') is a German political party foundation associated with, but independent from, the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). Established in 1925 as the ...

. Retrieved December 12, 2011 {{DEFAULTSORT:Allgemeiner freier Angestelltenbund Organizations based in the Weimar Republic Trade unions disestablished in 1933 Trade unions established in 1920 1920 establishments in Germany Defunct trade unions of Germany