The Work Order Act (german: Arbeitsordnungsgesetz - officially ') of 20 January 1934 was the basis for labour relations in Nazi Germany. It regulated the structure of the enterprises and implemented the leader principle (''Führerprinzip'') in the economy.

Content

After the trade unions had been prohibited after May Day 1933, the Nazi controlled government was under pressure to ease working conditions and improve industrial relations. This was first attempted by establishing the position of a Trustee of Labour, who was tasked with fixing minimum wages and overcoming class tensions in businesses and companies. With the Work Order Act, owners and managers became “

factory leader Factory leader (''german: Betriebsführer'') was a term introduced by the Labour organization law of 20 January 1934 for the owner, entrepreneur or manager of a business or company. Factory leaders and their “followers” (') formed the “facto ...

s” and responsible not only for the successful operation of the businesses and companies but also for the well-being of their “followers” (i.e. employees), thus the " factory community" replicated the concept of

national community ''Volksgemeinschaft'' () is a German expression meaning "people's community", "folk community", Richard Grunberger, ''A Social History of the Third Reich'', London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1971, p. 44. "national community", or "racial community", ...

within individual business entities. The law also mandated the formation of Councils of Trust in businesses and companies with more than 20 employees, which were headed by the “factory leader” while the other members were elected from a list set up by the “factory leader” and the German Labour Front overseer ('). The position of the Trustee of Labour was further expanded, as the law gave them the power to directly intervene in the affairs of individual businesses and companies. A

court of honour A court of honor (or court of honour) is an official event constituted to determine various questions of social protocol, breaches of etiquette, and other allegations of breaches of honor, or entitlement to various honors. In English the ter ...

was set up under each trustee, which was empowered to relieve factory leaders in case of serious misconduct or breaches of trust. According to the law, the factory leaders possessed absolute authority, and employees had to submit without question. It significantly restricted the ability and chance to complain and eliminated the right of workers to participate in decision-making. The act was signed by Adolf Hitler (Reich Chancellor),

Franz Seldte Franz Seldte (29 June 18821 April 1947) was a German politician who served as the Reich Minister for Labour from 1933 to 1945.Stackelberg (2007). ''The Routledge Companion to Nazi Germany'', p. 243. Prior to his ministry, Seldte served as the ...

(Reich Minister of Labour), Dr Kurt Schmitt (Reich Minister of Economics), Dr Franz Gürtner (Reich Minister of Justice),

Johann Ludwig Graf Schwerin von Krosigk Johann Ludwig "Lutz" Graf Schwerin von Krosigk (Born Johann Ludwig von Krosigk; 22 August 18874 March 1977) was a German senior government official who served as the minister of Finance of Germany from 1932 to 1945 and ''de facto'' chancellor ...

(Reich Minister of Finance), and Wilhelm Frick (Reich Minister of the Interior). After the end of World War II the Work Order Act was repealed by Control Council Law (''Kontrollratsgesetz'') No. 40 of 30 November 1946.

Notes

Sources

Labour organization law

Gesetz zur Ordnung der nationalen Arbeit
''NS-Quellen''. Retrieved May 29, 2022 (in German) *Alfred Hueck / Hans Carl Nipperdey / Rolf Dietz (1934). ''Gesetz zur Ordnung der nationalen Arbeit. Kommentar. Mit sämtlichen Durchführungsverordnungen, dem Gesetz zur Ordnung der Arbeit in öffentlichen Verwaltungen und Betrieben mit seinen Durchführungsverordnungen und den neuen Arbeitszeitbestimmungen.'' München: Beck. (in German) Economy of Nazi Germany Law in Nazi Germany Labor relations 1934 in Germany {{Nazi-stub

Content

See also

Notes

Sources