Berlin works council headquarters

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The Berlin works council headquarters was a coordination body for the Berlin works councils in the final phase of the November Revolution .

history

The works council headquarters followed the tradition of the council movement that had emerged during the November Revolution and had particularly strong support in the industrial metropolis of Berlin . As early as 1919, however, the political workers' councils elected according to city districts fell behind and were replaced by newly elected bodies of local government. Only in the factories were there economically oriented factory or works councils, which were given their legal form in February 1920 by the works council law. However, their recognition took place without control or right of disposal over the actual production, as the supporters of the socialist council movement had hoped for. Instead, they were supposed to devote themselves exclusively to social issues within the company and were given a say in hiring and firing.

The aim of the Berlin works council headquarters around Richard Müller and Ernst Däumig , both of whom had been known as leaders of the Berlin Revolutionary Obleute since the November Revolution , was to bundle the works councils independently of the unions as a political force in order to receive the impetus of the council movement. At the first Reich Congress of Works Councils in October 1920, however, it was decided to subordinate works councils to the ADGB trade unions . The concept of the Berlin works council headquarters could not prevail, even if it received some support.

As a result, the works council headquarters changed to the party organ of the KPD , the only party that continued to represent the council idea. As the Reich union headquarters , it now had the task of bundling works councils and union groups with close ties to the KPD.

literature

  • Axel Weipert: The Second Revolution. Berlin council movement 1919/1920. Bebra Verlag, Berlin 2015, pp. 235–255.
  • Axel Weipert: The Berlin works council headquarters 1919/1920. A forgotten chapter of the German council movement. In: Axel Weipert (ed.): Democratization of Economy and State - Studies on the Relationship between Economy, State and Democracy from the 19th Century to the Present. NoRa Verlag, Berlin 2014, ISBN 978-3-86557-331-5 .