Reich Chamber of Commerce

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Reich Chamber of Commerce had been a leading organization in German business during the period of National Socialist rule since 1935/36 .

construction

The basis was the “Law for the preparation of the organic development of the German economy” (“Reconstruction Act”) of February 27, 1934 ( RGBl. 1934 I, pp. 185f.) And formed the legal basis for the reorganization of the previous free association. The law empowered the Reich Minister of Economics to recognize, establish, dissolve or merge business associations as the sole representatives of their economic sector, to amend and supplement the statutes and articles of association of business associations, in particular to introduce the principle of leadership and to appoint and remove the leaders of business associations as well as entrepreneurs and To join companies in business associations.

On March 13, 1934, Reich Economics Minister Kurt Schmitt announced the organizational structure of the Organization of the Commercial Economy (OGW), which provided for the German economy to be divided into twelve main groups, seven of which were for the various branches of industry. Just eight months later, the organizational fragmentation of industry was eliminated again by the merging of the seven main groups I to VII in the Reichsgruppe Industrie . In the Reichsgruppe Industrie, the former main groups were then referred to as main departments I to VII. The Reichsstand der Deutschen Industrie (RStDI) (only created in 1933 through the merger of the RDI and VDA ) was transferred by order of the Reich Economics Minister on January 12, 1935 and the remaining main groups VIII Crafts, IX Commerce, X Banks and XI Insurance also became Reich groups.

The Reich Chamber of Commerce then stood at the head of the economic organizations. The tasks were defined as "the joint representation of the technical and district organization of the commercial economy, the chambers of industry and commerce and the chambers of crafts ."

Imperial groups

Subordinate to the Reich Chamber of Commerce were seven Reich groups organized according to branches of industry, which in turn were subdivided into main departments and to which the various economic groups (WG) were assigned.

Seat of the Reichsgruppe Industrie (formerly Reichsverband der Deutschen Industrie) in 1934 in Berlin-Tiergarten

Structure 1939:

  • Reichsgruppe Industrie
    • Main department I: WG mining, WG non-ferrous metal industry, WG foundry industry, WG iron producing industry, WG fuel industry
    • Main department II: WG steel and iron construction, WG mechanical engineering, WG vehicle industry, WG aviation industry, WG shipbuilding, WG electrical industry, WG precision mechanics and optics
    • Main department III: WG material refinement and related branches of industry, WG iron, steel and sheet metal industry, WG metal goods and related branches of industry
    • Main Department IV: WG stones and earth; WG construction industry, WG woodworking industry, WG glass industry, WG ceramic industry, WG sawing industry
    • Main department V: WG chemical industry, WG paper, cardboard, cellulose and wood pulp production, WG printing and paper processing
    • Main department VI: WG leather industry, WG textile industry, WG clothing industry
    • Main department VII: WG food industry, WG brewery, WG malt industry, WG sugar industry, WG alcohol industry
  • Reichsgruppe Handel
    • Division into eleven economic groups, including:
    • WG outpatient business
    • Flat share retail
    • Shared flat share purchase
    • WG wholesale, import and export trade
    • WG brokerage
  • Reichsgruppe Handwerk
    • Structure in 52 Reich guild associations and nine independent specialist groups.
  • Reichsgruppe Banken
    • Division into six economic groups, including:
    • WG credit companies of various kinds
    • WG public banks with special tasks
    • WG public credit institutions
    • WG Private Banking Industry (WGPB)
  • Reich Group Insurance
  • Reichsgruppe Energiewirtschaft
    • WG electricity supply
    • WG gas and water supply
  • Reich Tourism Group

In addition to the functional breakdown, there was also a regional breakdown. There were 18 and later 23 district chambers of commerce at the Gaue level. The companies were organized in around 90 chambers of industry and commerce and 59 chambers of crafts. Since 1942 the Gau Chamber of Commerce has taken its place .

tasks

Officially, the Reich Chamber of Commerce, like the subordinate units, was a self-governing body of the economy. However, the system was based on the “ Führer principle ”. The Reich Chamber of Commerce was directly subordinate to the Reich Ministry of Economics . The Reich Economics Minister also appointed the President of the Reich Chamber of Commerce and his deputy. The leaders of the Reich groups were also appointed.

The organization should also serve the state control of the economy. The Reich Chamber of Commerce should advise the Reich Ministry of Economics as a representative of the economy. She also represented the interests of the economy in relation to other authorities and party offices of the NSDAP through reports, submissions and suggestions . The Reich Chamber of Commerce actually took a position on numerous individual questions of the economic and financial system.

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Daniela Kahn: The control of the economy by law in National Socialist Germany. The example of the Reichsgruppe Industrie. Frankfurt am Main, 2006 ISBN 978-3-465-04012-5 pp. 230f.

literature

  • Gerold Ambrosius : State and Economy in the 20th Century . Munich 1990, ISBN 3-486-55481-6 , p. 10.
  • Daniela Kahn: The control of the economy by law in National Socialist Germany. The example of the Reichsgruppe Industrie . Frankfurt am Main 2006, ISBN 978-3-465-04012-5 , p. 230ff.