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I-14
SECRET
Bundestag met to consider nominations for
bureaucracy, controlling an apathetic or hos-
the post of Federal Chancellor. On 15 Sep-
tile rank and file.
tember Adenauer's nomination was confirmed
Unlike western zone trade unions, which by
by 202 votes of a possible 402, a majority of
comparison began only recently to operate on
one vote. The coalition which Adenauer
a zonal basis, the FDGB has been the zonal
formed consists of the CDU/CSU, the FDP
trade union authority since the early days of
and the German Party. The coalition has a
the occupation. Composed of nineteen con-
scant working majority and is unlikely to
stituent unions representing the various trades
function very effectively because of conflicts
and professions organized vertically, its total
between its components. The principal prob-
membership in the Soviet Zone is about four
lem involved will be the reconciliation of cen-
million, roughly two-thirds of the total trade
tralist and federalist viewpoints, an obstacle
unionists in the whole of Germany. The
which in the long run is likely to wreck the
functions of the FDGB far exceed those of
present coalition.
normal labor organizations, so that represen-
4. Other Influential Groups.
tation of workers' interests is of minor impor-
tance. In addition to functioning as social
The most significant development outside
security agencies, political and educational
the political arena has been the growth of
organizations, cultural and welfare bodies, the
trade unions in the various zones of occupa-
member trade unions have become an integral
tion.
part of Soviet administration and assist in
In the Soviet Zone the USSR permitted the
the preparation and execution of laws. Soviet
trade unions to organize soon after the fall
benevolence, in the form of supplementary
of Berlin, expecting that the labor movement
food and consumer goods allotments to union
would go Communist. Trade unionists and
members, has been designed to enhance the
organizers were given considerable assistance,
prestige and popularity of the FDGB, but with
whenever possible. The outcome, however,
slight success.
was that almost all unions were controlled
In the western zones, trade union activities
by the Socialists, and in spite of Soviet pres-
have followed a different pattern in each zone,
sure, Communist influence was either slight
reflecting generally the occupation policies of
or non-existent. To remedy this situation
the respective military governments.
and to centralize control of the unions in the
In the French Zone, unions developed slowly.
hands of a small minority, the FDGB (Free
Organizationally, the various unions never de-
German Federation of Trade Unions) was
veloped beyond Land level, because of the
created and superimposed on the existing
French insistence on decentralization. Cer-
union structure. This organization quickly
tain leaders gained considerable prominence
assumed, chiefly through pressure exerted by
and could, to a limited extent, exercise a zonal-
the Soviets, the powers which had formerly
wide influence. Since contact with union
belonged to the individual unions. Coupled
organizations in other zones was discouraged
with this step, the USSR also used the forced
and the industrial complex of the zone is
merger of the SPD and KPD, forming the
slight, and because French MG has continu-
SED, to break what little power the former
ally interfered in union affairs, the French
SPD union functionaries had been able to
Zone unions remained weak and ineffectual
retain. Membership in some member unions
until trizonal fusion became imminent.
of the FDGB was obligatory for all recipients
In the US Zone, union organization was
of wages, salaries, and fees. The final step in
encouraged on a local level. Early in the OC-
stripping the unions of their power was the
cupation, works councils were formed and
dissolution of the works councils, on the pre-
local unions organized. These local unions
text that their functions were unnecessary in
in turn expanded on a Land basis, but no
view of the existence of the FDGB. The re-
centralized zonal headquarters developed, be-
sult was the creation of a tightly knit, highly
cause of the US policy of encouraging the
centralized, and pro-Soviet trade union
unions to develop from the lowest level, rather
SECRET
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"ocrText": "I-14\nSECRET\nBundestag met to consider nominations for\nbureaucracy, controlling an apathetic or hos-\nthe post of Federal Chancellor. On 15 Sep-\ntile rank and file.\ntember Adenauer's nomination was confirmed\nUnlike western zone trade unions, which by\nby 202 votes of a possible 402, a majority of\ncomparison began only recently to operate on\none vote. The coalition which Adenauer\na zonal basis, the FDGB has been the zonal\nformed consists of the CDU/CSU, the FDP\ntrade union authority since the early days of\nand the German Party. The coalition has a\nthe occupation. Composed of nineteen con-\nscant working majority and is unlikely to\nstituent unions representing the various trades\nfunction very effectively because of conflicts\nand professions organized vertically, its total\nbetween its components. The principal prob-\nmembership in the Soviet Zone is about four\nlem involved will be the reconciliation of cen-\nmillion, roughly two-thirds of the total trade\ntralist and federalist viewpoints, an obstacle\nunionists in the whole of Germany. The\nwhich in the long run is likely to wreck the\nfunctions of the FDGB far exceed those of\npresent coalition.\nnormal labor organizations, so that represen-\n4. Other Influential Groups.\ntation of workers' interests is of minor impor-\ntance. In addition to functioning as social\nThe most significant development outside\nsecurity agencies, political and educational\nthe political arena has been the growth of\norganizations, cultural and welfare bodies, the\ntrade unions in the various zones of occupa-\nmember trade unions have become an integral\ntion.\npart of Soviet administration and assist in\nIn the Soviet Zone the USSR permitted the\nthe preparation and execution of laws. Soviet\ntrade unions to organize soon after the fall\nbenevolence, in the form of supplementary\nof Berlin, expecting that the labor movement\nfood and consumer goods allotments to union\nwould go Communist. Trade unionists and\nmembers, has been designed to enhance the\norganizers were given considerable assistance,\nprestige and popularity of the FDGB, but with\nwhenever possible. The outcome, however,\nslight success.\nwas that almost all unions were controlled\nIn the western zones, trade union activities\nby the Socialists, and in spite of Soviet pres-\nhave followed a different pattern in each zone,\nsure, Communist influence was either slight\nreflecting generally the occupation policies of\nor non-existent. To remedy this situation\nthe respective military governments.\nand to centralize control of the unions in the\nIn the French Zone, unions developed slowly.\nhands of a small minority, the FDGB (Free\nOrganizationally, the various unions never de-\nGerman Federation of Trade Unions) was\nveloped beyond Land level, because of the\ncreated and superimposed on the existing\nFrench insistence on decentralization. Cer-\nunion structure. This organization quickly\ntain leaders gained considerable prominence\nassumed, chiefly through pressure exerted by\nand could, to a limited extent, exercise a zonal-\nthe Soviets, the powers which had formerly\nwide influence. Since contact with union\nbelonged to the individual unions. Coupled\norganizations in other zones was discouraged\nwith this step, the USSR also used the forced\nand the industrial complex of the zone is\nmerger of the SPD and KPD, forming the\nslight, and because French MG has continu-\nSED, to break what little power the former\nally interfered in union affairs, the French\nSPD union functionaries had been able to\nZone unions remained weak and ineffectual\nretain. Membership in some member unions\nuntil trizonal fusion became imminent.\nof the FDGB was obligatory for all recipients\nIn the US Zone, union organization was\nof wages, salaries, and fees. The final step in\nencouraged on a local level. Early in the OC-\nstripping the unions of their power was the\ncupation, works councils were formed and\ndissolution of the works councils, on the pre-\nlocal unions organized. These local unions\ntext that their functions were unnecessary in\nin turn expanded on a Land basis, but no\nview of the existence of the FDGB. The re-\ncentralized zonal headquarters developed, be-\nsult was the creation of a tightly knit, highly\ncause of the US policy of encouraging the\ncentralized, and pro-Soviet trade union\nunions to develop from the lowest level, rather\nSECRET"
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