MIA > Archive > Nin > TUs Against Fascism
GERMAN Fascism, which is becoming more aggressive from day to day, is a result of the decomposition of the bourgeois State, the disillusion produced among the middle classes by the complete failure of the Social-Democratic policy, and the growth of national feeling precipitated by the Entente policy. Until recently there existed in Germany isolated organizations whose aim was the restoration of the monarchy. But for some months past, German reaction, stimulated by the victory of Fascism in Italy, tends to imitate the Italian model.
The Fascist elements in Germany consist chiefly of officers and intellectuals, the “Orgesch,” the ex-members of the “Freiwehr” organizations formed by Noske, students, police officers, and civil servants. It was proven that the Fascist organizations are openly supported by the Reichswehr [National Guard).
There is no single organization. The most powerful Fascist organization is that of Hitler in Bavaria. There is also the Union of Patriotic Societies headed by Heisler, who recruits his forces in Northern Germany; “The German Order,” composed of officials; “The National Union of German Officers”; the clandestine groups of Eckhardt, Rossbach, etc., the Kunze group which is mainly active in the yellow unions.
The political expression of these Fascist organizations is the National Socialist Party (Hitler) and the German Party of Freedom, the latter being the result of a split in the German Populist Party, whose heads are Greffe, Hiller, and Emming.
At the Fascist Congress which has just taken place in Munich (Bavaria) in January, 1923, Hitler defined the fundamental principles of his organization: “Our fundamental task is not to fight the French, but to get rid of the Communists and criminals responsible for the November episode.” This slogan has become the leitmotif of German Fascist propaganda, which threatens not only the Communists but also the Social-Democrats.
The anti-proletarian character of this movement manifested itself most strikingly at a meeting of the Union of Patriotic Societies (April 6th). At this meeting German Fascism adopted the following fundamental principles: Increase of production (we know what this means when uttered by the tools of capitalism), abolition of the eight-hour day, lower wages, piece-work, and the introduction of compulsory work in place of the abolished military service. All this, of course, for the glory of the German Fatherland.
German Fascism has borrowed its methods from the Italian model. Terrorism against the workers’ organizations (dispersing of meetings, murdering of revolutionary leaders, and criminal acts against proletarian newspapers), and propaganda among the indifferent and vacillating elements among the proletariat.
After the Italian experience, German Fascism is aware of the fact that in order to conquer it must become a social movement. That is why it has considerably intensified its agitation in the last few months.
In order to find that broad social basis which it lacks, German Fascism is carrying on a demagogic campaign of anti-semitism and anti-capitalism which, as Comrade Boetcher has pointed out in a recent article, is re-echoed in the ranks of the petty bourgeoisie and among the vacillating elements of the proletariat, thanks to the great misery of the masses and to the treachery of the Social-Democrats and reformists.
In their propaganda the Fascisti attack most violently the speculators and profiteers, and the financial policy of the Government and the incapability of the Social-Democrats ; they demand complete equality for all elements of the working class in the field of political and national economy, the legal protection of the natural rights of each individual to posses the necessary instruments of production, the formation of a national economic parliament, the participation of the workers in industry, etc.
The German Fascisti know very well that they have no chance of crushing the great mass of the German proletariat. That is why they try to penetrate this mass from within the factories, where they send students, intellectuals, and other Fascist elements who, disguise as workers, organize nuclei in these enterprises.
A large number of the Fascisti have thus been able to make their way to the factories of Central Germany and the Rhur. However opposed they are to the principle of Shop Councils, they never fail to put up their own list of candidates in order to take advantage of this vital movement of the German workers in the interests of the Fascisti cause. Fascisti elements have been elected recently in several places to different Shop and Factory Committees in Berlin and Upper Silesia.
The Fascisti have also begun to organize Fascist trade unions on the Italian model. These unions have declared themselves to be against strikes and boycotts. They combat Marxism and carry on a struggle against the Red labor organizations. They reject all international affiliations with any proletarian organization and defend, hand in hand with the capitalists, “the interests of the German Fatherland.” Recently a “Union of Popular Fighting Organizations“ (Fascist trade unions) was formed in Berlin: it is composed of different national groups of workers and clerks. The Deutsche Tageblatt (a capitalist organ) characterized these organizations as follows:
These fighting organizations should inspire the working class with that faith which leads from Jewish Socialism to the National Ideal ; they should strive to liberate the German people which is suffering under the yoke of Capital and under the lies of judeo-marxism. The Fascist unions will fight not only against the capitalist who personally manages his enterprise, but also against the Jewish dupery of international finance, whose attitude towards the working class benefits neither employe nor employer, but is one of speculation and usury, and under cover of anonymous society has become a weapon of criminal exploitation of German labor power and national economy. All international connections, especially with the countries of the predatory Entente, should be abandoned as incompatible with the dignity of the German worker. Similarly with affiliation with international organizations standing on a platform of Class Struggle. The Fascist Unions are strictly neutral on all religious and political creeds.
The German Fascisti would be very much embarrassed if they were asked to explain how they intend to maintain such trade union neutrality. In Germany, as in Italy, the Fascist trade unions are subjected to the absolute dictatorship of the political chiefs. If any doubt exists on this point, we cite the two paragraphs from a circular recently issued by the General Secretary of the German Fascist Unions:
The Conferences, congresses, and deliberations of the Fascist unions can only be convened with the previous permission of the General Secretary; the election of provincial secretaries is subject to the approval of the General Secretary; the local secretaries are appointed and receive their instructions from above, that is to say, a strict dictatorship is exercised. In all economic actions of any political importance the Fascist unions must follow the instructions of the Party, bearing in mind that their task consists solely in solving questions of a purely economic nature.
In the foregoing is drawn a vivid picture of German Fascist trade unionism. It will be useful to reproduce, in addition, the program of the Fascist unions, contained in a secret report which has fallen into the hands of the Central Committee of the German Communist Party. This program was edited by Farenhorst, the head of this movement. It contains the following points:
The same secret report contains certain answers by Farenhorst to a question put by one of the members of the Fascist union:
Up to the present the Fascist unions have succeeded in attracting only those elements which are already found in the strike-breakers’ organizations. Apparently they have had a certain success among the workers of Upper Silesia, which is explicable by the strong nationalist sentiment prevailing in that region.
According to information supplied by the Fascisti themselves, 12,000 miners have joined their organization in Upper Silesia. In the remainder of Germany there has been practically no organization of Fascist unions. It will be difficult, indeed, for them to break the organization of German trade unionism. But this does not mean that there is no danger. It is for this reason that there is an urgent necessity for vigorous action on the part of the revolutionary workers.
Last updated on 20 January 2023