Free German Trade Union Federation

The Free German Trade Union Federation, in German Freier Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund (FDGB), was the trade union federation in East Germany. It was part of the National Front and had representatives in the Volkskammer.

On paper the FDGB, a member of the World Federation of Trade Unions, was actually the umbrella organization for about 15 individual trade unions (e.g. IG Metall, IG Transport etc.), but in reality most members did not even realise that was the case. Only a handwritten note on the last page of the standard red membership booklet mentioned the individual trade union they belonged to.

Read more about Free German Trade Union Federation:  Structure, Membership, Function, German Reunification

Famous quotes containing the words free, german, trade, union and/or federation:

    I discuss with myself questions of politics, love, taste, or philosophy. I let my mind rove wantonly, give it free rein to follow any idea, wise or mad that may present itself.... My ideas are my harlots.
    Denis Diderot (1713–1784)

    Frankly, I do not like the idea of conversations to define the term “unconditional surrender.” ... The German people can have dinned into their ears what I said in my Christmas Eve speech—in effect, that we have no thought of destroying the German people and that we want them to live through the generations like other European peoples on condition, of course, that they get rid of their present philosophy of conquest.
    Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945)

    Experience has shown that the trade of the East is the key to national wealth and influence.
    Chester A. Arthur (1829–1886)

    My Christian friends, in bonds of love, whose hearts in sweetest union join,
    Your friendship’s like a drawing band, yet we must take the parting hand.
    Your company’s sweet, your union dear; Your words delightful to my ear,
    Yet when I see that we must part, You draw like cords around my heart.
    John Blain (18th century)

    Women realize that we are living in an ungoverned world. At heart we are all pacifists. We should love to talk it over with the war-makers, but they would not understand. Words are so inadequate, and we realize that the hatred must kill itself; so we give our men gladly, unselfishly, proudly, patriotically, since the world chooses to settle its disputes in the old barbarous way.
    —General Federation Of Women’s Clubs (GFWC)