¡No Pasarán!: The Hitler Lie: In fact, Hitler championed a workers' union, using it to expand the reach of the state

The Hitler Lie: In fact, Hitler championed a workers' union, using it to expand the reach of the state

posted by Erik @ 14:15

"I don't think Hitler is an argument you really want to make." In response to a nasty attack on Facebook from a liberal “friend”, a Republican in Paris replies — level-headedly — as follows (his direct interaction with the "friend" explains his usage of "you(r)" in some sentences)…

“We must close union offices, confiscate their money and put their leaders in prison. We must reduce workers' salaries and take away their right to strike. " — Adolf Hitler, May 3, 1933

The following quote, or something like it, is being passed around the internet as a means to equate what is happening in Wisconsin with Hitler’s tactics. Based on my research, the quote is not true although like all good “lies” it has some seeds of historical truth in it. If you read the actual history below, Hitler’s actions and use of the workers’ union movement are much more similar to the current union relationship with the Democratic Party and their continued efforts to extend and enlarge government…

“We must close union offices, confiscate their money and put their leaders in prison. We must reduce workers' salaries and take away their right to strike. " — Adolf Hitler, May 3, 1933

Hitler never said those words but he did crush the Weimar Republic trade unions on that date, many say because they were run by Jews.

I believe the true history works against your argument because he transferred all workers into one global union and then used that as an extension of the "state" to effectively take control of private businesses.

In other words, he used a workers' union to expand the reach of the state... interesting parallel in some ways to what is happening with public sector unions in the US... a tool to expand the policies and powers of the Democratic party. I don't think Hitler is an argument you really want to make.

The source here is worth exploring, it is from the Bundestag itself [capital lettering in final sentence added by Stu]:
http://www.bundestag.de/htdocs_e/documents/research_papers/2008/index.html

The day on which the independent trade unions in Germany were crushed was the 2nd of May 1933, when the buildings of the General German Trade Union Federation (ADGB) were occupied by National Socialists, the federation’s assets were confiscated, and many officials were imprisoned, tortured or murdered. Trade union members were transferred to the National Socialists? trade union, the German Labour Front (DAF). This day marked another important step on the path to the establishment of a National Socialist state. Following Hitler’s appointment as Chancellor, the trade unions sought to come to an accommodation with the new government, but this did not prevent the National Socialists from taking violent action against them. BY THE END OF JUNE 1933, ALL TRADE UNIONS HAD BEEN DISBANDED AND THEIR MEMBERS TRANSFERRED TO THE DAF [somewhat akin to an AFL-CIO umbrella organization], WHICH BECAME ONE OF THE NATIONAL SOCIALISTS’ LARGEST MASS ORGANISATIONS WITH OVER 25 MILLION MEMBERS AT TIMES."

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Monday, March 07, 2011

The Hitler Lie: In fact, Hitler championed a workers' union, using it to expand the reach of the state