United Communist Party of Germany
Source: The Communist Review, May 1921, Vol. 1, No. 1.
Publisher: Communist Party of Great Britain
Transcription/HTML Markup: Brian Reid
Public Domain: Marxists Internet Archive (2006). You may freely copy, distribute, display and perform this work; as well as make derivative and commercial works. Please credit “Marxists Internet Archive” as your source.
The International Council of Trade Unions has received a letter from Berlin, giving the following details of the work of the German Communists in the Trade Union Movement:—
The United Communist Party of Germany has appointed a Central Committee of seven members to direct all the work in connection with the conquest of the trade unions. To this Central Committee are subordinated fifteen industrial groups charged with the work of organisation in fifty-nine separate unions. Side by side with the work in the trade unions directed from the centre, in every one of the twenty-three divisions of the Party there are organised local sections for work in the trade unions. The sections are composed of the groups in the separate unions, according to the category of production; which from the point of view of organisation will strengthen our influence in the direction of Communism.
Immediately after the Congress at Halle, in October, the Left Independents and the Communist Party of Germany organised a provisional Trade Union Board which united the work of both the groups (Independents and K.P.D.) within the unions.
This provisional Board summoned, two days before the United Congress, and with the consent of the Central Committee of both Parties, a Conference of Communist Workers in Trade Unions. There were present at this Conference:—
|
|
Representatives |
Districts |
|---|---|---|
|
Industrial and Commercial Employees |
8 |
8 |
|
Building Workers |
8 |
8 |
|
Wood Workers |
10 |
7 |
|
Metal Workers |
42 |
30 |
|
Municipal Employees |
5 |
3 |
|
Transport Workers |
3 |
3 |
|
Factory Workers |
3 |
3 |
|
Miners |
3 |
3 |
|
United Mine Workers |
3 |
— |
|
Glass Workers |
1 |
— |
|
Printers |
3 |
2 |
|
Railwaymen |
7 |
7 |
|
Textile Workers |
2 |
2 |
|
Carpenters |
3 |
3 |
At this Conference there were discussed questions as to organisation and tactics of the Communists in the trade unions. The results of this discussion were to be put before the Congress. The Central Board decided to close the papers, “Arbeiterrat” and “Kommunistische Ratekorrespondenz,” and instead of them to publish the weekly paper “Der Kommunistische Gewerkschafter.” In addition, the Central Board has published four leaflets. These include one general leaflet addressed to all workers, in two million copies, one leaflet for railwaymen, and a special leaflet in connection with the struggle of the Berlin Metal Workers for Local Offices.
Izvestia, January 30th.