Published as Microfiche – titles**.

Prior to 1914, the German labour movement was recognized as the most highly organized among its European counterparts. This was exemplified in 1913, when Berlin alone had more Social Democrats enrolled than the entirety of France (118,000 versus 93,000), and Hamburg surpassed Italy in membership numbers (62,000 compared to 45,000).

The extensive organizational structure was also reflected in its deep “penetration” at the local level; since 1890, a comprehensive network of associations, unions, and cooperatives had developed within the movement. Most of these entities were further integrated through supra-regional organizations while retaining considerable autonomy in significant matters, such as union strike decisions—a phenomenon often described as localism or regionalism.

Culturally, the German labour movement cultivated a distinct identity, supported by numerous workers’ educational associations and approximately 94 press organs dedicated to labour interests. Workers differentiated themselves from their “bourgeois” counterparts not only in terms of income and social status but also through their leisure pursuits, reading preferences, moral values, and party affiliations—collectively referred to as the workers’ culture or socio-moral milieu.

A core objective of the political labour movement cantered on the notion of class struggle, reinforced by the perception that bourgeois theories of emancipation had failed to improve, or would fail to improve, their everyday conditions. Intellectual debates on these issues were led by leading theorists within the labour movement and disseminated through its communication channels. Publications addressing the social labour question—including the actual living conditions of workers and the legal, political, and economic prerequisites for their existence (notably in cases such as domestic servants)—served as critical complements to the broader history of labour ideology, theory, and organization.

Key topics of the era included labour law, wage structures, unemployment, social security, living standards, education, and health.

The focus of this collection is primarily on the contents of rare pamphlets, as well as periodicals from sub-organizations of the labour movement and publications from regional and local associations, local workers’ secretariats, local cooperatives, splinter groups, etc.

The movements and currents outside the socialist labour movement —church social reform, social liberalism, social conservatism, state socialism, etc.—are represented in our collection in a weighted selection.

The workers’ struggles were proxy struggles. Historically, they were de facto about creating a different social structure.

In summary, we can say that the main focus of our titles is the content of works since Marx and Engels. And especially titles since the founding of the General German Workers’ Association (ADAV) in 1863.

Publications on the foreign workers’ movement are represented, with both German and foreign writings, the latter mostly translated into German.

Many of our titles exist—if at all—in only a few ‘physical’ copies—assuming they were ever collected in libraries. In other words, they are often rare (or maybe) unique titles.

The English language texts provided here are for informational purposes only.
Most titles discussed in this subject are in German.
Foreign titles, if present, are translations into German.
The data in electronic bibliographic records conforming to International University Library Standards are also primarily in German, including titles, collection names, sets, subsets, and related elements.
Accordingly, it is standard practice to present such texts and information in their original German, consistent with the format of its original printed works.

Labour Movement*
Works originally written in the 19th & early 20th centuries

Our structures as follows:

Arbeiterbewegung Deustchland / Labour movement Germany
148 Primaertitel
113 Sekuendaertitel
35 Sekuendaertitel Politische Theorie

Arbeiterbewegung, International / Labour movement International:
32 Primaertitel
40 Sekundaertitel (Russland, Frankreich)

Arbeiterkultur / Labour culture:
113 Primaertitel
Kalender, Biographien, Bibliographien / Calendars, biographies, bibliographies
159 Primaertitel

Arbeiterklasse, Geschichte / Working class, history:
183 Primaertitel Deutschland / Germany
33 Primaertitel andere Laender / other countries

Electronic Bibliographic records are available

Upon request, we can compile author / title lists for you.

Periodicals:
We have 113 periodical titles with approx. 115,000 pages (!) **– click on Periodicals for details.

If you would like to purchase full-text pages from our Microfiche – titles in digital format or PoD (Print OnDemand), such options vary across the board.
In this case, please contact us via our SHOP regarding your wish(es).
We will review your questions and will send a proposal based on the specific media options.

Our collections support scholarship across topics such as women’s studies, sociology, political science, philosophy, economics, history, and cultural studies.

Notes:
We have attempted to locate information on the possible authorship of the individual works. Should an authorship error occur, please contact us.
* Information is subject to change at any time and without notice.
** “Title” means “bibliographic unit”, i.e., one title contains the content of at least one “physical” printed volume. However, depending on the original work, “title” can also contain contents of two or more ‘physical’ original books and / or journals or Periodicals.
*** The short titles listed in examples above, are listed in the electronic bibliographical data with partly extensive long titles, related to its original wording,