Beschäftigungslage und Lohnentwicklung in der deutschen Metallindustrie 1933-1949

Abstract

There is no doubt that the development of employment and wage in the metal industries 1933-1939 were decisive for the economic and political goals of the Nazi-Regime. The central issue was to integrate metal workers effectively, i.e. without major strikes and declines in productivity, into the whole economic process in order to secure an intensive armament production. How was this objective achieved? Was it possible to keep the purchasing power of workers low enough to achieve a redistribution of production capacities from consumer goods industries to war industries? It is the opinion of the author of this article that the development and application of wage-incentive-systems in combination with the restriction of a rise in the general level of wages was a major instrument in the attempts of the Nazi Regime to make labour in the war economy efficient. It is thus necessary to consider in addition to the general wage and employment situation the system by which wages were paid.