Osnabrück trade union house: Memories of the raid from 1933

Osnabrück trade union house: Memories of the raid from 1933

The resistance of the unions in Osnabrück

On March 11, 1933, a violent attack on the local trade union house occurred in Osnabrück, an event that frightened both the social democrats and the members of the unions present and dramatically increased political tensions in the city. In a climate that was shaped by repression and fear, numerous trade unionists and social democrats came together in a shelter that soon became the target of the new National Socialist power.

The importance of the trade union house

The trade union house at Kollegienwall 14 was a central point of contact for social democrats and trade unionists who exchanged their rights and developed strategies to defend their interests. In times when the political climate became more and more repressive, this building offered a room for discussions and cohesion of the comrades. However, this center of social movement was perceived as a threat by the new rulers and described itself as a "bonzen monastery".

the attack and violence

The events of March 11 itself were described by an eyewitness, Elisabeth Schäfer. A group of armed National Socialists, including members of SA and SS, stormed the trade union house and shot into the air without a plan. Despite the attempts to protect themselves behind barricades, many trade unionists were brutally attacked, which made the serious threat to everyone who opposed the new regime. The police, which was supposed to intervene at the beginning, showed no interest in stopping the attacks, which largely led to a general atmosphere of lawlessness.

The loss of political power

In the weeks after this robbery, racist and political persecution increasingly worsened. The Social Democratic Party, which had been in the sights of the National Socialists for months, lost their political scope for action. The subsequent destruction of the free unions in Osnabrück was the logical consequence: the "German Labor Front" finally took on the role of the former unions and transformed the former union house into a facility that was now completely under the control of National Socialism.

The standstill of democracy

The attack on the trade union house and the associated acts of violence symbolize the dramatic loss of fundamental rights of democratic rights that people in Germany suffered under National Socialism. On March 24, 1933, the Reichstag passed the authorization law, which enabled the NSDAP full control over the German institutions. The terrifying realization that the social and political structures that had long fought for the rights of the workers had now been destroyed, leaving deep traces in the collective memory of the city.

a lasting inheritance

Nowadays, an information board at the old trade union house is reminiscent of the eventful history of the place, on which the voices of the labor movement once re -enhanced. The social conditions that led to the destruction of these movements should also be a memorial today to actively promote defense of democracy and human rights.

In a time when we have to think about history and recognize how easily cultural and social achievements can be lost under an authoritarian regime, the trade union house remains an important symbol for resistance and commitment to social justice.