Length of workday in Germany?

[Lammio]

This page

https://library.cqpress.com/cqresearche ... 1942111600

says that workday in Germany is 10 hours, at least on 16 November 1942.

But I have an undated entry (that I try to date) on the diary of my
great grandfather, written after 28 July 1943, that claims that
"recently" Germany has moved back to 8 hour workday. Did that really
happen? And when, if true?

[Hans1906]

Hi Lammio,

the so-called "Achtstundentag" (Eight-hour day) is the topic:

Achtstundentag https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achtstundentag

I still remember, that in the 1970s, weekly working hours of 60 to 70 hours were quite normal.
We wanted to earn as much money as possible, overtime and weekend work were the order of the day, but that was a long time ago, the "golden" years of prosperity...

Actually, we just made our bosses rich, like most clueless workers.


Hans

[Lammio]

Yes, but what about an 8 hour workday in WWII?

[GregSingh]

In general as war progressed, working hours increased not decreased, but it all depended on a profession/industry.
Eg. coal miner worked different hours than a bank employee.
Curiously working time in textile industry was one of the shortest because of lack of raw materials.

According to Richard Grunberger, everage working time for a man was in 1939 - 49h, 1943 - 52h, from Sep 1944 - 60h/week, in aviation industry the norm was 72h/week.
Everything above 48h was called a compulsory overtime and usually paid differently.

[Boby]

Good article on topic

http://library.fes.de/jportal/receive/j ... e_00010745

[Lammio]

Good article on topic

http://library.fes.de/jportal/receive/j ... e_00010745

That seems to be only from 1929 to 1939?

[Hans1906]

Why don't you just read the entry in the German Wikipedia, which answers are you still missing..?

My great-grandfather Franz, a World War I veteran, actually worked around the clock.
His house belonged to the railways, the man was a carpenter, nothing belonged to him and his family.

There was a garden, chickens, rabbits, a pig, and people pissed and shit in the garden, there was no toilet.

People didn't know anything about an eight-hour day, the father was back from the war, a human wreck and an alcoholic.

People had other worries, these people weren't even aware of the eight-hour day...


Hans

[Lammio]

Why don't you just read the entry in the German Wikipedia, which answers are you still missing..?

I did read it and was not happy yet.

But I have found the answer. My great grandfather refers somewhat incorrectly to an article on Finnish newspaper, published on 5 May 1943. That article claims that Deutsche Algemeine Zeitung has written on 4 May 1943 that Germany is returning to 8 or 9 hour workday and some factories and corporations have already done that.

But apparently that did not happen...


Thanks to all who answered!

[Lammio]

[ My great grandfather refers somewhat incorrectly to an article on Finnish newspaper, published on 5 May 1943. That article claims that Deutsche Algemeine Zeitung has written on 4 May 1943 that Germany is returning to 8 or 9 hour workday and some factories and corporations have already done that.

It's me again but don't panic! I am just asking is there a free digital newspaper archive where I can read the article on Deutsche Algemeine Zeitung on 4 May 1943 to see what that article really says?