STRENGTH through JOY

Posted on 2024/11/07 by secret santa

NAZI LEISURE
https://jstor.org/stable/40982073
https://architectmagazine.com/remaking-a-onetime-nazi-resort
https://npr.org/nazi-resort-becomes-upscale-destination
Along Germany’s Coast, A Nazi Resort Becomes An Upscale Destination
by Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson / October 5, 2016

“Architecture was one of Adolf Hitler’s passions, and he commissioned hundreds of buildings and arenas reminiscent of imperial Rome to inspire and intimidate. It’s a legacy Germany has struggled to erase by re-purposing or razing Nazi-era structures. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, for example, was placed in an old SS barracks in Nuremburg, while the German Finance Ministry took over the Nazi aviation building in Berlin. The Berlin bunker where Hitler spent his final days was reduced to a parking lot. Usually there’s little or no complaint about these refurbishments. But one government-sanctioned plan for a Third Reich landmark is sparking a public outcry — a commercial exploitation of the biggest Nazi relic on the Baltic Sea coast.

It’s a resort Hitler built between 1936 and 1939 along sandy, white beaches for working-class Germans, one that was grandiose even by Nazi standards. Concrete dormitories that are six-stories high and 550-yards wide were erected side by side over 2.8 miles of pristine coastline on the northern island of Ruegen. The cornerstone of the Prora resort was laid 80 years ago by then-Labor Front Chairman Robert Ley, who called it “a monument to the German people” and predicted it would still be standing 1,000 years later. The resort was owned and run by the Nazis’ Kraft Durch Freude or “Strength Through Joy” leisure movement, a state-run organization designed to promote the advantages of National Socialism to the German working class.

“Robert Ley (center), head of the German Labor Front, visits Ruegen in 1936.”

But the sprawling retreat that was meant to house and indoctrinate up to 20,000 people in National Socialism — each for less than $9 a day — never actually opened because of the impending war, says Katja Lucke, co-director of the Documentation Center, a museum at the site that details the resort’s Nazi history. She recounts how the Soviets later blew up one of the buildings and the East Germans turned what was left into a secret military compound that wasn’t listed on public maps. Following the collapse of Communism and German reunification, the resort became a ruin, overgrown with trees and mired in debate. “Everyone was thinking, ‘What is going on with this complex?'” real estate developer Ulrich Busch recalls. “It was a huge, ugly, fallen-down angel on the seaside. And a lot of people were saying: ‘Hey, we have to tear it down.’ But a lot of people were also saying: ‘It’s a historical site and we have to protect it.'”

“Peter and Yvett Sadewasser and their 8-year-old twins, Alexander and Josefina, were among the first families to move into one of the refurbished units.”

Busch and several other developers decided the answer was a little bit of both. They persuaded federal and local officials to waive historic preservation rules and allow them to build upscale condominiums and a luxury hotel and spa within the existing foundations. But one concession they insisted on was allowing controversial changes like adding balconies and rooftop terraces to the exteriors, even though changes are not normally permitted to the original design of historic landmarks. Nowadays, the sound of waves is drowned out by construction helping the former Nazi site “turn into a butterfly,” as nearby billboards advertise. Busch has opened a hotel called Prora Solitaire in one of the buildings, which also includes 150 individually owned condominiums. Busch says even in its unfinished state, the hotel boasted an 89 percent occupancy rate this past summer. The resort, he says, appeals to Germans curious about the Nazi past and those seeking to vacation closer to home, following recent terrorist attacks elsewhere in Europe. The condos are also being snapped up, Busch says, with buyers getting huge tax breaks because of the complex’s historic designation. They come from as far away as Dubai and pay as much as $700 per square foot, he says. He calls the new project “the best answer for the old and ugly and horrible thinking and spirit of the Nazi time.”

Yvett Sadewasser agrees. She and her husband and 8-year-old twins were among the first families to buy a condominium here. She says she became fascinated with the Prora site after she first visited as a little girl from the neighboring town of Binz. Her mother, a teacher, had rare access to what was then the East German military complex because some of the officers’ children were in her class. Today, the Sadewassers live in a modern, two-story home with exposed concrete and steel from the original Nazi structure. The dwelling appeals not only to the adults, but also to their children, Alexander and Josefina. Their mother says they love being close to the beach and having access to the building’s fancy pool. “I’m also interested in the history,” Alexander tells me. “Do you know who built this?” I ask. He hesitates, then whispers: “Adolf Hitler.” He quickly puts his hand over his mouth as if he’s said a dirty word. “He was a bad man,” Alexander says. “That’s why we don’t like to say his name,” says Josefina.

“Developer Ernst Ulrich Busch says the former solarium is his favorite spot in the former “Strength Through Joy” building he’s refurbishing. He plans to convert the solarium into two-story apartments.”

Awareness of the site’s grim history is something museum director Lucke and other critics of the project believe will dissipate with the conversion. Many historians and some former residents of the site during East German times feel it glosses over a dangerous part of German history that shouldn’t be forgotten. “There is no importance placed anymore on making it recognizable [as a Nazi landmark] even though it’s designated a monument,” Lucke says. These days, she says, “You can drink a latte macchiato there and slip next door into the sauna. I don’t have anything against that, but you aren’t really getting the context of this place.” Her museum, which had 60,000 visitors last year, is being evicted from one of the more central buildings in the complex, although the developers have pledged to provide a space for it in another structure at the far end.

Stefan Wolter, a historian and one-time East German Bausoldat or “construction soldier” stationed at the Prora site during the Communist era, fears the new complex will erode what little recognition there is today of East German abuses committed at the site. “What we went through was comparable to forced labor,” he recalls. The construction soldiers were conscientious objectors pressed into labor by the Communist regime. But Prora Mayor Karsten Schneider says he’s cautiously optimistic that the development will turn out to be a good thing for local communities and that he’s badgering investors to build not only vacation homes but also permanent housing, along with shops, businesses and other support services to accommodate the new project. “We are on a good path and I hope it will continue,” he said. “But ask me in five years, when they are done with the renovation.”

Volkswagen poster (1938)

STRENGTH through JOY
https://spartacus-educational.com/GERjoy.htm
https://germanhistorydocs.org/strength-through-joy-cruise-to-madeira-1938
Strength through Joy: Cruise to Madeira (1938)

“One of the most popular Nazi organizations was “Strength through Joy” [Kraft durch Freude or KdF], which was founded in November 1933. This office organized National Socialist leisure and vacation activities for members of the German Labor Front and their families. Up until 1939, it employed about 7,000 full-time workers and 135,000 volunteers, and was financed by the German Labor Front to the tune of about 29 million Reichsmarks per year. Its goal was to overcome the usual separation between work and private life as well as class differences. The new national community [Volksgemeinschaft] was to be characterized by solidarity, and it followed that workers should now enjoy all the opportunities for rest and relaxation that had previously been reserved for the middle class. These opportunities included a multitude of cultural and sports events—such as subsidized theater, opera, and concert tickets, as well as cheap instruction in tennis and sailing—and thousands of members took advantage of them annually. The most popular offerings were KdF-financed tourism programs, both inside and outside Germany. These programs enabled many workers to take their very first vacation trips. Up until 1939, about 43,000 KdF excursions were sold, many of them daytrips.

Volkswagen poster (c. 1938)

As we can see in this photograph, KdF also organized cruises on its own or on rented ships. These voyages were supposed to introduce the National Socialist national community to other countries. Participants were therefore expected to wear modest clothing and behave in a dignified way. Political training was part of the obligatory program, and spies from the Gestapo and the SD were among the travelers. In the end, the ideal of harmonious integration was not really achieved. Many participants in KdF trips complained about the regimented daily routine, the poor quality of the lodging and service, and the preferential treatment given to party officials. For example, cruises to Madeira remained out of reach for most workers, who would have associated them with their popular moniker, “big-shot trips”. Despite many shortcomings and extensive internal corruption, the KdF remained one of the Third Reich’s most successful mass organizations.”

Volkswagen poster (c. 1938)

MOOD among WORKERS
https://historyteachermilitary.blogspot.com/kdf-in-classroom-visual-learning-and.html
https://historyanswers.co.uk/how-porsche-became-fascisms-favourite-engineer
https://germanhistorydocs.ghi-dc.org/cfm?document_id=1553
The Sopade Report on the Mood among Workers (September 1938)

“Hitler understood that a general economic upswing – and the drop in unemployment that would follow – was the best means for securing the loyalty of the German people. To that end, as early as 1933, he provided for state financing of job-creation initiatives – e.g., the Autobahnen – by running a considerable budget deficit. Additionally, the government promoted the establishment and expansion of private companies through state credits, tax benefits, and the like. With the economy being guided increasingly closely as part of the preparation for war, the Nazi regime was able to list the virtual elimination of unemployment within a few years as a resounding success. One of the flip sides of the Nazi economic upswing, however, was the National Socialist “coordination” [Gleichschaltung] and control of the workers. While the government was celebrating May 1, 1933 – National Labor Day – as a legal holiday for the first time, Robert Ley was preparing to dissolve and absorb the unions into the German Labor Front [Deutsche Arbeitsfront or DAF], a process that would begin the very next day.

Henceforth, this monolithic, NSDAP-affiliated organization would regulate relations between employers and employees, with the latter losing their right to strike and organize independently. The DAF’s numerous sub-organizations sought to completely incorporate the workforce into the structure of National Socialism. For example, the DAF office “Strength through Joy” [“Kraft durch Freude”] organized leisure-time and vacation activities for workers and their families. Many workers, however, were well aware that they were paying a high price for their employment under the Nazi regime – a point made clear by the Sopade Report of September 1938, which was commissioned by the exiled leadership of the SPD.

“This image was on the rear of a small pocket ALTAS produced by the KdF that was filled with maps showing where in Europe German workers could go on their state sponsored vacations. Look at the image’s details: note the “happy workers” waving as the go on vacation.”

Central Germany, September 1938: Among industrial workers there are many who do not give a damn about the successes of the Hitler system and have only scorn and contempt for the whole show. Others, however, say: ‘Well, there are a lot of things Adolf does not know about himself and which he does not want’. But one is never quite sure with them whether they mean it seriously or only want to protect their backs. Naturally, there are also many who have become unpolitical. In particular, a large number of the skilled workers who were unemployed for a long time are not enthusiastic Nazis. They often complain about the fact that they earn much less now than in say 1929 but, at the end of the day, they always say: ‘It’s all the same to us; at least we have work’. The further one goes down into the poorer sections the more opposition there is. But even now—although they know there is a labor shortage—they are all scared of losing their jobs. The years of unemployment have not been forgotten.

“A 1936 German poster extolling the virtues an dignity of work in Nazi Germany via the KdF.”

Those who are still Nazis in the plant are subdued. One has the feeling that many of them only stay in the Party to get an easier life. If discussions occur they usually give in or do not get involved. They make no use whatsoever of the jargon employed at their meetings. The facts speak clearly enough for themselves. The fact that one’s wages continually buy less and less and that the slave driving gets worse and worse every day cannot be denied by even the ‘oldest fighter’. The ‘old fighters’ in particular, have mostly had enough of the Third Reich. But it is still a different matter as far as white collar employees are concerned. Among them those who have come up in the world through the Party make much of their decorations and titles.

“The VW Beetle was designed by Ferdinand Porsche who is seen here with Hitler inspecting a model. Hitler had asked Porsche to design a useful and affordable car for the German worker to purchase: A People’s Car, a Volkswagen.”

The mood in the plants is one of depression. It’s true that even in the old days work was no fun and was regarded by many as a necessary evil. But in those days one had the feeling: if you don’t like something you can get it off your chest frankly and in public. Perhaps something will be done about it; in any case it will be a relief. Now one goes into the plant with a heavy heart because one is always afraid of saying a word too many and landing oneself in a spot. There is a dark cloud over one’s whole life. One even looks forward less to getting home than in the old days because there is no longer any relaxed comradeship with friends and neighbors. Before, one always used to meet like-minded people in the workers sport and education associations, for a game of chess, or in the People’s House. Now one leaves the factory, runs a few errands, goes home, reads the headlines in the paper, and goes to bed, and next morning the same monotonous cycle begins again. Those who have their ‘duty’ to perform whether in the SS, SA, Party, or Welfare are even worse off. They have to slave away in the evenings as well and moan a lot, particularly if they have been doing heavy physical work during the day. Most of them would gladly give up their posts. But they lack the courage to do so.”

NAZI RECREATION
https://academic.oup.com/gh/article-abstract/38/1/165/5614186
Nazi-Organized Recreation and Entertainment in the Third Reich, by Julia Timpe
German History, Vol 38, Issue 1, March 2020, Pages 165–167
review by Lisa Pine / 06 November 2019

“This is a fascinating book on an important subject. It adds significantly to our knowledge of the Nazi leisure organization Kraft durch Freude (KdF) or ‘Strength through Joy’. The tourism aspect of the KdF’s activities has been written about previously and extensively by Shelley Baronowski and Kristin Semmens. Timpe adds perspectives about the KdF that are less well known. She extends the scope of research into the KdF by focusing on aspects including subsidized tickets for cultural events, the improvement of life and conditions in factories and the beautification of villages. She argues that the two key goals of the KdF were the creation and stabilization of the community of all ‘Aryan’ Germans into the ‘national community’ and the provision of enjoyment and happiness to those Germans. She refers to the activities of the KdF as ‘joy production’ (p. 3). In addition, she identifies three key features of the organization’s intentions: the first, that joy should be the result of voluntary participation; the second, that it should have an active component and the third, that it should be experienced collectively. Together, these would promote the overall goal of the organization of ‘community building’ (p. 7). The book opens by asking: ‘How much fun could Germans have during the Third Reich?’ (p. 1). Examining the Nazi promise of ‘joy’, as intended to be brought about by the KdF, Timpe discusses the array of leisure activities provided by the organization in order to assess their success and reception between 1933 and 1945.”

“Poster advertising “your vacation, 1939″
through the Strength through Joy program.”

NAZI ROAD TRIPS
https://engines.egr.uh.edu/episode/2888
https://historytools.org/strength-through-joy-controlling-leisure-and-tourism
Strength Through Joy: Controlling Leisure and Tourism in Nazi Germany
by history tools / May 26, 2024

Introduction
In the 1930s, the Nazi regime in Germany implemented a comprehensive program called Strength Through Joy (Kraft durch Freude, or KdF) to control and manipulate the leisure time of its citizens. This unprecedented initiative aimed to provide affordable leisure activities and tourism opportunities for the masses while simultaneously promoting Nazi ideology and solidifying the regime‘s power. By delving into the history, structure, and impact of Strength Through Joy, we can gain valuable insights into the ways in which totalitarian regimes can use leisure and tourism as tools of control and indoctrination.

radio in ad
“Nazi ad featuring the People’s Car along with the
People’s receiver, a mass-produced radio.”

The Pre-Nazi Era: Leisure and Tourism in Weimar Germany
To fully understand the significance of Strength Through Joy, it is essential to consider the state of leisure and tourism in Germany before the Nazi era. During the Weimar Republic (1918-1933), economic instability and widespread unemployment limited access to leisure activities for many Germans. Trade unions played a role in organizing leisure time for workers, but travel and tourism remained largely the domain of the elite. According to historian Shelley Baranowski, “In the 1920s, only about 5 percent of Germans could afford to take a vacation away from home” (Baranowski, 2004, p. 25). This exclusivity began to change in the early 1930s, as the Nazi Party recognized the potential of leisure and tourism as tools for political gain.

The Organizational Structure of Strength Through Joy
Strength Through Joy was established in 1933 as a subsidiary of the German Labour Front (Deutsche Arbeitsfront, or DAF), the Nazi Party‘s labor organization. Under the leadership of Robert Ley, the DAF aimed to replace independent trade unions and assert state control over German workers. KdF, in turn, sought to extend this control into the realm of leisure time. The program was divided into several departments, each responsible for a specific aspect of leisure and tourism:

The Travel Department organized domestic and international trips, including cruises, ski vacations, and beach holidays.
The Sports Department arranged athletic competitions and festivals, such as the annual Reich Sports Day.
The Education Department offered adult education classes, lectures, and cultural events.
The Beauty of Labor Department focused on improving working conditions and creating a “beautiful” workplace.

These departments worked together to create a comprehensive network of leisure activities and services, all under the watchful eye of the Nazi Party.

The Scope and Impact of Strength Through Joy
The scale of Strength Through Joy was unprecedented, with millions of Germans participating in its programs each year. By 1938, KdF had become the largest tourism operator in the world, with over 7 million participants in its domestic and international trips (Semmens, 2005, p. 21). The program‘s cruise ships, the Wilhelm Gustloff and the Robert Ley, were among the largest in the world, capable of carrying thousands of passengers on voyages to exotic destinations.

Year	Number of KdF Trip Participants
1934	2,300,000
1935	3,600,000
1936	5,600,000
1937	6,800,000
1938	7,200,000

Source: Semmens, K. (2005). Seeing Hitler‘s Germany: Tourism in the Third Reich

In addition to its tourism programs, Strength Through Joy organized a wide range of cultural and educational activities. The “People‘s Concerts” series, for example, brought classical music performances to factories and working-class neighborhoods, while adult education classes and lectures promoted Nazi ideology and pseudoscientific theories, such as racial hygiene. The economic impact of Strength Through Joy was significant, stimulating growth in the German tourism industry and creating new employment opportunities. The program‘s demand for accommodations and transportation led to the construction of new hotels, cruise ships, and vacation resorts, such as the massive Prora complex on the Baltic Sea coast. However, the true purpose of Strength Through Joy was not merely economic or recreational. As historian Kristin Semmens notes, “KdF‘s primary goal was to create a ‘national community‘ (Volksgemeinschaft) based on Nazi ideals of racial purity, national unity, and loyalty to Hitler” (Semmens, 2005, p. 22). By controlling leisure time and providing carefully curated experiences, the Nazi regime sought to shape the thoughts and attitudes of the German people.

Exclusion, Persecution, and Propaganda
While Strength Through Joy claimed to break down class barriers and promote national unity, it actively excluded and persecuted those deemed “undesirable” by the Nazi regime. Jews, Roma, Sinti, homosexuals, and political opponents were prohibited from participating in KdF events and facilities. Many Jewish-owned travel agencies and tourist businesses were expropriated by the Nazi government, their assets and properties absorbed into the Strength Through Joy program.

The exclusion of these groups was not merely a byproduct of Nazi ideology; it was a deliberate attempt to marginalize and dehumanize them in the eyes of the German public. By creating a visible divide between the “Aryan” participants of Strength Through Joy and the excluded minorities, the program reinforced the Nazi notion of a “master race” and fueled antisemitism and racial hatred. Internationally, Strength Through Joy served as a powerful propaganda tool for the Nazi regime. The program‘s success in providing affordable leisure opportunities for German workers was admired and emulated by other fascist governments, such as Italy and Spain. However, democratic nations viewed KdF with growing concern, recognizing it as a means of indoctrination and social control.

The Legacy of Strength Through Joy
The outbreak of World War II in 1939 marked a turning point for Strength Through Joy. Many of its facilities and resources were repurposed for military use, and the program‘s focus shifted to providing recreational opportunities for wounded soldiers and war workers. As the war progressed and Germany‘s military situation deteriorated, KdF activities gradually declined, and the program was eventually disbanded in 1945. In the aftermath of the war, the Allied forces recognized Strength Through Joy as a key instrument of Nazi indoctrination and control. Many of the program‘s leaders, including Robert Ley, were tried and convicted in the Nuremberg trials for their roles in the Nazi regime‘s crimes.

The physical legacy of Strength Through Joy can still be seen in the infrastructure and buildings constructed during the Nazi era, such as the Prora resort complex on the Baltic Sea coast. Originally designed to accommodate 20,000 KdF vacationers, Prora was never completed and has since been repurposed for various uses, including housing, a youth hostel, and a museum. In the decades since the end of World War II, Strength Through Joy has been the subject of extensive scholarly analysis and public discussion. Historians have sought to understand the program‘s role in the Nazi regime‘s efforts to control and manipulate the German population, as well as its impact on the development of mass tourism and leisure culture in the 20th century.

Conclusion
The history of Strength Through Joy serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of state-controlled leisure and the potential for tourism to be used as a tool of political indoctrination. By providing affordable leisure opportunities and carefully curated experiences, the Nazi regime sought to shape the thoughts and attitudes of the German people, reinforcing its ideology of racial supremacy and national unity. As we reflect on this chapter in history, it is essential to recognize the importance of preserving individual freedom and critical thinking in the face of authoritarian efforts to control and manipulate leisure time. The legacy of Strength Through Joy reminds us of the need to remain vigilant in protecting our democratic values and resisting the allure of totalitarian ideologies that seek to limit personal autonomy and diversity.

References
Baranowski, S. (2004). Strength through joy: Consumerism and mass tourism in the Third Reich. Cambridge University Press.
Semmens, K. (2005). Seeing Hitler‘s Germany: Tourism in the Third Reich. Palgrave Macmillan.
Spode, H. (2004). Fordism, mass tourism and the Third Reich: The “Strength through Joy” seaside resort as an index fossil. Journal of Social History, 38(1), 127-155.
Kruger, D. (2018). Strength Through Joy and Dopolavoro: The Fascist and Nazi leisure time organisations. Totalitarian Movements and Political Religions, 19(1), 1-17.
Buchholz, W. (2003). The “beauty of labour”: Strength Through Joy and the aestheticization of industrial work in Nazi Germany. International Review of Social History, 48(1), 1-34.

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