“STRENGTH THROUGH JOY”

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 300, 15 September 1936, Page 13

“STRENGTH THROUGH JOY”

Government Holidays For German Workpeople

(By

R. N. CARRINGTON.)

While watching the teeming thousands of Berlin’s night life in the Hardenberger Strasse on Saturday night I was attracted by a long holdup of the traffic. Closer inspection showed it was due to a seemingly endless line of young men, each carrying some small handbag, making their way across the road to a railway station nearby. They were a group of some thousands of Berlin workers off for a week-end holiday provided by the State.

The German Government holds that in order to give body and mind an opportunity for rest and recuperation, man must organise his leisure time on some sort of system, and utilise it suitably. Too much of the ordinary holiday time is wasted. The Government has recognised that a poor man who earns only sufficient to keep his family cannot afford these holidays, and in th© past he and his wife and children have been forced to remain in their city environment; the most they could expect being perhaps a few hours in the shade of their own small gardens. They had, however, to be placed in a position where they could get physical strength and health to do the nation’s work provided by the new regime, which has not Increased wages. (A factory worker told me that wages had not been increased because Herr Hitler said he needs the money “for other purposes” for the present.) Nor does Her r Hitler consider the worker with the pen any better a man than th© worker with the pick and shovel. He has asked that men should be valued by the quality of the work they do in each department. His efforts to Increase the happiness and health of the people became a part of the national policy and the great “Strength through Joy” movement was the outcome. Holiday trips, theatre performances and courses of instruction in aH forms of open air sports were arranged at low prices so that the poorest could take part.

Holiday trips are now so arranged that community trips are run from e’ery region to certain parts of Germany. The journeys coincide with the holidav season and generally last a week. The expenses are especially small, for those with large families or hi unfavourable financial circumstances. It is possible for those living In Berlin to spend a week in the Thur-

inglan Forest or in the Bavarian Highlands regions—from 200 to 300 miles distant —for 15/-, which covers the cost of the train fare and board and lodging. The tours are conducted through the most beautiful part of the country, sometimes to the mountains, other times to the seaside, or even as far as Scandinavia and Madeira. The “Strength through Joy” movement has now fresh plans in hand, and is building a fleet of 30 steamers exclusively intended for holiday trips for workers. They will have only outside cabins, even for the crew, with two or at the most four berths, dining and public rooms, swimming pools, sport halls, and promenade and sun decks. The first two steamers are nearing completion. A further plan provides for the cren- ! tion of large seaside resorts of which th© first is already being erected on the , Island of Rugen, and workers will be ■ accommodated at these resorts as com- ; fortably as on the steamers —and as cheaply. Each resort will be capable of accommodating 20,000 Germans and | It is expected that each week hundreds

of thousands of city workers from all parts of Germany will thus be enabled to get health from the new movement. The theatre organisation has been in force for a long time, and under it arrangements have been made with managements so that workers can get seats from Cd. to 1/-.. Many hundreds of thousands have also been given free instruction in tennis, yachting, golf, fencing and riding, and the Government has also asked that all businesses of any size should install a gymnasium and see that the staff has a daily course of physical exercises. The “Strength through Joy” movement has apparently come to stay for it also embraces the fostering of rambles in the country on foot, conducted tours of cultural centres, and courses of instruction in the open air in arts and sciences. Its alm Is to give the working man a greater interest In his existence and some of the joys he has created for others. There is no doubt that so far the movement has proved entirely successful. Berlin. August lb