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NSBO History

The Nationalsozialistische Betriebszellenorganisation (NSBO = National Socialist Factory Cell Organization) was officially formed on Jan 15, 1931. The prehistory of the organisation began in Jan 1928 when Johannes Engel formed the NS Wählerschaft (Constituency) in the Knorr Brake factory in Berlin. That horrible name was soon changed to the NS Arbeiterkampfbund (Workers Struggle Organization). By June that name got the attention of Gau Organisations Leader Reinhold Muchow in Berlin who suggested that groups called Zellen (cells) should be formed in all workplaces. He and Engle then formed a Sekretariat für Arbeiterangelegenheiten (Worker Affairs). In May 1930 Engel and Muchow formed the Gaubetriebszellenabteilung (Gau Factory Cells Department). There was soon calls to form such Zellen all over the country. On Jan 15, 1931 the Reichs Betriebszellenabteilung (RBA = National Factory-Cells Department) was formed which was redesignated the NSBO (National Socialist Factory-Cells Organization) on Mar 8, 1931.

After the Nazi's took power in 1933, Dr. Ley, the leader of the Deutsche Arbeitsfront (DAF) announced that the NSBO was to be made a part of the DAF. Now began an internal struggle between Ley (loyal to Hitler and his brand of nazism) and the NSBO, dominated by left-wingers loyal to Strasser. The NSBO generally saw themselves as fighting for the worker against the capitalists and even when on strikes together with the communists. The power of the NSBO was soon weakened and the final blow was the Night of the Long Knives in 1934 when Hitler acted against the left-wing of the party organisation and several of the NSBO leaders were arrested. The NSBO survived until the end of the war, but it was a mere shadow of its former self.