Union of German Book Printers

The Union of German Book Printers (German: Verband der Deutschen Buchdrucker, VDDB) was a trade union representing printers in Germany.

The Threepenny Strike took place in Leipzig in 1865, with printers striking for higher pay. The action was partially successful, and inspired other strikes across the country. In May 1866, a German Book Printers' Day was held in Leipzig, and this founded the national union, which adopted the newspaper Der Correspondent as its journal.[1]

In order to avoid being banned under the Anti-Socialist Laws, in 1879 it renamed itself as the German Book Printers' Support Club, and it moved its funds to Switzerland. This enabled it to become the first German union to offer a national unemployment insurance scheme, in 1880. From 1888, the union was based in Berlin. In 1891, the Anti-Socialist Laws were repealed, and so in 1893, the union reverted to the name, "Union of Book Printers".[1]

Former headquarters of the union

In 1919, the union became a founding affiliate of the General German Trade Union Confederation. Within the federation, it was part of the Graphic Block.[1] By 1928, it had 82,767 members.[2] It was banned by the Nazi government in 1933. After World War II, printers were represented as part of the Printing and Paper Union.[3]