The German Musicians' Union (, DeMuV) was a

trade union A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...

representing musicians in Germany. The union was founded on 1 July 1919, when the General German Musicians' Union merged with the Central Union of Civilian Musicians in Germany. It affiliated to the

General German Trade Union Confederation The General German Trade Union Federation (, ADGB) was a confederation of German trade unions in Germany founded during the Weimar Republic. It was founded in 1919 and was initially powerful enough to organize a general strike in 1920 against a rig ...

, and opened an office in Berlin. The union had about 50,000 members on its formation, but this fell rapidly. It complained that there were too many foreign musicians in the country, "often disreputable persons from other professions who band together in Germany to form so-called Hungarian, jazz, or balalaika ensembles and undercut domestic musicians". By 1931, the union had 23,509 members, and was led by Gottlieb Fauth. It published the ''Deutsche Musiker-Zeitung'' newspaper. In 1933, the union was banned by the Nazi government.

References

{{Authority control Trade unions in Germany Musicians' trade unions Trade unions established in 1919 Trade unions disestablished in 1933