Arbeitervereine und Gewerkschaftsbewegung in Kronstadt und Hermannstadt bis zum Ersten Weltkrieg
Labor Unions and Union Movement in Cluj and Sibiu Till World War I

Summary/Abstract: Since the end of the custom-war in 1891, an economical upswing could be noticed in Transylvania. However no industrial revolution took place: at the turn of the century Sibiu and Cluj as well were still characterized by handcraft and small businesses. The population in the Cluj and Sibiu County, as well as in the whole land proved itself, widely in the east, still rural. Moreover, a crossing to the industry of factories went off in Sibiu slower than in Cluj. Transylvania’s industrialization, compared to Western Europe, was still in the starting phase, when, at the beginning of the 20th century, the first modern unions appeared. The first „worker” was the industry worker, not the journeyman. That is why the union members from Sibiu and Cluj were, mostly, still fellows and helpers. Prior to the genesis of the union movement, a transit in stages developed from the first labor unions and cash register of the 1870s to the organized trade unions. The last ones multiplied strongly in the 1890s. Memorable is also the genesis of the parallel or employer unions. This development took place despite the state repression and the persecution over several years. Strikes and street demonstrations, the economical and political demands came up: the years between 1905 and 1907 as well as between 1910 and 1914 were outstanding for the workers movement. The unions of Cluj and Sibiu couldn’t however reach a big number of members till World War I. They had even less success recruiting workforce from the few big factories.

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