| Führer und Reichskanzler (“Leader and Reichchancellor”) Adolf Hitler (April 20, 1889 – April 30, 1945) reviews the men of the Deutsche Arbeitsfront (DAF; “German Labor Front”) during the 9th Party Congress called Reichsparteitag der Arbeit (“Rally of Labor”) This Nuremberg rally celebrated the reduction of unemployment in Germany since the Nazi rise to power. Hitler is in his custom Mercedes-Benz 770K (W150) that he used to drive around the Zeppelin Field before the DAF parade. After Gleichschaltung (“Coordination”) of the Nazification of the Government in 1933, all trade unions were replaced with the DAF. Dr. Robert Ley (February 15, 1890 – October 25, 1945) was Head of the DAF from May 10, 1933, to the end of the war. The 3rd day of each Nuremberg rally was the Reich Labour Service Day. Over 70,000 spectators filled the Zeppelin Field grandstand and terraces to watch the Reich Labour Service Rally, starting at 1000 Hours. Meanwhile, 45,000 laborers armed with shovels waited to the south of the stadium for the rally to begin. Cheers to the north signified that Hitler’s motorcade was making its way through the crowds to the arena and the noise reached fever pitch as it pulled up in front of the speaker’s podium. As soon as Hitler had taken his position next to his car, the 1st Reich Labour Service units began marching into the arena, in ranks 18 men wide. They marched in through the south gate, passed in front of the Führer, and marched out through the north gate. Rows then doubled up and marched back into the arena through the west gate, deploying in their appointed positions. It did not take long for the stadium to fill up and as the last units passed the podium the Führer took his place on the platform alongside Reich Labour Leader Konstantin Hierl. The final units to enter the arena belonged to Labour Service schools. The men were stripped to the waist and took their place in front of the main stand before Hierl introduced his men to the Führer. The standard bearers then moved into position as the men chanted slogans and sang songs; the standards were then dipped as the gathered assembly remembered those who had died in the war and the martyrs who had died fighting for the Party. Speeches by Reich Labour Service leader Konstantin Hierl (February 24, 1875 – September 23, 1955) and Hitler brought the Reich Labour Service rally to an end. Robert Ley and the DAF leadership were among the most corrupt of the corrupt Nazi Party functionaries. Much of the union dues of laborers were diverted to their personal use. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0518.jpg |
| Image Size | 366.91 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 1714 x 1250 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | United States London Embassy |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | September 7, 1937 |
| Location | |
| City | Nuremberg |
| State or Province | Bavaria |
| Country | Germany |
| Archive | Imperial War Museum |
| Record Number | NYP 68056 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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