Beauty of Labour

Beauty of Labour (German: Schönheit der Arbeit; SdA) was a propaganda organization of the Nazi government from 1934 to its eventual disbandment in 1945. One of its principal functions was workplace design and the beautification of the German work environment.^[1][2]

Beauty of Labour

Schönheit der Arbeit
Abbreviation	SdA
Formation	1934
Dissolved	1945
Parent organization	German Labour Front

Beauty of Labour stamp on a cup

Organisation

Initially a propaganda machine, the SdA worked bilaterally with its counterpart organisation Strength Through Joy (KdF) to achieve overall appeasement of the general population. The organization campaigned for improved cleanliness, better hygiene, proper work attire, changing rooms, lockers, better air, and less noise in factories and other places of employment.^[3] The SdA was one of the many areas that made up the Nazi labour union, the Deutsche Arbeitsfront (DAF or "German Labour Front") and was directed by Albert Speer.^[4]

Activities

Campaigns such as the Join the fight against noise and Good ventilation in the workplace gave the Hitler-led government the ability to stimulate productivity within the workplace while simultaneously installing a sense of community and greater cordiality between the government and the German population.^[5] However, these improvements had to be paid for by the factory owners and managers, and improvements had to be made by the workers themselves, rather than directly funded by the government. Consequently, the workers performed these improvements for free at no additional pay.^[6]