DHV – The professional union

DHV – The professional union (German: DHV – Die Berufsgewerkschaft e.V.) is a German trade union headquartered in Hamburg and affiliated with the Christian Trade Union Confederation of Germany (Christlicher Gewerkschaftsbund Deutschlands, CGB). It traces its origins to 7 September 1893, when assistants from the guild-like "Verein für Handlungscommis" founded the "Deutsche Handlungsgehilfenverband" in Hamburg on the basis of Christian-social ideas. The organisation was renamed the Deutschnationaler Handlungsgehilfen-Verband (D.H.V.) two years later and grew into the largest white-collar employees' association in Europe, reaching 401,000 members by 1 July 1930. It was brought into line (gleichgeschaltet) by the National Socialists in 1933 and dissolved in 1935, then re-established in 1950 as the "DHV Berufsverband der Kaufmannsgehilfen". Today the DHV describes itself as a Christian union committed to the principles of Christian social teaching: personality (the inviolable dignity of every human being), solidarity, and subsidiarity. It organises roughly 60,000 members (as of 2025) in commercial and administrative occupations, with a focus on the retail/commerce, banking, insurance, statutory health insurance and healthcare sectors. Its specialist divisions include Handel (commerce), Banken (banks), Versicherungen (insurance), Ersatzkassen (statutory health insurers), Gesundheit & Pflege (health and care), and Fleisch-Wirtschaft (meat industry). It is organised nationwide through nine regional associations (Landesverbände) and operates through works groups and specialist groups that form its collective-bargaining commissions. The DHV is a member of the CGB, which it helped found on 27 June 1959 in Mainz. It is not a tariff-capable (tariffähig) union: in May 2020 the Hamburg Regional Labour Court denied it the capacity to conclude collective agreements, and the Federal Labour Court (Bundesarbeitsgericht) confirmed that decision with retroactive effect to April 2015. Its chairman is Henning Röders. The union offers membership services including a starter package for apprentices and represents members' interests in their workplaces.

The DHV was founded on 7 September 1893 in Hamburg by assistants (Gehilfen) who had previously belonged to the guild-like "Verein für Handlungscommis". The new "Deutsche Handlungsgehilfenverband" was established on the basis of Christian-social ideas and in conscious opposition to the existing status associations, which also included employers. Its first association chairman was Johannes Irwahn. Two years later the organisation renamed itself the Deutschnationaler Handlungsgehilfen-Verband (D.H.V.). The original statutes excluded women and Jews from membership. The association grew rapidly. By 1898 it had 18,277 members, by 1903 50,216, and by 1913 148,079. In 1896 Wilhelm Schack took over the leadership. In 1898, at the association day in Leipzig, the "Deutschnationale Kranken- und Begräbniskasse" was created as the D.H.V.'s occupational health fund, giving commercial assistants health insurance coverage for the first time; this fund became one of the founding pillars of today's DAK-Gesundheit. On 29 May 1904 the youth department, the "Bund der Kaufmannsjugend", was founded. In 1904/1906 the D.H.V. participated in the legislative process for the Commercial Court Act (Kaufmannsgerichtsgesetz) of 16 June 1904 and the first Shop Closing Act (Ladenschlussgesetz) of 1 October 1906. In 1911 Hans Bechly was elected third association chairman at the association day in Breslau. In 1913 the D.H.V. founded the "Deutschnationale Versicherungs-A.G.", which after expanding into life and other insurance branches was renamed "Deutscher Ring" from 1925. In 1918 the D.H.V. initiated the founding of the Gemeinnützige Aktiengesellschaft für Angestelltenheimstätten (GAGFAH) to provide affordable housing; the association was its majority shareholder with over 80% of shares until 1933. In 1919 the D.H.V. was admitted to the Gesamtverband deutscher Angestelltengewerkschaften (GEDAG). After the First World War membership continued to grow, reaching 401,000 by 1 July 1930, making the D.H.V. the largest white-collar employees' association in Europe. With the National Socialists' seizure of power, the D.H.V. came into the crosshairs of the new rulers. Even before the destruction of the socialist trade unions on 2 May 1933, leading administrative figures, chairman Hans Bechly and board members Karl Bott, Otto Thiel and Max Habermann, were forced to resign on 9/10 April. Habermann, a convinced opponent of the National Socialists, was banned from the premises and D.H.V. members were forbidden to contact him. The aim of the NSDAP action was the ideological coordination (Gleichschaltung) of the D.H.V. Bechly's successor was his previous deputy Hermann Miltzow, who had been forced to join the NSDAP and was himself dismissed on 30 June 1933. The Gleichschaltung was completed at an extraordinary association day on 14 July 1933, held under unconstitutional circumstances with 14 selected, NSDAP-loyal members. This assembly adopted the National Socialist leadership principle and struck out the union's tasks and goals. The merger with other white-collar unions into the "Deutsche Angestelltenschaft" soon led to absorption into the German Labour Front. The D.H.V. was dissolved in 1935. The re-founding of Christian trade unions, understood as ideologically oriented directional unions with an occupational structure, became possible only in 1949 after the Basic Law and its fundamental right of freedom of association came into force. On 1 October 1950 the founding assembly took place in Hamburg, and the re-established association named itself "DHV Berufsverband der Kaufmannsgehilfen". At the first ordinary association day in Königswinter on 7 and 8 June 1952 it was renamed "DHV – Deutscher Handlungsgehilfen-Verband, Gewerkschaft der Kaufmannsgehilfen". The 1956 association day extended the name and remit to "Deutscher Handels- und Industrieangestellten-Verband" (DHV). The DHV was among the founding unions that created the Christlicher Gewerkschaftsbund Deutschlands (CGB) as an umbrella organisation on 27 June 1959 in Mainz. After the first free Volkskammer election in the GDR on 18 March 1990, the DHV began building a Christian "Deutscher Angestellten-Verband" (DAV) in the East, which was to be merged with the DHV after the expected reunification. At the first association day after German reunification in 1990 in Oldenburg, German unity was also implemented through a change to the DHV statutes. At the 18th association day in 2006 in Saarbrücken, the DHV renamed itself "DHV-Die Berufsgewerkschaft e. V." In May 2020 the Hamburg Regional Labour Court denied the DHV the capacity to conclude collective agreements (Tariffähigkeit), and the Federal Labour Court confirmed this decision with retroactive effect to April 2015. The DHV continues to operate nationwide, organised into nine regional associations and specialist groups, and represents around 60,000 members (as of 2025).

• 2020

  The Hamburg Regional Labour Court denies the DHV the capacity to conclude collective agreements; the Federal Labour Court later confirms this with retroactive effect to April 2015.

• 2006

  At the 18th association day in Saarbrücken, the DHV renames itself DHV-Die Berufsgewerkschaft e. V.

• 1990

  After the first free Volkskammer election in the GDR, the DHV begins building a Christian Deutscher Angestellten-Verband (DAV) in the East; at the Oldenburg association day, German unity is implemented through a change to the DHV statutes.

• 1959

  The DHV is among the founding unions of the Christlicher Gewerkschaftsbund Deutschlands (CGB) in Mainz.

• 1956

  The association day extends the name and remit to Deutscher Handels- und Industrieangestellten-Verband (DHV).

• 1952

  At the first ordinary association day in Königswinter, the association is renamed DHV – Deutscher Handlungsgehilfen-Verband, Gewerkschaft der Kaufmannsgehilfen.

• 1950

  Founding assembly in Hamburg; the association is re-established as DHV Berufsverband der Kaufmannsgehilfen.

• 1935

  The D.H.V. is dissolved.

• 1933

  Chairman Hans Bechly and board members Karl Bott, Otto Thiel and Max Habermann are forced to resign.

• 1933

  An extraordinary association day completes the Gleichschaltung of the D.H.V.

• 1930

  With 401,000 members, the D.H.V. becomes the largest white-collar employees' association in Europe.

• 1919

  The D.H.V. is admitted to the Gesamtverband deutscher Angestelltengewerkschaften (GEDAG).

• 1918

  The D.H.V. initiates the founding of the GAGFAH housing company and remains majority shareholder with over 80% until 1933.

• 1913

  The D.H.V. founds the Deutschnationale Versicherungs-A.G., later renamed Deutscher Ring from 1925.

• 1911

  Hans Bechly is elected third association chairman at the Breslau association day.

• 1906

  The D.H.V. participates in the legislative process for the first Ladenschlussgesetz of 1 October 1906.

• 1904

  The youth department Bund der Kaufmannsjugend is founded.

• 1904

  The D.H.V. participates in the legislative process for the Kaufmannsgerichtsgesetz of 16 June 1904.

• 1898

  The Deutschnationale Kranken- und Begräbniskasse is created at the Leipzig association day, becoming a founding pillar of today's DAK-Gesundheit.

• 1896

  Wilhelm Schack takes over the association leadership.

• 1895

  The association renames itself Deutschnationaler Handlungsgehilfen-Verband (D.H.V.).

• 1893

  Founding of the Deutsche Handlungsgehilfenverband in Hamburg by assistants from the Verein für Handlungscommis; Johannes Irwahn becomes first association chairman.

A Christian, non-tariff-capable professional union (Berufsgewerkschaft) representing commercial and administrative employees in Germany, affiliated with the CGB.

• Trade union membership

  Membership in a Christian professional union representing employees in commerce, banking, insurance and statutory social insurance.

• Apprentice starter package

  A starter package for apprentices at 3 EUR per month.

• Sector-specific representation

  Representation through specialist groups for Handel, Banken, Versicherungen, Ersatzkassen, Gesundheit & Pflege and Fleisch-Wirtschaft.

1. 1HOME - DHVdhv-cgb.de
2. 2Historie der DHV - DHVdhv-cgb.de
3. 3DHV – Die Berufsgewerkschaft (Wikipedia)de.wikipedia.org
4. 4DHV – The professional union (Wikidata)wikidata.org