---
title: Aan de Nederl. Arbeidersklasse (SDAP and NVV manifesto calling a congress, Netherlands, November 1918)
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/sdap-nvv-aan-de-arbeidersklasse-1918/
description: Front of a printed appeal signed by the Dutch Social Democratic Workers' Party and the trade-union federation, addressed 'to the Dutch working class' as…
section: Collection
---

[Collection](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/)

[![Aan de Nederl. Arbeidersklasse (SDAP and NVV manifesto calling a congress, Netherlands, November 1918)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/sdap-nvv-aan-de-arbeidersklasse-1918.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/sdap-nvv-aan-de-arbeidersklasse-1918.jpg)

# Aan de Nederl. Arbeidersklasse (SDAP and NVV manifesto calling a congress, Netherlands, November 1918)

Front of a printed appeal signed by the Dutch Social Democratic Workers' Party and the trade-union federation, addressed 'to the Dutch working class' as comrades. It cites the fall of autocracy in Russia and workers taking power in Austria and Germany as the reason for advancing a congress to 16-17 November, and lists eight demands to put to the government.

- **Date:** 1918
- **Period:** [First World War](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/#era=wwi)
- **Made by:** Sociaal-Democratische Arbeiderspartij in Nederland (SDAP) and Nederlandsch Verbond van Vakvereenigingen (NVV, trade-union federation)
- **Region:** [Western and Central Europe](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/#region=western-central-europe)
- **Country:** [Netherlands](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/#country=netherlands)
- **Medium:** [Leaflet](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/#medium=leaflet)
- **Issuer type:** [Mixed](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/#actor=mixed)
- **Regime:** [Ruijs de Beerenbrouck Government](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/#regime=ruijs-de-beerenbrouck-government)
- **Leader:** [Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/#leader=charles-ruijs-de-beerenbrouck)
- **Audience:** [Domestic public](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/#audience=domestic-public)
- **Purpose:** [Mobilize or secure compliance](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/#purpose=mobilize-comply)
- **Themes:** [Labor](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/#theme=labor), [Elections and party politics](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/#theme=elections-party-politics), [War and the military](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/#theme=war-military)
- **Event:** [Troelstra Revolution Attempt 1918](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/#event=troelstra-revolution-attempt-1918)
- **Techniques:** [Bandwagon](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/bandwagon/)
- **Source:** Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- **Source:** [Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (via Europeana)](https://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.321481), retrieved September 29, 2026
- **Rights:** Public Domain Mark 1.0 (Rijksmuseum, via Europeana); published 1918 Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, NG-1972-28-22-V (Public Domain Mark 1.0); gift of H.C. Baruch-Ponstijn

## Text on the object

Original (Dutch) · read from the image, not independently checked

```
Sociaal-Democratische Arbeiderspartij in Nederland.
Nederlandsch Verbond van Vakvereenigingen.

Aan de
Nederl. Arbeidersklasse.

Kameraden,
De geweldige bewegingen, welke Europa in haar voegen doen kraken, naderen de grenzen van ons land en roepen ook de Nederlandsche arbeidersklasse tot de vervulling harer historische taak.
Van Rusland is de autocratie vernietigd, in Oostenrijk en thans ook in Duitschland hebben de arbeiders onder leiding der sociaal-democratie de macht in handen genomen. Wij Hollandsche, modern georganiseerde arbeiders begroeten deze feiten met onverdeelde vreugde. Eén met de arbeidersbeweging in het buitenland eischen ook wij thans van de regeerende klasse van het eigen land groote en forsche verbeteringen van arbeids- en levensvoorwaarden van allen, die met werken in hun onderhoud moeten voorzien.
In eene Zondagavond en -nacht gehouden vergadering van de besturen van S.D.A.P., N.V.V. en Sociaal-Democratische Kamerfractie, welke bijgewoond werd door de vertrouwensmannen van partij en vakbeweging uit de groote steden, is besloten, het reeds voor onze beweging uitgeschreven congres te vervroegen en te beleggen op
Zaterdag en Zondag 16 en 17 November a.s.
Eene door genoemde vergadering ingestelde commissie heeft een program van eischen geformuleerd, welke aan het congres ter bespreking en aanvaarding zullen worden voorgelegd en die door de modern-georganiseerde arbeidersbeweging aan de Regeering zullen worden gesteld.
Het program luidt als volgt:
PROGRAM VAN EISCHEN.
1. Onmiddellijke demobilisatie met uitkeering van behoorlijke vergoedingen, zoolang de gedemobiliseerden werkloos zijn.
2. Onmiddellijke invoering van algemeen vrouwenkiesrecht; kiesrecht voor alle meerderjarigen.
3. Afschaffing der Eerste Kamer.
4. Dekking der kosten van alle crisisuitgaven en sociale maatregelen door heffingen ten laste van het groot-kapitaal en van het groot-grondbezit.
5. Socialisatie van alle bedrijven, die daarvoor in aanmerking komen.
6. Snelle en afdoende voorziening in den woningnood.
7. Verbetering van den toestand der kleine boeren.
8. Inwilliging van alle eischen van het program van den Bond van Dienstplichtigen.

[handwritten, top left: 1918]
```

English translation (machine translation by Claude, not verified by a fluent reader)

```
Social Democratic Workers' Party in the Netherlands.
Dutch Federation of Trade Unions.

To the
Dutch working class.

Comrades,
The mighty movements which are making Europe crack at its joints are approaching the borders of our country and are calling the Dutch working class too to the fulfilment of its historic task.
In Russia autocracy has been destroyed; in Austria, and now also in Germany, the workers under the leadership of social democracy have taken power into their hands. We Dutch, modern organised workers welcome these facts with undivided joy. At one with the labour movement abroad, we too now demand of the ruling class of our own country great and vigorous improvements in the conditions of work and life of all who must provide for their support by working.
At a meeting held on Sunday evening and night of the boards of the S.D.A.P., the N.V.V. and the Social Democratic parliamentary group, attended by the delegates of party and trade movement from the large cities, it was decided to bring forward the congress already called for our movement and to hold it on
Saturday and Sunday, 16 and 17 November next.
A committee set up by that meeting has formulated a programme of demands, which will be put to the congress for discussion and adoption and which the modern organised labour movement will put to the Government.
The programme reads as follows:
PROGRAMME OF DEMANDS.
1. Immediate demobilisation with payment of proper allowances for as long as the demobilised are unemployed.
2. Immediate introduction of universal women's suffrage; the vote for all adults.
3. Abolition of the Upper House.
4. Covering the costs of all crisis expenditure and social measures by levies on big capital and big landed property.
5. Socialisation of all enterprises that qualify for it.
6. Swift and effective provision against the housing shortage.
7. Improvement of the position of small farmers.
8. Granting of all demands of the programme of the League of Conscripts.

[handwritten, top left: 1918]
```

The right edge of the sheet is faint and worn in places; words at line ends were read from context. The first letter of 'Sociaal-Democratische' is partly lost in the printing.

[← Save Your Child from Autocracy and Poverty: Buy War Savings Stamps](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/save-your-child-from-autocracy-1918/) [Ultimo acto d'um valente (Last Act of a 'Brave Man'): Sidónio Pais and Afonso Costa →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/sidonio-pais-ultimo-acto-valente-1918/)

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