At the beginning of the 20th century, hundreds of Aalten residents crossed the border to Bocholt daily to work in the textile factories there. In all weathers, they went on foot, by bicycle, or by horse and carriage. Some took as long as three hours to cover the (roughly) ten kilometers between home and work, both morning and evening! In 1910, a tram line to Bocholt was opened, allowing them to commute much faster and more comfortably from then on.
Aalten even had its own branch of a German textile union, the Zentralverband Christliche Textilarbeiter, Aalten Local (Ortsgruppe). They met regularly in various cafés in Aalten. We found a number of reports on this subject on Delpher:
Aaltensche Courant, 10 December 1913:
On Monday evening, the Aalten Local of the Zentral-Verband Christl. Textilarbeiter Deutschland held a members’ meeting, to which family members of the organized workers were also admitted. Our friends from Bocholt had brought a magic lantern for this occasion, with which various scenes from the cottage industry, which was still very prevalent in Germany, were shown.
Seeing these things, one can understand that a cry of horror arose, especially in Germany, when these most deplorable conditions came to light a few years ago through that large exhibition of cottage industry held in Berlin.
From all this, it became clear that there is still a great deal of good work for legislators to do to improve the deeply sad lives of thousands who are forced by low wages to lead such a miserable existence.
Mr. Mensink, from Enschede, then spoke pithily to those present, emphasizing that only a firm and solid organizational life can ultimately put an end to these abuses. One of the board members present expressed a heartfelt word of thanks to the propagandists, with which the meeting concurred.
Aaltensche Courant, 12 September 1914:
On Thursday morning, a well-attended meeting of the Aalten Local of the Zentralverband Christl. Textilarbeiter Deutschland was held in the café of the license holder te Linde. In his opening remarks, Mr. Ommering announced that, after much effort, the board had succeeded in establishing contact with their German colleagues and that the discussions held had led to the members of the Aalten Local also being able to count on support. This support will be paid out next Monday morning from 9:00 to 9:30 AM to members whose names begin with the letters A through M, and from 9:30 to 10:00 AM for the others; and that the support would certainly have been paid out earlier if the measures taken at the border by Dutch and German authorities had not intervened so disruptively.
Subsequently, Mr. Mensink from Enschede explained the great benefit of being organized, which is brilliantly highlighted in these particularly difficult days for workers. The speaker explained in a very accessible discourse the difficulties workers face in these sad times, as well as those that the leaders of organizations have to struggle through, and concluded by urging that the members of the organization, also in their own interest, have a duty to support the organizational boards by remaining unconditionally loyal to the organization.
Aaltensche Courant, 16 September 1914:
On Monday morning, the war and emergency support was paid out to the members of the Aalten Local of the Zentralverband Christl. Textilarbeiter Deutschland. Although it had taken some time due to the closing of the borders, for many, under these circumstances, it was a significant amount that was paid out to them.
If we are well-informed, the total payout that morning amounted to about 500 marks. We may safely assume that this payout brought a joyful mood to many a household.
Let us hope, then, that the benefit of being organized is thoroughly recognized, that many who are still distant will join the organization later when the war has spent its fury, and that those few who had to be disappointed due to very poor contribution payments will mend their ways.
