Carl Legien

Legien built Germany's Free Trade Unions into a centralised movement of millions, and in November 1918, amid revolution, signed the Stinnes-Legien agreement with industrialist Hugo Stinnes: employers recognised unions, accepted collective agreements, works committees and the eight-hour day. That bargain is the root of German "social partnership" and co-determination. In 1920 Legien called the general strike that defeated the Kapp Putsch. Radicals accused him of saving capitalism; he would have said he saved the unions.