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Kraft durch Freude

Kraft durch Freude (abbreviated KdF and meaning 'strength through joy'), was a large state-controlled leisure organization in Nazi Germany, a part of the Deutsche Arbeitsfront (DAF), the national German labour organization.

From 1933 it provided affordable leisure activities such as concerts, day-trips and holidays. Large ships, such as the Wilhelm Gustloff, were built specially for KdF cruises.

The KdF also set up production of an affordable car, the KdF-Wagen, later called VW Beetle. A new town was built for the production and for housing the workers, KdF-Stadt, now called Wolfsburg. KdF organized a special saving scheme to allow ordinary workers the luxury of a car. However, due to the start of World War II very little of this was realised and both the factory and the rest of KdF became focused on supporting the war efforts.

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